Whilst having the TWO position Wing Sweep of the Freewing F-14 is pretty cool - to some degree - it is also a bit "semi-useless" because it is not much fun at all flying it around with the Wings Swept fully. They are not really made to manouever in that state - and RC models HAVE to "manouever around all the time" due to vision/space limitations they have (we have).
But it is still nice to have.....

Even better would be a FULLY Variable Swept Wing, as per the full scale!!!
I noted in many DCS videos of the Heatblur F-14 how the F-14 looks its best with HALF Wing Sweep! Or some intermediate range.
It gives it a far more aggressive look - which the Fully Swept does not look too bad also - but a HALF Sweep means it is far moire 'flyable' still. Far more stable.
And one extra aspect if on the Freewing F-14...... "no one" else has anything but Fully Extended or Fully Swept modes.....

I had not liked the FW F-14 Wing Sweep system since I got the first one. Yes, it is not too bad a design idea, but it is only done 'half well', Too much slop/freeplay in the components and thus a 'wishy washy' Wing stability in Sweep. At the Wing Tips they could move a LOT - the Freeplay allowing fore-aft motions.
The 'dodgy fix' for this was to set it up, and shim it, so the the End Points HIT HOMES and thus the "Retract Servo" system jams/locks at each end under duress.
Whilst it is a bit 'mechanically' dodgy, it works perfectly!

The better fix I added,...Continue Reading

Prusa Slicer, as its name suggests(!), is a 3D printing SLICER program.
I have used Simplify3D for a long time now, but read a bit about SLIC3R and how Pruse Slicer is based off that - but made even BETTER in many way!! So I gave it a try !!
It is AWESOME!!
So many features that Simplify3D does NOT have ! Important things!
It is even more intuitive and easier to use really!

So unless I find some REASON to NOT use it, this will be the Slicer of choice to use from now on !!
If you have not tried it, or use it now, then go to Prusa and GET IT !!
It is FREE........ so no excuse to not get it, and to not use it !

Seeing my 3D printed Tiger 1 tank is a BIG project and going to take a LONG time, I decided to BUY a tank.....
Hmmm, which tank?.....
If I am building a Tiger 1 then maybe a King Tiger? Or something else?
And what brand, and how much to spend.

How much to spend? The LEAST - that will get something actually good and WORTH having!
That mean HENG LONG brand.... and it does cover BOTH of those requirements! Cheap, and good !!

I had actually looked at these MANY times over the last years, thinking to get one but I THOUGHT that it might not be importable to Australia as it has an AIRSOFT gun in it! But I guess Airsoft 'guns' are only controlled here when they ARE GUNS - when they look like real guns and rifles.

Hmmm.... if I get a Tiger 1 then I will have a scale model to work off for the bigger one! And I like Tiger 1 Tanks...so.....

It was the second cheapest. AUD$230. Versus a Panther at $200 - but the Panther is a BAD scale model, as it uses the Tiger 1 BASE.... which the full scale version was actually built from to some degree, but Heng Long used ALL of the Tiger 1 base and it ends up notably incorrect thanks to that! Thus the Tiger 1 was chosen....

When I got the tank I was AMAZED!!!
I had watched videos, and read reviews etc, but when I got it I found that it WAS all that great stuff they said and MORE when in person! They pretty well 'do' everything' you would want/expect, and VERY WELL too! With super detail and finish, quality etc.
And it is FUN to use too!!
...Continue Reading

I was making a "robot car".....
Then saw a tracked "robot car"......
Then fluked a link to a 3D Printed Tiger 1 tank..... which led to another link of a much bigger 3D Printed Tiger 1 tank.....
By then I was thinking a big Tank might be a lot more fun! With more room in it to add anything I want, plus that is was going to be a 'robot' autonomous vehicle - but now it is going to be a mix of RC and Arduino/autonomous.....

I could sort of see it would be a fairly big project, but it is growing bigger and bigger - in work/time/effort, not size.
So this could be a very long project to complete!!

This specific Tiger 1 Tank version is originally made by Adam Owen, who made it as a PC case(!)... a whole high power gaming PC inside the tank!
http://community.coolermaster.com/to...ion-build-log/
A driveable PC Tiger 1 Tank !
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:507034

But during investigations and testing of some parts of it I found a LOT needs modifying and improving, so whilst it is based off that tank it will actually be quite different - in construction, the stuff inside (no PC etc)......

Mine will also have a major addition of great importance! SUSPENSION ! I am still designing aspects of that, working out whether it will use Springs or Torsion bars.
It will also have Ball Race bearings for all wheels etc.
The motor drive system will likely be Nema17 Stepper motors, not normal motors running through gearboxes. Though they will still have one gearing stage of the motor Pinion to a larger Drive Gear.

Adam's tank is more of a BASE to build upon - so lots of it will be of great use, though more will be changed (improved) than kept as he designed it!
I have begun the project but who knows how long it will take!!

I have pondered this idea for a LONG time - many years - but whilst it probably was doable long ago, I didn't have the 'tools' to do it myself. But now with all the Arduino stuff I have looked into and learnt, it became a 'light bulb moment' when some pondering had all the main questions ANSWERED this time!
eg HOW to make it.... Sense it.... Utilise the data....

