Official Freewing JAS 39 Gripen 80mm EDF Jet

[Radar-Guy]

I happen to have a Wemotec 80mm with a Het 650-58-2100kv lieing around (had that in the Freewing Mirage until I rammed that into a Corn field :/ ). That should at least be comparable to the stock setup, I guess.

It is comparable, flew this unit on 6s in my Freewing L-39. The outlet diameter needs to be reduced to 65mm for best results.

[Robert Belluomini]

Alpha and Motion congrats on the new release. You keep knocking it out of the park!

[Robert Belluomini]

You're right, I do always have a sensible reason for sensible design, don't I?

The stock location of the Gripen's landing gear made the model incredibly prone to tipping over, which was significantly reduced once we adjusted the nose to its current position. Fun fact: We relocate the position of almost all scale aircraft so they are easier to handle on the ground. Most people don't notice its diversion from scale. For those that do, consider it a fair challenge: We made the airplane itself, so you're 99% of the way there, and now you get to tweak the landing gear to your own satisfaction.

Beware, though, the ground landing of the airplane will change. Relocating the F-4's mains back to their scale position will result in a very nasty "pop" off the ground instead of a smooth rotation, and the same for the A-4. Using a scale gear layout for the F-22 and T-33 will reduce its capabilities on grass, and same for the F-15. The F7F and OV-10's struts are optimized for mass-producability even though they weren't strictly scale. The F-18 and F-14.... most people were enjoying flying the airplane to not fret too much about their gear's non-scale configuration.

While we're at it, none of our wheels are ever scale sized, either. *gasp*

Sensible changes and a balanced feature set that make a flying model available to the masses at a sensible price. That's my target.


Mizer67 I think you'll find that the Gripen's door setup is very different from what we did on the Mirage over five years ago. The Gripen's door hinges, control arms, geometry, and spring tension are all optimized to keep the doors closed only when you want them closed, and open only when you want them open.

Alpha, long time flyer (listener), first time scale cop(caller)! Love the Grippen happy you make the decisions you do, to make these great flying and handling models.

[Alphonso]

Mine too. https://www.hobbysquawk.com/forum/rc...295#post265295

My modelling skills are primitive. I tried my hand re-finishing my Mig-21. At best it's a 10 ft. job. I might have to give it another shot, just to re-create this scheme.

I need figure out how not to get the stock paint to pull up while masking off; don't want to add too much weight with WBPU/sand/WBPU/sand. Even with using the painter's tape/cotton shirt tip, I pulled some off of the Mig-21. Those sharp lines need even finer work than what I was trying to do with the Mig.

To repaint an EPO plane I mask with wet blottting paper for complex camo patterns. Cover the plane, let it dry, draw the camo on, lift the dry paper and cut the pattern before laying it back down. Wet the paper again and start rolling or spraying straight away. The paper will stay wet long enough to do 2 thin coats. Remove paper whilst wet. For a pattern with straight edges like above; use news paper as you don't need to draw the pattern. News paper also sticks down better than most blotting paper and is much cheaper.

The F22 in my sig was done this way using Valspar which is I think the in house brand at youur Home Depot. It is a flexible all in oe paint and stands up to handling well. It's the worst paint I've ever used on a wall but great on our foamies😊.

[janmb]

Alpha and motionrc, just let me be perfectly clear: I hate you!

Or more precisely, my wallet does 😂

[janmb]

700 people who like the position of the front landing gear? The shape of the new JAS-39 Gipen is wonderful, but the placement of the front lnding gear is really ugly. It is too far forward!

Yes, it is "too" far forward for a perfectly scale rendition, BUT that is a huge advantage in my book... Since it allows a more centralized, closer to CG battery placement.

Look at what FMS/E-flite did with their SU... very very scale position nose gear, but at what cost.... Battery forced WAY too far forward, fans sitting virtually all the way aft + a fat, hidden weight inside the tail to compensate. And anything but ridiculously small/light batteries will make a proper CG impossible.

I would much rather have a slightly too forward nose gear and have a practical jet with a functional battery position...

