Official Freewing 64mm F-86 Sabre Thread

[Race 22 Crew]

A couple photos from my set up.

[Race 22 Crew]

One more item to be aware of. The nose takes a beating even with good landings. Park Flyer Plastics has an aftermarket plastic nose piece. Works well at protecting the nose.

[fhhuber]

Now, do I order the 80mm F86 or the A4?

A4

No question about it.

*****

This is something I say a lot...

You may not be getting max thrust for launch at full throttle.

There is some rpm above which any propeller or EDF fan "stalls" due to lack of intake air when the aircraft has no forward airspeed. advancing the throttle further is counterproductive, especially for hand launch.
Conventional 2-blade open prop planes make up for it with huge disc area and thus usually can still produce static thrust near equal to aircraft weight, or even greater than aircraft weight with the prop stalled.
the EDF doesn't have the disc area.

Tie the plane's tail to a fish scale (put a model without landing gear on a small 4 wheel wagon or something so it can pull without sliding on the belly. do not block any intake or "cheater holes") and measure thrust as you slowly increase throttle. You'll find a point where thrust drops (usually suddenly) as you continue to increase throttle. That is max throttle you should be using at hand launch. Max static thrust. Let the plane build some speed, then gradually add more. (maybe 5 to 10 seconds after release you can be at full throttle and not stall the fan, depending on climb angle)

Its counter-intuitive because you think that more throttle = more thrust. But that is only true if the fan can take in air fast enough to not stall.

[Race 22 Crew]

I’ve got a scale. I’ll have to do an experiment to see what I get.

[hotrod23t]

Just purchased the power system from new mirage jet going too install in my f86 this wpuld be an upgrade yes? The flying wt is within 3 oz

[hotrod23t]

Sorry wrog thread

[chipset35]

I have a problem with my Freewing F-86 Sabre 64mm....everytime I give it throttle it does not move and in fact seems that there is more air being forced out the front than the back of the jet!
I mounted the EDF as the instruction manual states.
Just to make sure, one side of the EDF has the fan blades and the other has a small gold color motor(?) or something on it.
Which way should it be?
The photo in the manual shows the gold part to the rear and the fan to the front.
Any help would be appreciated as I have never got this thing to work properly.
Motion RC told me to do a throttle recalibration which I did.

[fhhuber]

Air moving backwards sounds like reversed motor rotation.

Try swapping the connections of any 2 of the 3 leads between motor and ESC. (sometimes that's hard to reach after the model is assembled)

Color code between motor and ESC is essentially meaningless. Matching red to red, black to black, etc is not necessary.
The ESC provides a variable voltage and frequency simulated 3 phase AC to the motor. The only thing that happens by changing which wire is connected to which is reversing the rotation of the motor.

[chipset35]

Air moving backwards sounds like reversed motor rotation.

Try swapping the connections of any 2 of the 3 leads between motor and ESC. (sometimes that's hard to reach after the model is assembled)

Color code between motor and ESC is essentially meaningless. Matching red to red, black to black, etc is not necessary.
The ESC provides a variable voltage and frequency simulated 3 phase AC to the motor. The only thing that happens by changing which wire is connected to which is reversing the rotation of the motor.

Thank You so much!
I will try it today as there are three color matched wires, red, black and yellow.
But the yellow does not have a yellow mate it only has a blue one.
Should I try swapping the red and blue first or is it a swap each until it works?

[rifleman_btx]

Yeah the color code doesnt mean anything, they are more of a reference guide if you pull the system apart and remember what colors go together to give forward thrust. I have to write it down or I'll forget what went to what in 30 seconds. All 3 wires are interchangeable.