Well the theory of it anyway..... and the "theoretical physical construction" aspect, lol.
But I am pretty sue it will all work as planned......

The very first difficulty was always "HOW to sense the AoA.... what sensor can be moved by a very small airflow strength"
For an RC Model the "Vane" will be small and whilst if moving freely it will track the airflow easily and accurately, the problem is if it needs to DRIVE something, a sensor, then it will be impeded too much to work.
Hall Effect was the answer to that problem!! It has ZERO contact or impedance!

Once that solution was 'discovered' the rest is very straight forwards!
Most will be 3D Printed..... with a 2mm metal pivot rod used.... running in a ball bearing race, to have a 'zero' level of friction at all.
And of course that Rotational Data is fed into an Arduino to "Utilise as you desire". Such as drive LEF's or Flaps ('Combat' Flap type use), or produce High Alpha control signals.
There are quite a few good uses for such AoA data! Some even quite greater detail processes that tie in with driving a Flight Controller to complete a complex task. (eg HobbyEagle A3super etc)

AoA data just has a HEAP of uses!!

Between that, and having Airspeed Data, you have enough data t form an "Air Data Computer".
Mind you, my programming/maths level will limit how detailed/complex that could be made (by me)!! But still to a useful level.

....

The next logical extension of the DIY Afterburner LED unit was to ADD more functions. Seeing a microcontroller can do a LOT of things... it may as well be set up to do all the common things you might want or need.
So:

1) Afterburner LED system - with two Modes of operation.
Mode 1: Off, or Afterburner ON = Flicker constantly (for older era jets)
Mode 2: Off, or Afterburner ON via a short Flicker (for AB ignition) and the ON Solidly (for more modern jets)

2) Strobe Light Outputs - for Three different timing version Strobes.

3) Super Gear Sequencer.
a) Two modes - Main Gear Doors close after Gear Extension.... or they stay open.
b) All Servo Endpoints can be individually set, so that the Doors are accurately opened and closed.
c) Door Operation Speed can be altered.
d) 'Memory' of the last used state, so that it can resume the same state on the next power up
e) Tracks the state of doors and retracts so that any decision to change gear direction part way through a cycle still 'reverses' everything in a correct order so there are never any 'collisions' of Doors/Retracts.

It has some Options. Such as:
- The afterburner can have a trim pot added to allow real--time setting of the AB/Throttle Trigger point.
- A Pin Header jumper to enable/choose Mode1 Afterburner (it defaults to Mode0).
- A Pin Header jumper to select the Gear Doors operation mode

It is 95% all done - the coding is done and works, but I have not made up any document(s) for it yet.
I...Continue Reading

Whilst the TEVO tornado is a FANTASTIC 3D Printer, it is lacking a bit of the features more recent 3D Printers have, plus it needs a lot of 'upgrades' done to make it even better - or maybe, to make truly good in total. Though for sure you could use it just it comes.
Even though I would 'recommend it as a great buy in cost, what you get, and result, there is the Artillery Sidewinder for not a lot more cost but with quite a lot more features of great use. It is the same basic design/type as the TEVO Tornado, just better.

So for a 300x300x400 size 3D printer, look at the Artillery Sidewinder !!

Anycubic Chiron
The Chiron is a 400x400x450 size 3D Printer = BIG !!!!
Whilst the Tornado size is quite large and does pretty well anything you usually would want to, SOME things reach those size limits.
But I had two other main reasons to get the Chiron....

All the new FEATURES on more recent 3D Printers.

Like a TFT TOUCH Screen control panel.
Filament Sensor.
Auto Filament insertion and removal.
Ultrabase heatbed surface.
Dual Z axis motors.
Power system UNDER the unit - not a box beside it.
Automatic Bed Leveling.

And..... after changing the Tornado to a E3DV6 hotend, I could not get the 'part cooling' system - fan and ducting - to work PROPERLY, no matter what I did. This reduces the printing quality - more so on any 'overhangs' and bridging. I spent a lot of time on trying to get it to work, and then decided TIME is money.... and a new bigger Printer, with more features, is of use too... so....

The Chiron is BIG !!! It dwarfs the Tornado!

And unfortunately Anycubic are not quite as 'polished' as TEVO.... and Artillery (Sidewinder) being way above those two also!!
There are some things you have to 'do right' to get it set up properly - more than they outline/claim in the Manual.....

Seeing I was annoyed/disappointed in the Freewing F-18 Hormet, I decided to get the Avios Mig-17.
I sort of wish they had done the Mig-15, so it was a match to my F-86 Sabre..... The Mig-17 is 1/8th scale and so is the FlyFly F-86 Sabre.

A match to the Mig-17 is the F-100 Super Sabre, which I also have but that is 1/10th scale.... quite a bit smaller than it would be next to a Mig-17.
Or an F-4 Phantom is another match-off..... but the FlyFly F-4 that I have is 1/12th scale... an even worse scale mismatch than the F-100 !!

So the Mig-17 has no truly good 'rival' in RC EDF Model scale terms....