[xviper]

So will this bird absolutely only work with a 7 channel?
Couldn't she still fly ok with the canards configured as elevators only and no aileron?
Sure, maybe it wont roll like a drill but it should still be able to perform well................. right?

Of course you can program the canards as ELE (Y'd together - you may need a servo reverser on one of them). This would then take up 6 ch. Or you can just leave the canards alone and just have them locked in the proper angle (only 5-ch then). But then, it seems like a bit of a waste to buy a plane with them and not use them as they were intended.
If it's anything like the Mirage (no canards), it'll still be able to roll very fast - fast enough for most people.

[janmb]

You can’t have flaps on a delta wing. Flaps would be the equivalent of DOWN elevator. It would dive into the dirt.

With canards, sure you can :D

But flaperons is still not what you really want to do anyway - if anything, the very opposite

[Quickstop]

I'd much rather have a slightly less scale plane that flies great than a totally scale one that flies marginally

[Mizer67]

I'd much rather have a slightly less scale plane that flies great than a totally scale one that flies marginally

Agreed. I'm not spending a lot of time admiring these on the ground. If that's your thing, great but If I wanted to do that, I'd buy a smaller model just for display that has no need to fly.

These are best appreciated in the air, in motion.

[xviper]

With canards, sure you can :D

That's the caveat.

[xviper]

I'd much rather have a slightly less scale plane that flies great than a totally scale one that flies marginally

Careful! The "scale police" will come for you.
PS. I agree with you.

[Linkan58]

JAS 39 Gripen E with Camo

https://youtu.be/mW4XVm_4gtY

[Mizer67]

JAS 39 Gripen E with Camo

https://youtu.be/mW4XVm_4gtY

Thanks for that video. There's more blue hues in those grey colors than I thought.

Wish someone had Tamiya or Humbrol, etc. color matches.

[Airguardian]

Regarding the VT questions:

If you install the stock exhaust you will need to remove it later to install the TV unit, but it should be pretty straightforward.

Don't use too much glue... apply glue only on the edges so it's easy to cut later on with an exacto blade. DON'T apply glue to the carbon spars so they can slide off! ;)

I think TV units are expected to be around between october and late 2020 from what I've heard.

Couldn't she still fly ok with the canards configured as elevators only and no aileron?

Actually, I expect the jet to fly better with canards working only for pitch. Not sure why did Motion advertise it like that.

Yes, it is "too" far forward for a perfectly scale rendition, BUT that is a huge advantage in my book... Since it allows a more centralized, closer to CG battery placement.

Look at what FMS/E-flite did with their SU... very very scale position nose gear, but at what cost.... Battery forced WAY too far forward, fans sitting virtually all the way aft + a fat, hidden weight inside the tail to compensate. And anything but ridiculously small/light batteries will make a proper CG impossible.

I would much rather have a slightly too forward nose gear and have a practical jet with a functional battery position...

Big +1

[FoxProGT]

Of course you can program the canards as ELE (Y'd together - you may need a servo reverser on one of them). This would then take up 6 ch.
If it's anything like the Mirage (no canards), it'll still be able to roll very fast - fast enough for most people.

Thats what im thinking. It should still handle well if the canards are setup as ele only. I've never needed my jets to roll like a drill bit. :P

[janmb]

For those who want a good laugh, I thought I'd share this classic. It is in Swedish, but has English subtitles, so be sure to turn those on :D

Also a fine lesson in how the name is pronounced :D

https://youtu.be/FWAyPWAUfMU

[FoxProGT]

Actually, I expect the jet to fly better with canards working only for pitch. Not sure why did Motion advertise it like that.

Well i'll be hoping.
Might be interesting to see how she flys with canards disabled.

[janmb]

Well i'll be hoping.
Might be interesting to see how she flys with canards disabled.

I will definitely keep active canards, but pitch only, as for the full size.

[Mizer67]

It'll be interesting to see performance in flight when they start releasing videos. Hope they got someone to really give it a work out.

Much bigger wing than the Mirage, perhaps it needs the additional roll?