Official Freewing 90mm F-16 Falcon Thread

[Hugh Wiedman]

Question for those that have redone the tail graphics. Did you remove the original decals (if so how) then paint and reapply? Or just simply paint and apply the new decals?

Best to remove the decals, but if you can't just paint over them. When I did a complete repaint of my Stinger 90, I was able to remove all the decals without affecting the original finish. On the F-16, I was not able to remove the tail decals without messing up the finish, so I just painted over the entire tail, then did the Wild Weasel and Lone Star Gunfighter's graphics from Callie over that. Worked out fine. You can see the result in my post above #424. Of course, the other 2 tail version I did came directly from Motion as is, including the servo and ball links.

I got the paint at home depot (see below for specifics-make sure that it is Satin, not flat or matte). The tail is the lighter shade, same as the bottom of the plane. Hope this helps.

[747electric]

I should open up the lower compartments to the motor and trace the wires back to the ESC....for some reason the ESC is well hidden.

[747electric]

Yes, been flying slope and turbine since the 80's and recently purchased the Freewing F16 but confused on the actual setup of the connections for said connectors. I just wanted to see how everyone else is wiring their battery into the fuselage.

[FiscalJackhammer]

Question for those that have redone the tail graphics. Did you remove the original decals (if so how) then paint and reapply? Or just simply paint and apply the new decals?

[Aros]

747electric, welcome to Hobby Squawk! Please don't take this the wrong way but I have to admit I am a bit concerned about your flying this model if you are not even sure how to connect the battery to the ESC? Am I misreading something? If so I apologize!

[C17loadmaster]

Into the electronic speed controller

[747electric]

How the connections from 6S 22 v 5000mah EC5 after......where do I plug in the EC5 from the 5000mah battery?

[C17loadmaster]

What do you mean? How the connections on EC5 plug in? UBEC wiring? Just make sure the black — goes to black, and the red + gets connected to the red.

Or are you talking about where the BEC plugs into the receiver?

[747electric]

Hello all,
Could someone post pics of how the battery is connected to the f16.

[C17loadmaster]

I haven't had issue with any of the many stock 130amp ESCs either. That being said, I have a Castle edge lite 130 in my F-22. You won't have any issues with that ESC ever... Also, if you use Spektrum its worth the $40 for the XBUS telemetry link.

[DCORSAIR]

As I mentioned, I found that the 155Amp Gecko ESC that Motion recommended with the upgraded 4068-1835kv inrunner had major timing issues causing the throttle to go "dead" on occasion after reducing it to 0. The only potential fix is to download a firmware fix or reprogram the timing of the ESC to get it to work properly, but the guys at Motion said this is tough to do and one guy told me if I mess with the timing, it could cause the EDF to burn out. So now I'm waiting on Motion to see if they are going to take it back, so in the meantime, ordered from them the Castle 130amp ESC with 5 amp BEC that was recommended as an alternative. My only question: is the 5 amp BEC enough, with 5 - 17g servos, 1 - 9 g servo, lights and nose/main retracts? One guy at Motion said yes, but I'm not so sure. Maybe I should get a separate 10amp BEC as well. Any thoughts?

I have had no issues with any of the stock 130a ESC that come with these jets, so far I have flown many flights with the 1835kv unit installed in the F-16, F-15, F-4, F-22, T-45, F-18, Eurofighter and the Yak 130, not one shut down or anything like that, not saying it won't happen but I put many flights on my jets and I don't back off to much, yeah they get a little warm at times but seem to work just fine. I see you already ordered the Castle ESC, but the ones in the FW kits work, maybe consider getting one of those.

[Hugh Wiedman]

As I mentioned, I found that the 155Amp Gecko ESC that Motion recommended with the upgraded 4068-1835kv inrunner had major timing issues causing the throttle to go "dead" on occasion after reducing it to 0. The only potential fix is to download a firmware fix or reprogram the timing of the ESC to get it to work properly, but the guys at Motion said this is tough to do and one guy told me if I mess with the timing, it could cause the EDF to burn out. So now I'm waiting on Motion to see if they are going to take it back, so in the meantime, ordered from them the Castle 130amp ESC with 5 amp BEC that was recommended as an alternative. My only question: is the 5 amp BEC enough, with 5 - 17g servos, 1 - 9 g servo, lights and nose/main retracts? One guy at Motion said yes, but I'm not so sure. Maybe I should get a separate 10amp BEC as well. Any thoughts?

[hilldebrandt]

and better to "look good than fly good". I wouldn't know a good flying jet from a bad one anyway as I fly them all bad.

Fernando says YES

[Aros]

...Everybody suggested the F-15, F-22 or F-35, but I just love the look of the F-16, and better to "look good than fly good". I wouldn't know a good flying jet from a bad one anyway as I fly them all bad.

