Originally posted by Evan D
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Official Freewing 90mm F-4 Phantom II Thread
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Sometimes looks good or feels good doesn’t mean “good”.
I had the elevator horn of the P-38 come loose...and it hand tested to be firmly glued out of the box.
A lesson to be learned the hard way by us all...put a critical eye to EVERYTHING and strengthen to suit “your” evaluation / determination. You are the final QC. The P-38 horn got a layer of plywood put on it after I got it down by using the flaps for pitch control.
The F-4 elevator push rod and clevis and ball connector all need replacement with stronger hardware. RF chokes need to be added to the ESC wiring, etc. Such is the nature of the hobby.
-GG
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Originally posted by GliderGuy View PostSometimes looks good or feels good doesn’t mean “good”.
I had the elevator horn of the P-38 come loose...and it hand tested to be firmly glued out of the box.
A lesson to be learned the hard way by us all...put a critical eye to EVERYTHING and strengthen to suit “your” evaluation / determination. You are the final QC. The P-38 horn got a layer of plywood put on it after I got it down by using the flaps for pitch control.
The F-4 elevator push rod and clevis and ball connector all need replacement with stronger hardware. RF chokes need to be added to the ESC wiring, etc. Such is the nature of the hobby.
-GG
Depending on the results of all those tests, weather permitting, I should be able to "redo" the maiden in the next several days!
Speaking of P-38s, I had a Flightline P-38, just loved it. On one flight, everything was going fine when one of the blades on one of the motors suddenly departed and the airplane started rolling immediately towards the "dead engine," not to mention a heck of a lot of vibration. This was something I probably couldn't have predicted, but I immediately chopped the power and had enough glide at idle power to put it down for a soft touchdown gear up in the grass off the runway. Virtually no damage. I was lucky. But with this latest event with my F-4, I'm thinking I should check propeller blades on my prop warbirds more often to see if there are any minute cracks in the blades or housing. There's always something!!
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Always something! You will get some Confirmations from these two recent posts....
https://www.hobbysquawk.com/forum/rc...830#post309830
See tip #2 in the below post.
https://www.hobbysquawk.com/forum/rc...836#post309836
Good Job on the repair, and good luck on the re-maiden.
-GG
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Did my second "maiden" of my F-4 Freewing plane today. This time I DID get off the ground ok. Had to add several clicks of up elevator with the flaps set at the takeoff flap setting, but no big deal. Then brought the flaps up, a little up trim required, and then full flaps, again a bit of up trim required. Having Flight Modes in (Thanks, Hugh!) really helped out in each flight regime for trimming.
I did notice some "sagging" in the performance, and started hearing the jet motor sound pitch decreasing. I hadn't been up 3 minutes, but I knew the plane was in trouble. So I brought it in as quickly as possible, and did land it ok, although the gear mounts that I reglued in Gorilla glue did pull out, but mostly cosmetic damage to the bottom of the fuselage again. The nose gear hung in there tough, no problems with it.
The battery was totally fried. It was an Admiral 6S 5000 that I've had for a few years, but it just died right in the airplane. It had totally puffed out, bigger than I've ever seen a battery do.
So, I'm assessing whether to try and fix this plane again, or maybe part it out and buy a new one, not an ARF, but one that is totally ready to go, maybe even an 8S set up. I'll give myself some time to review my options, maybe go with a different plane altogether, possibly.
davegee
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Originally posted by GliderGuy View PostHi Davegee....Semi-success!!!! Smart move getting it down fast.
-GG
I possibly could have done a little better job landing that might or might not have kept that gear mounting block from coming out, but it was a real emergency, I wasn't sure if the battery would hold out long enough to get it on the ground! And of course, a big crosswind came up at the same time, so I had that to deal with, as well.
