Official Freewing 90mm F-104 Starfighter Thread

[themudduck]

I am still waiting on my order of Flite-Metal to arrive. I usually don’t bash any company on forums but.... both orders I placed took over 2 weeks to be shipped and 3 weeks in total with shipping. So if you plan on using this product plan accordingly.
I like the product but I am going to research a different source. This is not a specialty product it is an off the shelf item that is repackaged for re-sale.
Ok enough venting.

Its not the company, its the postal service. USPS is having a massive problem. Packages mailed before Christmas have been 3-4 weeks late. Packages more recently mailed have been 2-3 weeks late.
It's affecting the entire country but some areas are worse than others. This is an interactive map that you can use to zoom in and see which USPS centers are having problems.

https://istheservicedown.com/problems/usps/map

So.... this may not be the company's fault, they may have mailed on time but tracking won't show anything. USPS has suspended all in-transit tracking.

UPS and FedEx are not having this problem, except that some of FedEx's packages (Smartpost) go through USPS for the final delivery.

[Waconut]

The actual shipping time is running about a week. I am getting shipping notifications. The orders were actually shipped 2 weeks after being received. I can understand a shipping delay due to the post office, waiting 2 weeks to process and ship is not acceptable IMO.

[themudduck]

The actual shipping time is running about a week. I am getting shipping notifications. The orders were actually shipped 2 weeks after being received. I can understand a shipping delay due to the post office, waiting 2 weeks to process and ship is not acceptable IMO.

True... I agree 100%

By the way I've watched what you're doing with interest. its going to look fantastic. I doubt the added weight will matter much - you may have to land at a very slightly higher speed but other than that it will be fine.

[Waconut]

I finally received my order of Flite Metal. I am hoping to have the metal finished up this weekend.

[Waconut]

I finished adding the flite metal to the fuselage. It’s far from perfect but should look good after polishing. Once I get it polished I can add the rivet details and mask for the trim colors.

[EA-6B Geek]

I finished adding the flite metal to the fuselage. It’s far from perfect but should look good after polishing. Once I get it polished I can add the rivet details and mask for the trim colors.

That’s going to look amazing on bright sunny day.

[Waconut]

The aluminum is now polished. Ready to start masking for the trim colors.

[timmybeetle]

Hi looks very good, but did you weight yours part before and after putting this flite metal on.
I saw back that you would do this so maybe when you're done you could post all the data here.
That would be great to see how much weight you put on?

Grts Hans

[Waconut]

The Polycrylic, primer and flite metal added 8.7 ounces.

[Waconut]

I finished up the F-104. Overall I am happy with it. I can’t wait for a sunny day to get it outside for some pictures. Maiden won’t happen until spring.

[DCORSAIR]

I finished up the F-104. Overall I am happy with it. I can’t wait for a sunny day to get it outside for some pictures. Maiden won’t happen until spring.

Wow is all I can say, looks amazing, its going to look awesome in the air, good luck on the maiden or should I say your first landing...........

[Evan D]

Looks very good. I'd be concerned about the extra half pound...


Well done!

[Waconut]

Looks very good. I'd be concerned about the extra half pound...


Well done!

We shall see how it goes one spring.

[EA-6B Geek]

I finished up the F-104. Overall I am happy with it. I can’t wait for a sunny day to get it outside for some pictures. Maiden won’t happen until spring.

I think it looks fantastic! Will I see it at Jet Jam in June?

[Waconut]

I think it looks fantastic! Will I see it at Jet Jam in June?

I may be there. I am located just east of Cincinnati so it’s not far.

[EA-6B Geek]

I may be there. I am located just east of Cincinnati so it’s not far.

I look forward to seeing it then! I live about an hour northeast of Cincinnati, and attended that event in 2018.

[themudduck]

Bring it to Terry's Ejets event (TORKS near Columbus/Dayton) in Sept and I'll fly mine in formation with yours!

[Waconut]

Bring it to Terry's Ejets event (TORKS near Columbus/Dayton) in Sept and I'll fly mine in formation with yours!

If it survives that long I will

[gooniac33]

I haven't flown my F-104 in quite some time... But was able to this past weekend!! I have been meaning to make some more changes to get the gyro less twitchy and finally did something about it. I moved the aileron linkage all the way in on the servo arm and that really did seem to help with the wiggle it has! It didn't totally take it away but about 95% of it is gone now! Hoping that some more gain adjustments will help get rid of it all together!

[DCORSAIR]

I haven't flown my F-104 in quite some time... But was able to this past weekend!! I have been meaning to make some more changes to get the gyro less twitchy and finally did something about it. I moved the aileron linkage all the way in on the servo arm and that really did seem to help with the wiggle it has! It didn't totally take it away but about 95% of it is gone now! Hoping that some more gain adjustments will help get rid of it all together!

Yep, I posted that along time ago but no one seemed to care I moved mine in as far as the foam would let me and the funny part about it is, you then can crank up the gyro on the ailerons and waalaa, its so much better, it still won't cure it completely but at times it won't move at all and then a slight breeze will give you just a slight wiggle, I had my aileron setting with the little tab on the dial was at 6 o'clock, I even went to 7 and it worked great but kind of felt funny on movement.