Next big jet from Freewing

[kallend]

kallend Very true. Approaching ten years in the EDF business, though, we can certainly see a pattern regarding what people want and what people buy. Unfortunately, the trend is hauntingly similar to the common notion that "If you want to make a hit, make a Cub [or Mustang]". I'd like to think we gave (and will continue to give) as diverse a portfolio of options for customers to choose from, but that pattern so far has proved undeniable. For more exotic birds, we're probably wiser to wait for that data to shift before sticking our necks out even further.

That being said, one of our next birds is the precise opposite of a Cub.

#ChallengeAccepted

I'd hardly put a Su-35 in the same demand class as a Cub or P-51 but it seems a bunch of people have bought them, since you're still listing them after, what, 10 years? Your Eurofighter still demands high prices on the NIB market, too. Yaks, L39s and Goshawks were hardly well known in the USA, either, until you brought them to the attention of modelers.

[T-CAT]

Alpha
I just updated my best educated guesses on my post at the bottom of page 14. Let’s see if these materialize. LOL. I know you won’t (and shouldn’t) tell us when we get it correct until the product is released, but the game is fun.

[mshagg]

Sport jet sounds like the opposite end of the spectrum to a cub to me, and is arguably a safer space to develop in given their broad appeal, versus a boutique scale jet (lol I have to google half of the guesses in this thread!). Don't have to big it down with scale details - flaps and a few lights, good to go.

The business world is a much harder place than it was 18 months ago, a company could be forgiven for not wanting to take on a huge amount of risk with such an uncertain outlook.

[Bajora]

kallend Very true. Approaching ten years in the EDF business, though, we can certainly see a pattern regarding what people want and what people buy. Unfortunately, the trend is hauntingly similar to the common notion that "If you want to make a hit, make a Cub [or Mustang]". I'd like to think we gave (and will continue to give) as diverse a portfolio of options for customers to choose from, but that pattern so far has proved undeniable. For more exotic birds, we're probably wiser to wait for that data to shift before sticking our necks out even further.

That being said, one of our next birds is the precise opposite of a Cub.

#ChallengeAccepted

Blackburn "Buc"caneer? (Cub reversed = your "precise opposite of Cub"?


EDIT: Reading back over this thread, I see Tommy already threw the "Buc" out in Post 278

[Bajora]

So as Alpha said it's the opposite of a Cub...

It'll probably really fast in flight and on landing, difficult to fly, but easier to takeoff and land and WON'T ground loop, and needs to be the opposite of 'it'll barely kill you in a crash'
So either that means it won't kill you and land you softly, or utterly anihilate you out of this realm of existance

Well they already released an F-104!

[Evan D]

I'll say a business jet...

I'm really not in the market for anything right now so I'm good with whatever. :)

[kallend]

SR-71 is as far removed from a Cub as I can imagine.

[heartlandaccents]

Kallend, good thought, but I was thinking about the Starship Enterprise!

But really hoping for the F9F Cougar.

[Airguardian]

SR-71 is as far removed from a Cub as I can imagine.

Alpha dropped a 'Titanium nugget' in today's MRC live show.

Many modern fighter aircraft use titanium, but the SR-71 would be the maximum exponent of that...

[Evan D]

What are the odds of a SR-71? All black, not easy to fly, probably not easy to engineer... But if anyone could do it it would be FW.

Still thinking business jet...

[Airguardian]

Plus there's the issue of fitting the EDFs... It would either need to use small EDFs or be yuuuuge!
(Or compromise scale looks a bit)

[T-CAT]

Yeah, Fab Comp made a 90mm EDF composite SR-71 and it was 79” inches long and 43” inches in wingspan. So, a 80 or 90mm SR-71 would be large and in charge at these size ranges and likely expensive even in foam form. The downside to me would be the fact that it would be made of foam if Freewing were to release one. I despise what black paint looks like on EPO (unless Freewing decides to use a different foam type) after being subjected to the rigors of the sun, even for short periods of time. As much as I want a SR-71, F-117, and B-2, I don’t want it enough in foam unless the gatoring/popcorning issue in the sun with EPO can be resolved, or until an alternative suitable foam can be used.