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Originally posted by davegee View Post
The airplane stayed on the runway, and it was just the one main gear plastic mounting block that pulled out on the rollout. I'm gluing it back in with a lot of Epoxy, and will do minimal cosmetic repairs to the underneath for now. I'm now going to fly it again and again to try and get it dialed in. I think I can still make it look almost like new on the underneath parts of it, not that it's so bad. I have a full set of VF-84 graphics coming from Callie, but I think I'll hold on to those to see if this plane survives the testing I will do with it, or possibly get a new one that I can easily get it dialed in for one of my favorite planes to fly, based on the results of these tests.
I possibly could have done a little better job landing that might or might not have kept that gear mounting block from coming out, but it was a real emergency, I wasn't sure if the battery would hold out long enough to get it on the ground! And of course, a big crosswind came up at the same time, so I had that to deal with, as well.Hugh "Wildman" Wiedman
Hangar: FL/FW: Mig 29 "Cobra", A-10 Arctic, F18 Canadian & Tiger Meet, F16 Wild Weasel, F4 Phantom & Blue Angel, 1600 Corsair & Spitfire, Olive B-24, Stinger 90, Red Avanti. Extreme Flight-FW-190 Red Tulip, Slick 60, 60" Extra 300 V2, 62" MXS Heavy Metal, MXS Green, & Demonstrator. FMS-1700mm P-51, Red Bull Corsair. E-Flite-70mm twin SU-30, Beast Bi-Plane 60", P2 Bi-Plane, P-51.
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"Suggest you fix it up and fly the snot out of it " That's about the best advice you'll get Dave...Fly it ... and use that info before you put your Sunday Best up in the air. My SB F4 lies on a comfy bed in the spare bedroom and wont be out till I can fly No 1 with my eyes shut (after I get my new glasses!!)
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Originally posted by Hugh Wiedman View Post
Sounds like a success to me! Getting it down in one piece (sort of) with a fried battery is no small accomplishment. Suggest you fix it up and fly the snot out of it, then if you fall in love with it like some of us did, you may want to get a 2nd and have it Callie-afied. An 8S wouldn't be too shabby either. I've got 2 and the first was sort of my "practice F-4" and the 2nd I did in the Blue Angels scheme. Love 'em both, and the first still looks OK after about 100 flights with the old stock outrunner but a month ago upgraded both to the 12 blade inrunner. Now they are regulars in the rotation, although the Blue Angel tends to get the nod at any event! So I suggest you use and abuse this first one until there's nothing left of it! There is always something to be said for having no fear in flying it, you'll be able to test it's limits and then some without worrying that you'll lose it!
I found that the stock stabilizer pitch numbers in mm from the seam were not enough. Per your photos of the position of the stab on your plane, they came out much closer to yours. For instance, with landing flaps, after I had trimmed it out for level flight or maybe just a slight descent, it was about 16mm below the seam when I checked it after landing.
I wasn't aware of a problem with the battery at first, the plane just seemed a bit sluggish to me, but then when I heard the pitch of the motor going lower and it seemed to be laboring, that was a call to get it on the deck Immediately! I don't think I had more than a few seconds of power left when it landed. I think I had the throttle stick full max, and it was basically gliding in. It was that close.
For the next flight, I have a brand new 6S 5000 Smart battery that I have flown a few times in my E Flite P-51D. I'll go up for a shorter amount of time, maybe two minutes or so, and then examine the battery to see if it, too, is working too hard. If it is really hot, I may then opt for a new motor and ESC to put on this what has become a practice bird.
Going 8S is a distinct possibility if I get the kinks worked out on my new "practice" bird.
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Originally posted by locharrow View Post"Suggest you fix it up and fly the snot out of it " That's about the best advice you'll get Dave...Fly it ... and use that info before you put your Sunday Best up in the air. My SB F4 lies on a comfy bed in the spare bedroom and wont be out till I can fly No 1 with my eyes shut (after I get my new glasses!!)
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Originally posted by locharrow View PostBack from a flight with the FMS Hawk,......found a pair of old glasses that stop the plane morphing into two !! Enjoyed it like a "fix" ....might be tempted to get the F4 out weather permitting !!