[Hugh Wiedman]

Just finished my "fleet" of four 90mm F-16's: The "Wild Weasel", the Lone Star Gunfighters, the Flying Razorbacks and the 115th Wisconsin Fighter Wing. Was going to maiden it this week but found major timing issues with the 155amp Gecko ESC with the 12 blade 4068-1835kv inrunner. Motion even recommended not to mess with the firmware update and reprogramming of the timing, so I'm now waiting on a Castle 130 amp and waiting to see if Motion will give me any credit for the Gecko if I return it. If not, I'm tossing it in the ocean, wouldn't feel comfortable even giving to a friend (or enemy) and worrying about it failing and destroying their plane.

I'm sure you've already guessed, but I didn't buy four F-16's, just did 4 different tail versions and about 6 nose cone versions with the help of Callie as I couldn't decide which one I liked best. The tail and nose piece change out in less than 10 minutes, so in theory, I can fly 4 different ones all in the same day. Had to also do some additional painting to help me with orientation (and cause I just can't leave well enough alone). If HP can do 4in1 printers, then I can do 4in1 planes. The upside is I only have to maiden 1 for all 4 to be set and the cost, averaged out over 4 jets bring it to less than $200 per jet, thereby saving me a total of $2,200 on 4 jets (that's the logic I used on my wife, and she can't argue cause that's the type of logic she uses on me when she returns from shopping). Of course the down side is if I lawn dart 1, they all go down.

I know the F-16 isn't all that popular right now, but it's such a bad ass looking jet with the missiles and lighted afterburner that I just had to have one (or 4). Everybody suggested the F-15, F-22 or F-35, but I just love the look of the F-16, and better to "look good than fly good". I wouldn't know a good flying jet from a bad one anyway as I fly them all bad. Besides, in test flights against it's replacement, the F-35, the F-16 won all dogfights and was never "shot down" (although the F-35 does have stealth and superior electronics and only costs $90 million more than the F-16).

Hopefully, I'll get the new ESC by the end of the week and maybe get to maiden it some time next week, just about in time for the next Hurricane to come through.

[EDFjetpilot]

So it seems this "thread is dead"? Doesn't anyone out there fly the 90mm F-16 anymore? Trying to get some info on the elevator compensation when using take-off and landing flaperons, but nothing yet. I would guess it's similar to the Stinger 90 and maybe the F-4, a certain amount of up elevator with the flaps, however, the only post I could find in this entire thread was from 2016 and he stated "PLUS 19 with take-off and PLUS 28 with landing". Now I'm not the sharpest tack in the box, but to me that means DOWN elevator, and that just seems to be counter intuitive, but what do I know, just plugging in a battery takes all my brain power. Could this be the only plane in my fleet that uses down elevator with more flaps? If I program some up elevator and it really is down, I'll probably go into a stall before I know it. Someone of all you brainiacs out there must know.

Hugh,

I haven't flown mine in years however I did use flapperons. I used what Pilot Ryan recommended in the product video. Flapperons will require up elevator (measured down on the leading edge...I think there lies the confusion). To be clear, flapperons without elevator compensation will pitch the nose down.

Sean

[Aros]

Would love to help out but I never added flaperons on mine, and I sold mine eons ago due to the aforementioned "weight problem"...I would love to pick one up again but this time adding an inrunner so the power is more in line with the AUW. You could add in flaperons and just a hint of up elevator and then tweak accordingly based on how your flight(s) went. Good luck!

[Hugh Wiedman]

So it seems this "thread is dead"? Doesn't anyone out there fly the 90mm F-16 anymore? Trying to get some info on the elevator compensation when using take-off and landing flaperons, but nothing yet. I would guess it's similar to the Stinger 90 and maybe the F-4, a certain amount of up elevator with the flaps, however, the only post I could find in this entire thread was from 2016 and he stated "PLUS 19 with take-off and PLUS 28 with landing". Now I'm not the sharpest tack in the box, but to me that means DOWN elevator, and that just seems to be counter intuitive, but what do I know, just plugging in a battery takes all my brain power. Could this be the only plane in my fleet that uses down elevator with more flaps? If I program some up elevator and it really is down, I'll probably go into a stall before I know it. Someone of all you brainiacs out there must know.

[Hugh Wiedman]

Received the 90mm F-16 and have a bit more work to finish it out as a "Wild Weasel". In the meantime, can anyone give me some advice on how much, if any, up elevator they use with the recommended flaperon deflection of 25mm? I'm installing the upgraded inrunner and thinking of setting take-off flaps at about 15mm and landing around 20-25mm, but have no idea how much elevator compensation I need, could always start similar to the F-4 I guess, or the Stinger 90, but would love to hear from anyone in the know.

[gooniac33]

That's what makes this hobby so fun is all the opinions, just like these afterburner lights, I could care less about having one in my jet but other people get a kick out of them and try to out do one another. If my so called stock afterburner lights burn out on my F-16 or the F-104, I won't even bother replacing them.

Ok that's funny.....LOL Or you could do as I have done with my F-104 and use both the ring and a center mounted one as well...