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

[Alpha]

On the prowl...



Target acquired...



Ground attack low...



Pull up!




Flying clean, juking a SAM



Back home and happy

[xplaneguy]

Skyhawks Rule!!!

[RCjetdude]

Got a few questions for those who have one or are in the know. What size are the main wheels? For those interested in brakes. How much does it weigh ready to fly and what was the heaviest it was flown at in testing? If that can be disclosed. For those interested in mods. Is the BEC built in to the ESC or external? I would figure it is internal. Is the wing solid foam vs. built up like the A-10? I assume solid. Just curious. Any lights?

[Starck Mad]

I am absolutely overjoyed by this!! I have been asking for an A-4 for quite a while!

Alpha...you and your team are the best. I have said on many occasion I'm not a "fanboy" of any company...and that I wanted all RC companies to do well as that was better for us all. Fast forward to this morning when I saw the teaser video and learned of the A-4. I had to do some reflecting and be honest with myself. I have my all time favorite plane...in the size I wanted for a long time and asked for...the Spitfire...arriving tomorrow at my door...a big, beautiful 1600mm Spitfire. Why? Alpha and MRC. In my hanger is my favorite twin of all time...a perfect P-38. Why? Alpha and MRC. There is also a Bearcat that isn't another damn Rare Bear in there...which I asked for for a while. Why? Yep...Alpha and MRC. Not to mention the 1200mm Spitfire I wanted for so long...why...ok I'm wearing that out but you guys get it.:Cool:And now my favorite jet!

So here I am after a day of reflection...fully admitting in open forum that I AM A MRC FANBOY. How can I not be?? You guys listen. You get them right. You get great folks like Tony and Evelyn and Ryan and Mike to bring us so much quality, informative content. There is really no other company that I anticipate seeing what they'll do next more than you guys. You are the best. Period. Thanks for being the best and giving me many reasons to become something I never anticipated becoming. A Fanboy. All of a sudden the term seems ok...funny how that works.

My love for the A-4 comes from the first person in my life I ever considered a hero. My brother Howard. He is 20 years older than me and I remember sitting in the cockpit of his A-4 at NAS Pensacola one time as a kid. He flew the A-4M for Marine squadron VMA-331 The "Bumblebees" and flew with several squadrons in the training command as an instructor in the TA-4 in both Pensacola and Cherry Point NC. He loved the Scooter and after a long career flying for Delta he retired and doesn't fly anymore. I ask him from time to time if he misses flying...he always reply's "Not really, but if they'd let me have a go at a Scooter I'd do that." Well, little bro will soon get to fly his own Scooter. Can't wait to show him.

Thanks Alpha.

Adam

[Evoman]

Here is a great story that actually took place that I know of someone taking an A-4 for a joyride.

The Tale Of When A Marine Mechanic Stole An A-4 Skyhawk For A Joyride Over California

http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-tale-of-when-a-marine-mechanic-stole-an-a-4-skyhawk-1745015819

[Shirty]

Stop posting this stuff or I'll have to buy one of these as well. :)

And hear hear adam. Couldn't agree more.

[Alpha]

For those worried about the tall nose strut, it's actually the same length from the ground to the retract plate as the Avanti... reputed grass king... so. I wonder if because much if the strut is exposed under the fuse that to the eye it appears significantly longer, but in reality, it's not. It's the same total length as the Avanti.

In terms of wheel size, the A-4's wheels are the tallest of all Freewing's 80mm jet's wheels, and in fact the A-4's wheels are taller than the big F-14, MiG-21, 90mm F-16, 90mm F-15, 90mm F-18, 90mm Venom, etc...

A-4 = 50x15 Nose and 65x17 Mains

By comparison, most of our big 80 and 90 jet's wheels are slightly smaller: nose is 45x15 and 60x17 or so on most aircraft mentioned above...

If any of you are operating the aforementioned aircraft on your grass, by these numbers the Scooter really shouldn't be massively less capable.

[Alpha]

Thanks, Starck Mad, that's very generously kind of you! I'll pass along your accolades to our team. I'm just one part of a large body of people committed to making this hobby a little more fun, and to inciting a little more stress in our relationships with our significant others. :)

[e4dragongunner]

Gotta say, Totally Stoked! Trying to figure out how to finagle "2" of these!! I must echo the above! MY FAVORITE AIRCRAFT!

[e4dragongunner]

Love these factory Pics!

[Dawgzilla]

Wow, please put a pre-order up so you can take my money!

[Alpha10]

In for ARF PLUS preorder! :)

[AkumaZeto]

Speed brakes?

[gooniac33]

More photos for you guys!

Now if we could just get a Blue Angel scheme it would be a no brainer for me!! LOL

[quitcherbitchen]

No speed brakes unless you install yourself. Alpha mentioned that in the first post. The prototype equipped with them had no flight enhancement provided by them.

[Beeg]

I doubt they will offer a Blue Angels scheme. Dark gloss colored schemes are avoided as much as possible with EPO models for the obvious sun, heat, alligator skin issues. I would think if FLRC ever produced a P-61 they would most likely offer it in the OD day scheme. Could you imagine a gloss black or dark gloss blue EPO model out in the sun for more than 5 minutes?
They could offer it in the flat blue colors like the F7F or F8F but then people would complain it's not a glossy show plane.

[Levendis]

Those inflight photos by Bajora and others are making this model hard to resist...great work guys and thanks for bringing to market this awesome jet. Looking forward to it.

[gooniac33]

I doubt they will offer a Blue Angels scheme. Dark gloss colored schemes are avoided as much as possible with EPO models for the obvious sun, heat, alligator skin issues. I would think if FLRC ever produced a P-61 they would most likely offer it in the OD day scheme. Could you imagine a gloss black or dark gloss blue EPO model out in the sun for more than 5 minutes?
They could offer it in the flat blue colors like the F7F or F8F but then people would complain it's not a glossy show plane.

Yeah I know... but I still may have to do it if I get the plane. A good thick coat of primer and then the blue paint should work pretty good to keep it from gatoring. but who knows... I may just want to do the scheme from top gun as the aggressor scheme!

[Beeg]

I hear ya. I really like the Israeli schemes. There's also some "adversary" schemes that are similar that are pretty cool too. I wonder if the ground based A-4's during Vietnam were ever painted in the SEA scheme?

[gooniac33]

Of course....we can't forget the ultimate "Hollywood" Skyhawk! Another classic from 1986.

I remember tearing that whole scene apart as a kid.... So many things not accurate but it was still really cool to see! When I get this plane I will be doing that scheme for sure... I Love the F-5 Aggressor schemes!! This one will fit right in with it...