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Originally posted by davegee View Post
For the next flight, I have a brand new 6S 5000 Smart battery that I have flown a few times in my E Flite P-51D. I'll go up for a shorter amount of time, maybe two minutes or so, and then examine the battery to see if it, too, is working too hard. If it is really hot, I may then opt for a new motor and ESC to put on this what has become a practice bird.
Going 8S is a distinct possibility if I get the kinks worked out on my new "practice" bird.Hugh "Wildman" Wiedman
Hangar: FL/FW: Mig 29 "Cobra", A-10 Arctic, F18 Canadian & Tiger Meet, F16 Wild Weasel, F4 Phantom & Blue Angel, 1600 Corsair & Spitfire, Olive B-24, Stinger 90, Red Avanti. Extreme Flight-FW-190 Red Tulip, Slick 60, 60" Extra 300 V2, 62" MXS Heavy Metal, MXS Green, & Demonstrator. FMS-1700mm P-51, Red Bull Corsair. E-Flite-70mm twin SU-30, Beast Bi-Plane 60", P2 Bi-Plane, P-51.
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Originally posted by Hugh Wiedman View Post
Eventually, I recommend that you use at least a 6S 6000 mah battery with a decent C rating. I'm using either an HRB 6000 50C or even better an SMC 6200 40C (currently out of stock). The HRB tests out around 25C while the SMC is a true 40C, both weighing about 820gr. Tried an Admiral 6000 50C pro (tested out at more like 20C) and it did not perform as well. This should give you almost 4 minutes of flight time, more than enough to have some fun with. I think the 5000 will limit you to just under 3 minutes. I've used a 6000 weighing 874 gr and it still flew great, so one of these days I'm going to try my SMC 8100 mah that I fly exclusively in the F-16 (for over 5 minutes flight time) to see how it flies. It's weight is only 904 gr, so I doubt the extra 30 gr over the heavy 6000 will be an issue. My CG is around 195 mm, slightly aft of the recommended, but this is one of the few birds that I don't mind flying more nose heavy.
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Originally posted by flyinhigh042 View Post
I’m nearing the end of my 6s Phantom project. I have three of the SMC 6200’’s, and I also have a single SMC 8100. I would be very interested to see how well the F-4 would handle the 8100... I flew the 8100 in my Freewing 90mm F-18 and didn’t care much for how it handled with the larger pack.Hugh "Wildman" Wiedman
Hangar: FL/FW: Mig 29 "Cobra", A-10 Arctic, F18 Canadian & Tiger Meet, F16 Wild Weasel, F4 Phantom & Blue Angel, 1600 Corsair & Spitfire, Olive B-24, Stinger 90, Red Avanti. Extreme Flight-FW-190 Red Tulip, Slick 60, 60" Extra 300 V2, 62" MXS Heavy Metal, MXS Green, & Demonstrator. FMS-1700mm P-51, Red Bull Corsair. E-Flite-70mm twin SU-30, Beast Bi-Plane 60", P2 Bi-Plane, P-51.
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Originally posted by Hugh Wiedman View Post
Eventually, I recommend that you use at least a 6S 6000 mah battery with a decent C rating. I'm using either an HRB 6000 50C or even better an SMC 6200 40C (currently out of stock). The HRB tests out around 25C while the SMC is a true 40C, both weighing about 820gr. Tried an Admiral 6000 50C pro (tested out at more like 20C) and it did not perform as well. This should give you almost 4 minutes of flight time, more than enough to have some fun with. I think the 5000 will limit you to just under 3 minutes. I've used a 6000 weighing 874 gr and it still flew great, so one of these days I'm going to try my SMC 8100 mah that I fly exclusively in the F-16 (for over 5 minutes flight time) to see how it flies. It's weight is only 904 gr, so I doubt the extra 30 gr over the heavy 6000 will be an issue. My CG is around 195 mm, slightly aft of the recommended, but this is one of the few birds that I don't mind flying more nose heavy.
