Official Freewing 70mm BAe Hawk T1 Thread

[qmmo44]

I saw the Red Arrows at the Festival of Flight in Biggin Hill on 8/18/2018 during a stop in London to see my sweetheart (a nice surprise for me). As soon as I got back to US soil I ordered the Freewing BAe Hawk from MRC. It is my first EDF jet and I have no business trying to fly it yet but I had to have it (every time I look at it I'm reminded of what my lady did for me that day in August). I put it together dropped a DSMX compatible receiver with gyro in it and set up the jet per the manual. All appears to work just fine...even the recovery switch/button causes flight surfaces to move as expected depending on pitch of the plane, etc. I can't wait to fly her and am also terrified at the same time. I've taxied the plane around in my kitchen/dining area...blew all the photos of my grand kids hanging on the fridge with magnets all over the place. Good fun.

This is my first post on this forum. Here is what prompted me to order the BAe Hawk:

...and here is what I put together (snapped off the pitot tube going through the front door...duh!):

I will not fly her until I've spent more time on some other birds I have. This is one of the things I'm going to do to occupy my time when I retire just around the corner. I'm glad I was pointed to this forum. Lots of info and inspiration here!!

[Wilkigmc]

Hi

RE the upgraded suspension set, the issue is that the groove in the top half that the bottom sits and pivots in hasn't been cut at a steep enough angle.
Apparently a whole batch was produced this way.

I modified mine myself by removing the spring and the circlip holding the pivot pin in place. I then filed out the groove at a steeper angle so the bottom half with the wheel on can extend further. I then reassembled it all and it fits and works great now.

[Rucky]

Since my original Nozzle is damaged I have a scale ;-) Nozzle drawn. The upgrade is 5 grams heavier than the original. Sorry for my English.

If you like the thing, it would motivate me with a small donation of about 50 cents or more to spend more time on other upgrades.

https://paypal.me/RuckyPlex

[RCjetdude]

I believe all new kits include them installed already.

[bbaumer]

[bbaumer]

bbaumer, this retro fit kit that you speak of, where can you get it? What does it consist of? I don't know if my Hawk already has it or not and would like to check.

I received mine as a surprise about a month after I bought mine. It is 4 vacuum formed pieces of plastic, two for inside the fuselage, and 2 for the inlets that span the main glue joint between the front and back halves of the fuselage. I would suggest contacting Customer support if you need one

[ppumpuang]

Well I had the dreaded "let's split this thing in half" landing yesterday. I hadn't installed the retrofit kit at the fuselage joint, and that's exactly where it split. The good news is the retrofit kit is also a very effective repair kit! I'm not certain, but I'm pretty sure if I HAD installed it, the damage would have been much worse, I had about a 3 foot bounce, then it tip stalled and rolled in nose first ( 100% pilot error)

bbaumer, this retro fit kit that you speak of, where can you get it? What does it consist of? I don't know if my Hawk already has it or not and would like to check.

[Hardway]

Ouch!!! Sorry that happened..... But it does on occasion! :(

[bbaumer]

Well I had the dreaded "let's split this thing in half" landing yesterday. I hadn't installed the retrofit kit at the fuselage joint, and that's exactly where it split. The good news is the retrofit kit is also a very effective repair kit! I'm not certain, but I'm pretty sure if I HAD installed it, the damage would have been much worse, I had about a 3 foot bounce, then it tip stalled and rolled in nose first ( 100% pilot error)

[ppumpuang]

Hi, just got a Freewing Hawk and the upgraded suspension set. Has anyone had any issues with the replacement rear legs being shorter than the original ones? Mine are about half an inch too short so the wheels hit the wing instead of going up into the wheel wells when retracted. I don't want to start making the wells bigger and potentially damaging or weakening the wing, so would hardened steel rod be ok to make some replacement longer pins to get the legs to the correct length? Thanks.

Wikigmc I just bought a Hawk and upgraded gear and had the same issue. How did they address this for you or are you still waiting on a resolution? I have been keeping up with the service ticket to see what will happen and I have just been informed that I was refunded for my upgrade landing gear. From a customer standpoint this is good but I really wanted those upgrade gear!! I have no idea if they will be offered now or what. I was told that they had to go through their stock to see what the issue was. Now I am kind of wishing that I would have bought the FMS version of the Hawk that came with the shock absorbing gear already installed along with gear doors :Crying: Oh well. I hope they can resolve this and offer the correct fitting upgrade gear again.

[Mikkelb]

Hey all.

im wanting to reach out to someone who is savvy on the ole 3D printer. I have acquired the BAe Hawk T1 but wanting to modify it to “make it my own”. I’m wanting to convert or upgrade to the BAe Hawk 127 for a RAAF scheme I’m currently working on the decals for.

Main part is the nose as you will be able to see from the image I’ve attached (hopefully) other parts like on the vertical stab I can do with some balsa or foam as well as some other scale features. It was mainly the nose. If anyone can help more than happy to discuss and get your ideas/input into.

Thanking you :)

[Johan72]

Check out what the world looks like aboard the Hawk when it's flying the traffic circuit like a real plane does - airspeed controlled by stick and altitude by throttle.

[Capt. Wild Bill Kelso]

Hi, just got a Freewing Hawk and the upgraded suspension set. Has anyone had any issues with the replacement rear legs being shorter than the original ones? Mine are about half an inch too short so the wheels hit the wing instead of going up into the wheel wells when retracted. I don't want to start making the wells bigger and potentially damaging or weakening the wing, so would hardened steel rod be ok to make some replacement longer pins to get the legs to the correct length? Thanks.

Did you get your situation resolved? I just got a set of the upgraded struts and they are too short as well. Another support ticket! I have three of them in with Motion. My Spektrum AS3x 7ch Rx was DOA, won't power up. I had to mail it back to Horizon for service. And the Red Nav LED blew out almost right away after I powered it up. Oh well! Patience!

[Ron1950]

make sure to press tape into the panel lines or its run city

[RCjetdude]

Ok I ordered the gray Hawk What did you use to mask off the area that you want to paint?

Mike

I used yellow Frog tape after having stuck it to my shirt. Seal the edge with the back of a fingernail and don't lay the paint on too wet the first application. Good luck.

[Pepperpete]

6 more flights on mine. I have finally settled on a CG of 166. About 4mm back from the stock setting. To be clear the stock setting was fine. But with 166 I find the ROG is shorter and feels really nice. And on landing she flairs exactly the way I want with flaps. I can land it at a crawl. What a wonderful plane. So far everything has held up just fine on a very rough grass runway.

[DFJETFLYER]

Ok I ordered the gray Hawk What did you use to mask off the area that you want to paint?

Mike

[bbaumer]

I have to agree, this is a fun jet to fly. Even flying 800mg batteries, I'm having no problems on grass with stock gear.

[Ron1950]

looks like great painters think alike lol

[Hardway]

Long time lurker as I was out of the hobby for years. Finally got back in. I'm blown away at the increase in quality these models are now showing. Maidened my Hawk today and it was a wonderful success. Felt the 162mm was slightly nose heavy so moved the battery back just a tad and it feels amazing now. The jet has plenty of power and I come from a Turbine background. Didn't feel like the lethargic foamies of the earlier years at all. I did read about the mods needed for the weak spot on the body fuse, but when I checked mine it appears FW or Motion RC has already fully installed any reinforcement I would ever need. This is one of the nicest jets I have flown in a long time. Got 6 total flights and the retracts to my outright shock are...fine?? For real?? They didn't fall apart at the first bump...wow...My mind is blown!

That is cool! Welcome to Hobby Squawk!:Cool: