Wicked Powered EDO F-4 Phantom

[The Don]

The UPS brought me an EDO F-4 Phantom. I bought the ARF kit from http://www.turbofanelectrics.com/ and shipping was fast and is free as well.
Here is the link to the F-4: http://shop.turbofanelectrics.com/product.sc?categoryId=5&productId=142

My plane for the power will be as follows:

#1 Wicked 4800 on 3S lipo
#2 Wicked 5400 on 3S lipo
#3 Wicked 4000 on 4S lipo

I plan on taking video of each setup and posting it on my You Tube page so you all can see how the model goes.

I will be posting photos as I built it which will not take long at all!!

Don

[The Don]

Here is thr progress so far. The building is quite easy to do. Hard to remember to stop to take some photos.

So far my dislikes:
1) the control horn holes are too big for the supplies pushrods sothey have lots of slop.

2) they need to hinge the flying surfaces instead of 'cracking' the foam.


I did replace the control rods with ones from the local hobby shop that had larger pins in the connector.

Tomorrow, I will install the EDF unit.

Don

[Ampy]

1) the control horn holes are too big for the supplies pushrods sothey have lots of slop.
Don

Drill a new, smaller one ;)

[mjemery]

Plane looks awesome - I couldn't resist and just ordered one for myself. Don - I need to order a motor from you so very interested to see your results. I want to go 3S so am especially interested in seeing how the Phantom goes with the 4800 and 5400 motors.

[The Don]

The 4800 version is a very good setup on 3S lipo. I test flew it the other day and speeds are realisticlaly about 70-75 mph and it has good thrust to weight ratio (a little over 1:1). Personally I would not go the Wicked Extreme route as the rpm increase is only a few k rpm and the amps go way up. I ended up putting in the Wicked 4000 on 4S now and it weighs a little more due to the lipo but the thrust is HUGE way over 1:1 and the rpms are much higher!!!! Just waiting to fly it now, hoping the winds will die down.

Don

[mjemery]

Thanks Don - looking forward to hearing the results moving to 4S. I might be tempted to go that route depending on how much better you like the 4S setup. I don't currently have any 4S batteries and have a number of 3S batteries so from a dollar perspective, the 3S route would be better.

If I did go the 4800 route on 3S, could you tell me exactly what I would need to order from you (I'm assuming I could use the E-DO fan unit).

Thanks - Mike

[The Don]

You just order the "Wicked 4800 with standoff adapter and EDO plug". The stock fan is just fine and really the 4800 was a fine flying setup, I just want to push it a liitle more. But based on the wattage increase, the 4S setup will add about 10 -15 mph or so.

Don

[SU Jags]

Don,

Are you hand launching that thing on 3s? If so, how difficult is it and is there any risk of stripping the servos?

thanx.

[The Don]

I am hand launching it and I belly land it no servo issues so far. I just wish the wind would calm down so I can go fly it on 4S. Usually the winds calm down in the evening but they just keep a blowin!

Don

[COBRA169]

Hi, Don I just ordered the 4800 and was wondering if adding a thrust tube would help much?

[The Don]

No real way to add a tube as the model has dual outlets.

Don

[BUCKSHOTRC]

I Added Dons 4800 On 3s...good First Edf....fast Enough To Learn On

[Dr Kiwi]

Hey Don, can you post the amps and rpm for those three set-ups?

[The Don]

Hey Don, can you post the amps and rpm for those three set-ups?

These three?

#1 Wicked 4800 on 3S lipo, 41,000 rpm, 37 amps, 380 watts
#2 Wicked 5400 on 3S lipo tested but do not recommend as amps were too high, but it was 45 amps and only about 43,000, motor overloaded
#3 Wicked 4000 on 4S lipo 47,000 rpm, 39 amps, 550 watts

These are taken about 40 seconds into a WOT run with a 2200 mah lipo, so are settled values. Also these were taken with older chemistry lipos from over a year ago, so the data may be different on new higher C rated lipos. And the fans had no inlet or outlet ducting, I just held them in my hand and I did not balance the rotors, they were stock fans installed and ran with no attempt made to balance them.

Don