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Well, I guess third time is a charm! The weather and winds worked out late this afternoon so I went back to the field to try to have some more success with my snake-bit Phantom II.
From my ill-fated last flight with the battery meltdown, I still had the time to sorta dial in the trim settings I wanted, but didn't really get to complete them. Today, the airplane took off beautifully, maybe using a little over half of the runway, and then it was off to the races. Trimming using the Flight Modes is extremely helpful, and I essentially had everything the way I wanted when I got the warning that I had one minute left on my 3 minute timer. I put it in position to get the gear and flaps down, and then in for the landing attempt. It was very steady, although I landed just short of the runway, on the hard dirt, and it rolled onto the runway for an uneventful landing roll out. I tested out the brakes, and they work great. I'm glad I added the JP Hobby brakes for this rather short runway.
So, even with all the problems of the first two flights, I have this one pretty well patched up. Most people probably wouldn't notice that it had been damaged from the two first flights. I'm going to put all the markings that I got in the mail from Callie today, and continue testing it as my practice airplane. I may buy another plane with an inrunner motor in the future, but for now, this one has plenty of pep for me. It flies as I remember the SEA camo scheme that I just retired and am donating to the local Civil Air Patrol unit. We'll hang it in their hangar where they keep their Cessna 182 SAR airplane.
So, it was a good day today, I'll savor it. I spent way too much time painting and fixing all the gouges to the foam, and regluing the gear. But if I can get some more flights like today, and improve on them each time. I'll be a happy camper! Pics attached are after the flight was completed.
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Originally posted by davegee View PostWell, I guess third time is a charm! The weather and winds worked out late this afternoon so I went back to the field to try to have some more success with my snake-bit Phantom II.
From my ill-fated last flight with the battery meltdown, I still had the time to sorta dial in the trim settings I wanted, but didn't really get to complete them. Today, the airplane took off beautifully, maybe using a little over half of the runway, and then it was off to the races. Trimming using the Flight Modes is extremely helpful, and I essentially had everything the way I wanted when I got the warning that I had one minute left on my 3 minute timer. I put it in position to get the gear and flaps down, and then in for the landing attempt. It was very steady, although I landed just short of the runway, on the hard dirt, and it rolled onto the runway for an uneventful landing roll out. I tested out the brakes, and they work great. I'm glad I added the JP Hobby brakes for this rather short runway.
So, even with all the problems of the first two flights, I have this one pretty well patched up. Most people probably wouldn't notice that it had been damaged from the two first flights. I'm going to put all the markings that I got in the mail from Callie today, and continue testing it as my practice airplane. I may buy another plane with an inrunner motor in the future, but for now, this one has plenty of pep for me. It flies as I remember the SEA camo scheme that I just retired and am donating to the local Civil Air Patrol unit. We'll hang it in their hangar where they keep their Cessna 182 SAR airplane.
So, it was a good day today, I'll savor it. I spent way too much time painting and fixing all the gouges to the foam, and regluing the gear. But if I can get some more flights like today, and improve on them each time. I'll be a happy camper! Pics attached are after the flight was completed.Hugh "Wildman" Wiedman
Hangar: FL/FW: Mig 29 "Cobra", A-10 Arctic, F18 Canadian & Tiger Meet, F16 Wild Weasel, F4 Phantom & Blue Angel, 1600 Corsair & Spitfire, Olive B-24, Stinger 90, Red Avanti. Extreme Flight-FW-190 Red Tulip, Slick 60, 60" Extra 300 V2, 62" MXS Heavy Metal, MXS Green, & Demonstrator. FMS-1700mm P-51, Red Bull Corsair. E-Flite-70mm twin SU-30, Beast Bi-Plane 60", P2 Bi-Plane, P-51.
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Originally posted by Hugh Wiedman View Post
Outstanding Dave, she looks good to me and once you finish with the Jolly Rodgers (???) theme you're ready for some dogfights! BTW, you mentioned you might put an inrunner in the next. What fan is in it now, I thought for some reason you had the 9 blade 1900 Kv inrunner, no?
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