[chipset35]

I ended up shelving the 64mm Freewing F-86 Sabre and giving up.
The issue is that the several attempts I tried; before realizing the thrust was reversed, due to the EDF having the wires crossed from the factory affecting thrust, caused the foam to become too damaged around the nose of the aircraft.
Then even with experts at my clubs field helping me, the jet was now able to get some air speed, but kept making a hard right turn into the ground regardless of control, trim, etc etc.
Upon inspection, the way the EDF mounts is a very bad design, as the only things holding it in place are one small plastic tab that inserts into the bottom of the wing where there is a larger foam notch (useless), the friction from the wires beneath the EDF in the foam channel for them.
And, the friction of being pushed into the foam which surrounds the mounting point.
As a result, between that weak design and the four ground impacts, the EDF keeps shifting/moving upon throttle up and results in the before mentioned crashes.
At this point I will salvage the electronics from it.
Kind of scared to purchase another Freewing Product at this point.

[RCjetdude]

So you tried to fly this jet with the thrust reversed?

[chipset35]

So you tried to fly this jet with the thrust reversed?

When I flew it with the thrust reversed I did not know at the time that it was reversed.
Then of course after realizing this and fixing the issue, tried to fly it, but the EDF keeps moving at throttle and throwing the whole flight off.

[bbaumer]

I ended up shelving the 64mm Freewing F-86 Sabre and giving up.
The issue is that the several attempts I tried; before realizing the thrust was reversed, due to the EDF having the wires crossed from the factory affecting thrust, caused the foam to become too damaged around the nose of the aircraft.
Then even with experts at my clubs field helping me, the jet was now able to get some air speed, but kept making a hard right turn into the ground regardless of control, trim, etc etc.
Upon inspection, the way the EDF mounts is a very bad design, as the only things holding it in place are one small plastic tab that inserts into the bottom of the wing where there is a larger foam notch (useless), the friction from the wires beneath the EDF in the foam channel for them.
And, the friction of being pushed into the foam which surrounds the mounting point.
As a result, between that weak design and the four ground impacts, the EDF keeps shifting/moving upon throttle up and results in the before mentioned crashes.
At this point I will salvage the electronics from it.
Kind of scared to purchase another Freewing Product at this point.

Your experience is not typical for these planes. EDF's can be difficult to fly, but this forum is literally filled with people who love flying these planes, and are pleased with freewings quality ( generally). If you cared to share where you are from, perhaps someone here might be able to help you get over the rough spots.

[RCjetdude]

Reading back through this you said you mounted the EDF as the instruction manual states. Was it not already secure in the fuselage when you got it?

[Race 22 Crew]

The EDF unit is not set in the groove of the fuselage when you unpackage it. You have to move it aft into the groove. When you mount the wing, the groove built into the wing captures the lower flange of the unit and locks it in place..

[chipset35]

The EDF unit is not set in the groove of the fuselage when you unpackage it. You have to move it aft into the groove. When you mount the wing, the groove built into the wing captures the lower flange of the unit and locks it in place..

That is correct.
And that groove is not enough to keep the EDF from shifting.

[chipset35]

Your experience is not typical for these planes. EDF's can be difficult to fly, but this forum is literally filled with people who love flying these planes, and are pleased with freewings quality ( generally). If you cared to share where you are from, perhaps someone here might be able to help you get over the rough spots.

Been having the senior members of my RC club here in Virginia helping me along the way.
I took all of the electronics out of the FW Sabre F-86 and tossed the fuselage, but kept the wings.

[RCjetdude]

That is correct.
And that groove is not enough to keep the EDF from shifting.

Can you put a blob of silicone on the backside of the fan and just glue it in? Most of the 64mm class planes I have seen have it glued in place.

[Mikecl]

Hello, This is my first Jet, My first try overhand throw it turn right into the ground, second try into the ground. Third time I moved my battery all the way back as far as I could (1600) and under hand throw. I did better still in the ground, but it slid in. Forth time, under hand tried not to over elev it, I let it build up speed only a few feet off the ground then up into the blue. Flew great land it add new battery just to see if i could do it again. Again underhand not to much elev and a way she went. Once you get it in the air it is to much fun. With the 1600 running at about 1/2 throttle i flew for 4 mins.