[Hugh Wiedman]

I'm still thinking it's going to be a bomber and/or agree with Evan D a private business jet, like a Lear or Gulfstream. With FW's seemingly hugely popular AL37, something that no one else has, (put that in your pipe and smoke it E-Flite, HH and FMS), a complimentary Business Jet, maybe a twin 70 mm in like a 1/12 scale would most likely sell very well. Something we need to keep in mind, it's gotta be something that justifies the production costs and appeals to a lot of customers and doesn't come in black! People can customize it "till the cows come home".

If a bomber is also in the works, I would love to see a:

• 1/15 scale B-17 or B-29. No doubt this would be an "easy" production using a lot of tech from the B-24, but it's not an EDF and I wonder if it would only appeal to those already with a B-24 instead of generating a whole new audience (but I'd get one)
• B-1B Lancer, maybe 1/20th scale, 80" wingspan-86" length, twin 80 mm, which would be one Bad A.. Mamma Jamma with swept wings, but most likely too expensive and complicated (ala F-14) to generate enough sales. Doesn't have to be in black:

• Would love to see a B-2 or F-117, but agree no black and an SR-71 or even a F-70 Valkyrie, also too difficult, black, but both those do have titanium. Again, probably not enough customers and maybe a handful to fly.
• Then there's the B-52, maybe in a 1/25th scale, 88" wingspan, but would the outside engine pods then be fake, and is the wing length just a bit wide and ungainly to make it commercially viable? Imagine if they could do it, again they'd be the only ones and it would probably sell well.

Just think of potential liveries, but also think of scraping the wingtips regularly, so gotta have those little outside wheels. Holy Cow, how about an 8 engine EDF with 4 rotating retracts

[Enterprise206]

I’d like to see more Cold War Era jets mainly a single 90mm Mig-23 Flogger or single 90/twin 80mm F-101 Voodoo. Why these two jets? Because I feel their underrated and mostly forgotten, overshadowed by the more well known birds Phantoms Fishbeds etc.

[Petronio]

Sir Alpha..something that you have not modelled yet and would make up for a great entry model as well as advanced...Alphajet! And it bears your name..what else can you ask for 😁...90mm please 😎

[Topdogzrc]

Sir Alpha..something that you have not modelled yet and would make up for a great entry model as well as advanced...Alphajet! And it bears your name..what else can you ask for 😁...90mm please 😎

Dude I would love for the Alphajet to come back, the old Starmax one flew so well. Imagine what justice MRC could do with a 90mm or twin 80mm one.

[FoamOvercast17]

Alpha dropped a 'Titanium nugget' in today's MRC live show.

Many modern fighter aircraft use titanium, but the SR-71 would be the maximum exponent of that...

I agree. I think the Titanium Nugget and “opposite of a cub” statements point to an SR-71 and what would get people in this hobby talking more than a large, well done SR-71. Everyone always says this or that can’t be done, and then a company does it. I’m sure a company like Motion can figure out black on foam. Especially if I can take a sweet 90mm EDF F-4 out of the box and being flying it in an hour. It’s a crazy world we live in.

[FoamOvercast17]

Hugh Wiedman, I’m 100% with you on the B1-B or the B-52. I would stop paying my student loans to buy one of those if I had to. If it was a B-52, my life would be complete. That’s one plane I don’t expect to ever get to own a model of. If life was only fair, we’d have a B-52 with (8) 50mm EDF’s.

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hugh Wiedman, I’m 100% with you on the B1-B or the B-52. I would stop paying my student loans to buy one of those if I had to. If it was a B-52, my life would be complete. That’s one plane I don’t expect to ever get to own a model of. If life was only fair, we’d have a B-52 with (8) 50mm EDF’s.

I'll fly with you and a B1-B or B-52 anytime, sign me up!

[Skosh25]

I’ll be really impressed if they can find a way to manufacture a black EPO jet that doesn’t gator. I’d only buy something like an SR-71 if it didn’t look like an 🐊 after 30 seconds in the sun. Poly helps doesn’t stop it entirely. Maybe EPS would be an option idk.