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

[Hardway]

Pics may help here!!! LOL

[Hardway]

More of the RNZAF paint job. Been taking it slow. The wind here has been terrible. Not suitable for flying, fishing, garden work or painting!!!!! Just too much wind! We had gusts to 44mph a day or two ago.... Thunderstorms tonight and in the AM.... :Straight-Face:

[seaviper]

Visibility is much better.

flying with tanks in wind makes me rethink my control throws. Low rates with tanks and wind.

[Ron1950]

looks as if u can see it better then dull gray

[seaviper]

Here is the video. I forced her up due to a tail wind gust I think. The landing was marginal. But nothing was damaged except my pride.
Too windy for me.

[seaviper]

Im anxious to try the turnigy since it adds weight

Edit: So today I flew the bird twice paying close attention to CG. My CG was exactly as described previously. However......

1. Using the newer Admiral 5000, she tends to leap off the runway. A strong gust or too much back pressure and you may be going vertical.
I've always just used a very slight back pressure or none at all. Today I had to pull because of the approaching high grass. She went vertical.

2. Using the Turnigy HD 5000 brick, she tends to liftoff in a more scale manner and penetrate the wind easier. Landing speeds can be a bit higher.
Also sink rate can be an issue with tanks on. The heavier battery makes this a little more obvious. I flew 3:55 and landed at 3.78v/cell on the brick.

3. I had a runway abort on takeoff #2. Apparently I had let the empty bird rest on the back of the drop tanks in between battery changes. Unknown to me, this had dislodged the forward magnets' hold on both tanks. During the takeoff roll, the port tank separated. I jettisoned the starboard tank and pulled power. Taxied back and re-loaded the tanks. The idea was to fly with tanks after all. Subsequent flights were a non-issue.

4. My judgment is still good I guess. After two flights on this horrendously windy and turbulent day, I decided to scrub and go home.
My buddy lost his Flightline Spitty today in that wind. I felt like the A-4 was getting a beating in the air. I stopped at two flights after the wind picked up more.



I may or may not have video of today's adventures. We shall see.

[RCjetdude]

I am at 180-185mm. Elevator is at neutral even at this point. At 195 it leapt off the ground almost straight up but I was able to get the nose down before it stalled. I believe you that yours is not tail heavy but I also know mine was. I just find it odd.

[seaviper]

Did you check you elevator neutral point? Was it level? What is your CG now?

That sounds like it could have been a trim issue..just a guess. I assure you mine is not tail heavy. If anything it is a little bit nose heavy. I had moved the Admiral 5000 (newer lighter one) back a little some flights ago and she seemed almost perfect there.
So, I don't think the bird is all that CG sensitive.

Also she is very lightly wing loaded. So much so that I got the Turnigy just to give her some more weight. The payload releases added a little weight aft of the CG. So I moved my Admiral back up to the circuit board again.

[RCjetdude]

Hmmm... I initially balanced mine at 195mm (with gear down as well) from the same point and nearly lost it on the first flight for being too tail heavy. Interesting.

[seaviper]

Actually if using the new Admiral 5000, you don't have to measure. Just push it up to the circuit board and go.


If using the Turnigy 5000 brick, I move it back about a quarter inch.

The 195 is measured as in the photos. Same as in the update. BUT I get that CG wheels down. When wheels come up, the cg moves a little forward. Closer to 185 like Chris mentioned.



If you set it up with 195mm and wheels up, then you may be a little aft when wheels down. This could lead to pitch problems at low speed.

Also i forgot to mention that my scooter has air to mud capability...



EDIT:

My setup is as follows....
Taranis X9D Plus, X8R

Ailerons: 80% travel, 30% expo
Elevator: 65% travel, 30% expo (I flew her for about half the time on 20% elevator expo. I like 30% a little better.)
Rudder: 85% travel, 30% expo

Flaps on a custom three-point curve which stops about 5mm above the drop tanks, giving me full flaps without hitting the ordnance.. Usually though, I only use one notch of flaps with tanks as tanks really make her slow down on approach.
Flap-Elev mixing as per the book. I flew her for a long time with no flap-elev mixing. I like it better with the mixing.

In the early days I was running more elevator and less expo. She was quite "pitchy". Now she is nicely tamed.

Hope to go and get some good HD footage of the new paint scheme as soon as the wind decides to abate here.

[RCjetdude]

seaviper, where are you measuring your 195mm CG from?

[seaviper]

Awesome review!
I really like the vortex generators!

I too messed up my bird early on. But it has become my go-to ship for currency. Also it's a good battery break-in bird.

Although initially I did not like flying with the tanks, I now prefer them as they do seem to aid in visual orientation and aircraft stability. Also, the tanks require a little throttle on final so you get a more jet-like landing. Otherwise, in a clean configuration, you really have to chop the throttle to get her to come down.

Currently my Scooter has about 4+ hours of flight time on it. My CG is at 195 WHEELS DOWN. That works out to the front edge of the wire cover near the wheel well. Wheels up will put the CG closer to the Geek's numbers. Incidentally, I set mine up based on the advice of Pilot Ryan and it has been perfect ever since. Thanks Ryan!

We have a guy in our club with 3000 hours in this bird. He told me that the full scale had a limitation on the number of max-rate aileron rolls you could do in order to prevent an out of control situation. The Blues exceeded this number but under carefully controlled conditions. The model exhibits this same behavior.

Edit: I got to see the Blues fly the A-4 in 1986 or 87. Those birds are now hanging from the ceiling at the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola.

All considered, I too have been on the fence about getting another one. It's just a good jet.

[The RC Geek]

Hey guys,

I finally finished up my Assembly & Flight Review for the Freewing A-4 Skyhawk. I cover my refinish as well as the detailing I did as well. Full article with links (including gear door and vortex generator templates) is available at: http://wp.me/p5LuFX-UK

[Pheonix]

That is one good looking bird. I have all the painting tools I need and still could not do this well. No talent I guess. I am still working on my B24 after some errors with painting. Recovery from hand surgery has been very slow. I am chopping at the bits to fly again. Bummer!

[dutchwhite001]

Wow! Impressive video! Those light poles would drive me bonkers. I had an experience several years ago with my Corsair. Spent almost a year building, flew it for about a year then traveled to a new field to go flying with friends. I found the one and only light pole! The Corsair powdered! But that was a very impressive video! I managed to get in 4 good flights. Worked out the trim and CG. First flight was a bit hairy, had the CG off by enough to cause it to pitch up, so got it down and adjusted that. Second and third flight spent time getting trims correct and feeling out the model. Flight four was uneventful till landing. Landed a bit long and went off the end of the asphalt. Good thing the high grass and weeds were there to catch it! No damage except to my pride. Flight number five however wasn't so good. I think I over extended myself a bit and almost lost the plane! I was getting showy and decided snap rolls would be the thing to do. Not so, say the Aviation Gods, so I won't do that again till I get a few more flights under my belt with this. Fell back on my T-6 and put a flight on that to calm down. Wind finally picked up and looks like rain, so I packed it in and headed for home. I don't know how you do it with those light poles around, but great job!!!!!

[sfninerfan69]

https://youtu.be/AtdGckhpbqY

[dutchwhite001]

Weather is perfect for a little while. 0 wind. I'm out the door to maiden the A-4. Got the clean underwear on as well. Can't wait. Here goes Alpha!!!!

[e4dragongunner]

Well Done ! LOOKS Great !

[EA-6B Geek]

It looks great! Can't wait for your comments on increased visibility.

[AkumaZeto]

and done!

Fantastic. Wish it came stock like this.