Official Freewing 80mm A-4E/F Skyhawk Thread

[TonyF3A]

I have this airplane and I love it! My dad worked for Pensacola Naval Air Rework Facility (NARF) in Pensacola, FL. When the Blue Angels went from the F-4 (gonna get that one too!) to the A-4 in the midst of the Gas Crisis, he was the one that got the phone call from the Navy Dept. to "pick out 10 low-time A-4's from the fleet for the Blues". My dad just laughed and told him there WERE NO low time A-4's! He found 10 for the Blues anyway..... So, I have a real connection with this airplane. Just a question... has anyone figured out a good way to modify the fueling probe so it has the bend in it....thought about heating it up but just wanted to see if anyone out there had an idea before I re-invent the wheel....

[themudduck]

I agree with Geek.

That's interesting that the yellow A-4 had that tendency. Same plane, different characteristics. Motion must have tweaked the design. Maybe the washout in the tips is helping.

Crosswind landings are tricky. I added a plastic tab on the outside bottom edge of the wing, to keep it from being scuffed up during landing. I think I've repainted my fuel tanks twice now! But so far, no accidents.

[EA-6B Geek]

I think it's a very docile plane. Like the full size jet, you can get "behind the power curve" making a tight turn to final. If you keep the angle of attack relatively flat during approaches, there no tendency to stall whatsoever. Setting the CG on the forward side of what's recommended seems to be the happiest setup. Most challenging for me is keeping it on all three wheels during a crosswind landing rollout. I've got some scuffed up drop tanks! Great plane!

[Rcjunkey]

So now that the A-4 has been out for a while can you all tell me how the stall characteristics are and what to look out for?
I had the Yellow A/C A- 4 and it would stall real easy and in a split second drop a wing role on it's back and flip You the bird as if it had a suicidal death wish.
Does this have any bad tendency?

[OV10]

Man, that's the way to go. You do that to your BWA strip each spring and it will be like a golf green. A nice smooth grass strip is excellent. I wish I could get my hands on a used roller like yours. My field needs it.
A fellow in our club has access to the big stuff (highway roller), but we're sure it would destroy the Geotex if we tried it.

Got the PM with the updated cost info, appreciate the feedback.
Would run me about $3K to cover 300 ft of the 40x500 strip.
A little more than I care to dump so I'll just ride the rolling hammer.LOL

[themudduck]

...my dad, brother & I) will keep it hammered flat with a ride on 1-1/2 ton vibratory roller that dad acquired on the cheap(<$250) just for this purpose.

Man, that's the way to go. You do that to your BWA strip each spring and it will be like a golf green. A nice smooth grass strip is excellent. I wish I could get my hands on a used roller like yours. My field needs it.
A fellow in our club has access to the big stuff (highway roller), but we're sure it would destroy the Geotex if we tried it.

[OV10]

The video was at our AMA club field, the Mentor Area Radio Control Society (MARCS) in Geneva OH. The Geotex is about 6-7 years old and is still in excellent shape. I don't remember the exact cost, it wasn't cheap. I want to say $4000 to $8000 but I don't remember. I can try to look it up for you. We purchased three 20'-wide rolls and the runway is 300 feet long. All we did was smooth the dirt and tamp it down first, then the fabric was stapled to the ground using long staples. Each spring we have to go out and press them back in (frost heave) with our shoes. That's exactly what I did two weeks ago!

Thanx for the pricing insight, was inquiring for application on my own recently acquired airstrip called BWA
That price is pretty hefty so we (my dad, brother & I) will keep it hammered flat with a ride on 1-1/2 ton vibratory roller that dad acquired on the cheap(<$250) just for this purpose. :)

[themudduck]

Thanx MD ;) Is that your own private strip and if so what is the ball park dollar invested for the geotex runway?

The video was at our AMA club field, the Mentor Area Radio Control Society (MARCS) in Geneva OH. The Geotex was purchased in 2010 and is still in excellent shape. We purchased four 15' x 300' rolls for $3800. (the runway is 45' x 300', we used three rolls and the last roll was for pit lanes - we saved most of it for future repairs.) All we did was smooth the dirt (like a road) and tamp it down first, then the fabric was stapled to the ground using long staples. Each spring we have to go out and press them back in (frost heave) with our shoes. That's exactly what I did two weeks ago!

[Pheonix]

Unfortunately I have ulnar nerve neuropathy and my fingers are not what they use to be. Too many service related surgeries on my hands. I try to find all the tools I can to help me with my flying. You are blessed to be able to use your fingers without difficulty. Blessings.

[OV10]

So ok, I strung together 4 short clips from one of my flights on Sunday, and uploaded it to YouTube. Now everyone can see my crappy landing! (It wasn't that bad, I just didn't slow down enough!)

https://youtu.be/fxqS8BQj0WY

Thanx MD ;) Is that your own private strip and if so what is the ball park dollar invested for the geotex runway?

[themudduck]

So ok, I strung together 4 short clips from one of my flights on Sunday, and uploaded it to YouTube. Now everyone can see my crappy landing! (It wasn't that bad, I just didn't slow down enough!)

https://youtu.be/fxqS8BQj0WY

[OV10]

MD...........link won't work if your not a FB user. Some of us ol' skool vets just won't. ;)

[themudduck]

I'm not sure if this link will work (posting from work) - here's short video my buddy shot of my Scooter landing yesterday. I cut the throttle... and it just glided .... and glided... all the way down the runway and touched down near the end.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2015777512075820&id=100009307 727235

[seaviper]

It's better

[gazza]

i used to have a yellow models A-4 with the scale wing, OS 90 and a Ramtec fan, sweetest flying jet i ever had, just ordered the freewing one, if its half as good as the Yellow one it will be a winner

[Grossman56]

I'm not sure, but see the light at the end of the green stuff? Go toward the light!!:Sun::Sun:

Looks like some kind of fur, scared the hell out of me at first, thought TI had been abducted by aliens and taken on their green furry space ship:eyeswide
E.T. GO HOME

Grossman56

[RCjetdude]

Down here in the South we call it grass...

[OV10]

Hey Gman...........What the hell is that green stuff and bright glare in TI's pic. Totally distracted me for about 5 minutes before I noticed he was showing off the A-4 LOL

[TiredIronGRB]

I've been flying this bird quite a bit lately, great flying plane.

[gbruce]

Thanks!

After a few proofs were adjusted to fit the FW A-4 the Decals have been shipped from Callie Graphics...update soon :)

Here's the model I am modelling...Ha ha.