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

[Petronio]

Cri cri cri...the L39 has taken all the attention now LOL. Can anyone who owns both tell us how the L39 feels compared to the A4?

[crxmanpat]

I own both, and they both fly great. However, with it's long straight wing, the L-39 feels more "locked in" and for me has been much easier to land. The L-39 also seems to be a little slicker in the air, and has some pretty good vertical performance. I love them both, but the L-39 seems easier to fly.

[Petronio]

Great, thanks a lot for your feedback..pretty much what I expected :Cool:. I love the A4 but by judging of the flight vids the L39 seems indeed a piece of cake to fly..

[crxmanpat]

I would go so far as to say the L-39 would be a good first EDF for anyone moving into them from prop jobs. It's that stable.

[DCORSAIR]

I own both, and they both fly great. However, with it's long straight wing, the L-39 feels more "locked in" and for me has been much easier to land. The L-39 also seems to be a little slicker in the air, and has some pretty good vertical performance. I love them both, but the L-39 seems easier to fly.

Have to agree with this, they both fly great but the L-39 just flies better, it would make and excellent trainer for sure or if you want to sharpen your flying skills with some low inverted passes, which it does nicely and it does have great vertical to, all around a very well designed EDF. If only it came in a couple of livery choices....:Cool:

[Quickstop]

I own both, and they both fly great. However, with it's long straight wing, the L-39 feels more "locked in" and for me has been much easier to land. The L-39 also seems to be a little slicker in the air, and has some pretty good vertical performance. I love them both, but the L-39 seems easier to fly.

I have both and I would say this is a very accurate description, not that the A-4 is bad but the L-39 is better in all respects.

[purduephigam]

I would go so far as to say the L-39 would be a good first EDF for anyone moving into them from prop jobs. It's that stable.

Damn, literally just built the A4 and now now I need to consider the L39 now?? I've been holding out for Foil but have since pulled the trigger on the 70mm F16, A4, and T45. When does it stop? Does it ever stop?

[rifleman_btx]

Nope NEVER!!!LOL

[Quickstop]

Damn, literally just built the A4 and now now I need to consider the L39 now?? I've been holding out for Foil but have since pulled the trigger on the 70mm F16, A4, and T45. When does it stop? Does it ever stop?

Not only does not stop, it gets worse!

[crxmanpat]

I'd like to think that it only gets better. ;)

[Hardway]

Yes!!! Better for the model aviation industry... Worse on your wallet!!! LOL That is awesome stuff.. I told my wife I needed something new to fly... She looked at me like I was nuts... HA!!!

[e4dragongunner]

I have been resisting the L-39..... yet I get bombarded with flight report after flight report and video after video.... I own the A-4 ( Love her) the Avanti! the F4 and the A-10... all EXCEPTIONAL !!! this is worse than Crack.... I am addicted!

[crxmanpat]

I think of the L-39 as a cross between the A-10 (stability) and Avanti (performance). Such a sweet flying bird. I need to get mine into the paint shop!

[Alpha]

Purduephigam and e4dragongunner, no my friends, it never stops, the Cycle continues and it has got us all by the heart and mind (and wallet). Haha. Onward and upward!

I'd agree with what the others have said. The A-4 is a really great flyer, one of our top sellers, and flies very well considering it's a scale attack aircraft layout. But the L-39 is a trainer aircraft, and its straight wing contributes a lot to why many of us have observed the L-39 being comparatively a little more "stable", a little more more "locked in", etc.

Having developed them both of these, I think of them as apples and oranges --they are each the best RC version of an A-4 and an L-39, with different design intents.

Our approach with Freewing over the years has been to build out a portfoilo of aircraft that offer different experiences to customers. If they all flew identically, there wouldn't be much fun or challenge. While we want each model to be the best of its kind in the market, some models are intentionally tailored toward being optimal trainers to hone new pilots' skills and give a safe entry to the 80mm Class, some are tailored toward sport acrobatic, or scale, etc. With every model we develop, one of those considerations always leads the others, even while all considerations are balanced together. Ultimately, the unifying factor needs to be that they all fly well, land well, look good, and be a good value for what they provide.

The Mirage V2 is the Acrobat, and challenges ones eyesight at times, but it still lands very easily.

The F-86 is the Transitioner, and has small wheels, but its inexpensive for its large size.

The Avanti is the Supercar, and isn't Scale, but it's easy to fly well.

The A-6 is the Classic that doesn't fit large batteries, but is the only A-6 on the market.

The MiG-21 is the Brute that isn't a conventional choice for American pilots, but it is a big model for the price and also the only Fishbed on the market.

The A-4 is the Scaler, with twisting gear worth watching, but it's the largest and best flying A-4 on the market by far.

The L-39 is the Sport Trainer, yes it's blue, but it's the best of both Scale and Sport worlds in terms of looks and handling.


Etc, etc, etc.

[Petronio]

I sit in dragongunner`s boat...it wasnt my intention to buy the L39 but by hearing all the flight reports its difficult to refrain xD. I am still holding on to Foil to see if I either hate or love it...depending on that will either get Foil or the L39 :Silly:

[DCORSAIR]

I sit in dragongunner`s boat...it wasnt my intention to buy the L39 but by hearing all the flight reports its difficult to refrain xD. I am still holding on to Foil to see if I either hate or love it...depending on that will either get Foil or the L39 :Silly:

I could careless about this foil project really, I just jump in for fun once in awhile, if I were you I would go for the L-39 now and worry about the Foil project when it gets here, who knows when..............:Cool:

Got my A-4 flying very well to, it does fly good and is the only EDF I think that flies better all loaded up.

[RCjetdude]

Any trouble keeping your drop tanks on?

[DCORSAIR]

Any trouble keeping your drop tanks on?

Nope, only when I first got it and was doing some AOA landings and found out they will hit the runway and pop off, so I land with a little less flare and they have never come off again, other than that I have never lost them in flight or anything like that. I do recommend checking the magnets, I've had several of my magnets on my other FW jets installed wrong and want to push them off, my F-4 had one set of magnets installed backwards on the drop tanks, the A-4 had two sets of magnets installed wrong on the hump part, lucky I never lost it in flight. You should get a good pop when you install the tanks, if not, check the magnets.

[e4dragongunner]

Great write up ALPHA! agree on all counts! I have been ignoring other larger projects.... ( gassers) to work on my Motion gear..... Just upgraded my airbrush system to the Grex T3 and haven't looked back.... its like building scale models as a kid.... but these FLY....I am in danger of amassing a fleet like George Baker.



BEST TIME TO BE IN THE HOBBY!

[RCjetdude]

Awesome set up sir! I have always wanted a Trex airbrush.