Official Freewing 90mm F-16 Falcon Thread

[747electric]

Thank you Hugh for all your help, really really really appreciate it. Will order the parts.

[FiscalJackhammer]

Worked up the courage and did a vertical stab this evening. Learned a lot. That servo makes it a pain.

[Phantom]

F-16 with thrust vectoring

https://youtu.be/qmIQAOG789E

[thisguy65]

Didn't they learn this is how goose died?...flat spin

[Phantom]

If only Mav had VT, goose could have been saved!

[Hugh Wiedman]

As I mentioned in the thread "What did you fly today", I finally got the maiden in with 4 additional flights. It was a real Handful! Installed the upgraded inrunner, and balanced at 118mm and without flaps, I couldn't get it to leave the deck on a grass runway (no wind). After getting it in the air at that cg, I needed 97 clicks of up elevator (starting at the recommended neutral point of the manual). Each flight I moved the battery back until by flight 5, I was at 135mm cg. Moving the battery only slightly help taking off but even at that point it needed 55 clicks of up elevator. Of course that tail heavy made landing near impossible because as I reduced power to touchdown, the nose pitched up violently and came down hard.

So as anyone been able to take off of a grass field without flaps using the upgraded inrunner?

[Holeshot922]

Anyone have a new or like new grey one for sale? Looking to buy, PayPal ready!

Thank you

[Hugh Wiedman]

Finally got a chance to "re-maiden" the F-16. A week ago I took out the Wild Weasel version and could not get it to take-off the grass runway without flaps. Messed around with the CG and ended up way too far back (135mm) which didn't help the lift off at all. So yesterday, changed the tail to the Arkansas Razorback version, move the CG back to 120mm and took off with 1/2 flaps. Worked outstanding. It's not the easiest jet to fly, but when you get it dialed in with the upgraded in-runner EDF, it performs very nicely. I found for me, reducing the aileron deflection by 25% from book and increasing elevator deflection by 35% gives me my preferred flight envelope. I did have to increase the neutral position of the elevator up an additional 2mm to fly level. The location of the battery fore or way aft didn't change the elevator neutral position much (about 1mm), and moving the battery didn't help take-off at all (must use flaps), but moving the battery behind 123mm cg sure made it pitch up when power is reduce for landing. So the moral of my story is keep the cg around 120 (or less) and if you fly off of grass, use flaps.

Next time out I'll try the Lone Star Gunfighter tail, or the Wisconsin fighter wing.

[Aros]

Good stuff Hugh! This info will help me when I do get another one and put an inrunner in it...

[Hugh Wiedman]

Good stuff Hugh! This info will help me when I do get another one and put an inrunner in it...

Great, it's certainly not the easiest EDF to fly, but it sure looks outstanding in the air, a real iconic profile.

[DCORSAIR]

Great, it's certainly not the easiest EDF to fly, but it sure looks outstanding in the air, a real iconic profile.

Once you get it dialed in and the landings down it is a real easy jet to fly actually, it will turn and burn with the best of them, I fly mine maybe a little to hard, seem to get a little flex in mine right at the wing to fuselage mounting points....

[Aros]

I agree, not the easiest model (this particular model) to fly. I had some real clunkers for landings my first few attempts...Bone stock. To the point I started questioning my skill level! LOL!

However, I have come to understand that this model is very heavy and requires a better power plant than stock to match her weight. And landings are particular with this one. AoA and throttle management are huge factors (flaperons are definitely helpful) as well. Once I got it down, it was fine, but boy, not a 90mm to recommend as a first 90mm that's for sure.

[Ks.jetflyer]

After 7 flights and 7 arrivals, I finally gave up and sold it. I tried different cg locations, different landing approaches with no success. Been flying edfs for many years, never had one humble me this bad.

[DCORSAIR]

After 7 flights and 7 arrivals, I finally gave up and sold it. I tried different cg locations, different landing approaches with no success. Been flying edfs for many years, never had one humble me this bad.

To funny, I sold my first on as well, but in the back of my mind I kept thinking, was it me or the F-16, bought another one, same thing at first, then I started flying it and it only, touch and goes over and over, battery after battery, changing the CG every flight until I got it right and have come to love it, if you watch the full scale F-16 perform, this little F-16 will perform just like the real one, that is what makes it all worth it, I even bought the ThunderBird version, I wore that one out and got another new one, then wore my gray one out and got another one, sold the TBird and kept only the gray one because it looks awesome all loaded up. Some will like this jet and some won't, once you have flown as many flights with it as I have, you will learn to love it. I think most guys just over control it, I fly mine all stock out of the box as far as servos and setup, I do have the 1835kv in mine now and with no expo, dual rates or flaperons programmed, it flies very well as is, you just have to learn how it likes to be flown.

[Phantom]

To funny, I sold my first on as well, but in the back of my mind I kept thinking, was it me or the F-16, bought another one, same thing at first, then I started flying it and it only, touch and goes over and over, battery after battery, changing the CG every flight until I got it right and have come to love it, if you watch the full scale F-16 perform, this little F-16 will perform just like the real one, that is what makes it all worth it, I even bought the ThunderBird version, I wore that one out and got another new one, then wore my gray one out and got another one, sold the TBird and kept only the gray one because it looks awesome all loaded up. Some will like this jet and some don't, once you have flown as many flights with it as I have, you will learn to love it. I think most guys just over control it, I fly mine all stock out of the box as far as servos and setup, I do have the 1835kv in mine now and with no expo, dual rates or flaperons programmed, it flies very well as is, you just have to learn how it likes to be flown.

What CG did you finally settle on?

[Aros]

Some will like this jet and some don't, once you have flown as many flights with it as I have, you will learn to love it. I think most guys just over control it, I fly mine all stock out of the box as far as servos and setup, I do have the 1835kv in mine now and with no expo, dual rates or flaperons programmed, it flies very well as is, you just have to learn how it likes to be flown.

Very true...Once you "Get her" then she is a great jet. Reminds me of the F-14...There is a learning curve but once you get it, the rewards are great. Still, let's be honest...This is a heavy jet. This model is how many years old? Certainly not New Gen in the literal sense. If we were to re-do this model, it would be much lighter with a much more robust power setup. I hope that day comes.

[DCORSAIR]

What CG did you finally settle on?

I have my CG around 118mm to 120mm, anything aft of that and you will have a handful trying to land it, it does perfrom better with the CG aft but it lands so much easier with it nose heavy. I hope to get a video one day on how this jet is able to fly and land, the slow flight looks very scale with the gear down and as you pass by pull the gear up and add in the power as the gear retracts, looks great.

[Phantom]

I have my CG around 118mm to 120mm, anything aft of that and you will have a handful trying to land it, it does perfrom better with the CG aft but it lands so much easier with it nose heavy. I hope to get a video one day on how this jet is able to fly and land, the slow flight looks very scale with the gear down and as you pass by pull the gear up and add in the power as the gear retracts, looks great.

I've been eyeing the ARF plus, T- bird one for a while... the constant talk about her being a handful to fly, heavy, and underpowered has delayed me pulling the trigger though... any thoughts on using the 8s setup from the YAK-130 to power her?

[JamesonC]

I keep hearing people talk about a new "high performance" version of this F16 with the new inrunner in it but I have never seen it on the website anywhere.

[Aros]

I think it's more wishful thinking but I am keeping my fingers crossed for an updated version!