Avios based the model off the Black Diamond Jet Team Mig-17... err, one of the two in that Team. They are all but identical, bar their Aircraft ID number.
These are painted in "Arctic Camoflage" which I think looks a bit silly on a Mig (any sub 20 series Mig), so I don't overly like that.
Knowing it is of a true full scale Mig-17 makes it a bit easier to "accept", but I would much rather have a true 'warbird' scheme, from the Vietnam War. And more so a "Iconic" Russian type scheme..... all "Aluminium" with "some color stuff' on it. This would all but have to be a pure Russian one, otherwise a Vietnamese Air Force one.
But I will leave a repaint for the future some time.... I will get it all flying well first. But I EXPECT this will fly great, as these type Migs (15,17,19,21) all do. Plus it is a quite light 90mm jet, so that...Continue Reading

I always wanted an F-18....... so......

With Freewing bringing out an all-new F-18, after discontinuing their earlier version of one, I hummed and harred and then just decided to get one.
But I chose the ARF version so I can use a Jetfan/HET 8S setup in it. The full scale is after-all a FAST and powerful jet and a 6S setup is unlikely to match that.... the full scale being OVER 1:! Thrust to Weight ratio (not armed/loaded of course).
And the F-18 superceded the F-14 Tomcat..... so that is another 'vague' reason to have one.

I think it comes stock as a Stabilator setup - not Tailerons. But I will change it to have full span flaps... no Ailerons... and Tailerons.
I expect the Taileron Pivots will be the typical sloppy, poor tolerance. Freewing design so I will replace those if required - and I am sure they will need that.

I was happy enough with the Blue Angels scheme, rather than the all grey version. It helps it be something more "different" than other camo scheme aircraft.Plus it is a well known 'look'.
I also had (have) the Starmax 70mm F-18 Hornet 64mm jet, from about ten years back(!!)..... and, I still have it stashed in a corner somewhere and it has a 70mm EDF in it now, but it was still somewhat anemic in power, and nothing like the level of scale detail etc that a larger 90mm size can have. More of an "RC Toy"....

The F-18 is probably one of the cheapest of Freewing's 90mm jets - bar the DH-112 Sea Venom - seeing it has somewhat minimal "stuff" in it. Mechanical gear doors, no weapons set (no need on a Blue Angel), and not a complete lighting set.
It is on its way and should arrive in a few more days.....

....

I commenced "building" of the new F-14 Tomcat last week. It will all be done very much the same as the prior one (destroyed one!), with slight variations.

Firstly, I painted the whole F-14 in WBPU as PARTS, not after assembling it. This was to prevent the WBPU becoming glue between removable parts!

I added some Carbon Fiber "rails" lengthwise down the Fuselage under the Wing mounting area. These are approx 170mm long and run under the stock Lateral Spar, that goes from each main gear retract point from left to right, so these go approx 30mm ahead of that spar, and then the majority heads rearwards. These rails are to strengthen the 'back' of the F-14 because is is very weak in that Fuselage-Wing region. It can fairly easily break its back, and then that is as good as fatal for it. Whether you did that with some very big 'whack' into the ground, hitting the Main Gear and thus leveraging off those - like my prior F-14 had happen on its maiden flight take off "issue" case - or just over the long term of adding up any harsh landings it has, this will keep it intact better.

I again used all the new Taileron alloy pivot rods I had made up for slop-free operation, and the Corona servos etc. So the Taileron system is rock solid as per the prior F1-4.

One issue is the Wing Sweep 'retract type' servos it has. On the prior one they had some slop in their output shafts, plus slop in the "Hex to Hex" fitting of the arm to shaft because...Continue Reading

I decided to write up a PROCESS for Landing RC Model Aircraft more successfully.....
Mind you, variables in flight still make the task X amount more difficult - those can be wind/environment AND pilot SKILL (!!) plus visual errors which can create bad AIMS (as your data input is then X amount incorrect)....... but you want the SIMPLEST, repeatable, reliable, process possible!!

So this outline below is what I do to make it all as easy as possible......

I do already have the 2300mm FMS Fox Glider - which is a very good, well made, glider.....
I partly got the 3000mm version as that is more ;serious'... more capable.. plus uses the same 6S batteries that my 80mm EDF's use, so taking the Fox with them (EDFs) means that if I don't fly the jets as it is too windy, or some reason, then I can just fly the Fox - as gliders don't care too much about wind levels.
Of course I can just take it and fly it anytime also....

Near 6Kg AUW!! Wow.....
My 4m DG-808 (FlyFly... and broken for now!) is under 4Kg AUW ! But it is a performance thermaling glider... not aerobatic...

The FMS Fox got a lot of good reviews, and nothing seen to be negative about it. Too bad that doesn't always mean a lot anyway! But what can you stuff up on a 'simple glider' anyway??? Thus it should be good/fine.... and the FMS 2300mm version is, so...

Interesting is that is uses NO GLUE.. and NO SCREWS... to assemble it. It is all done via plastic keys parts and sprung clips to lock them into place. This makes transporting it easy (as easy as per any), but FAST EASY assembly at the flying field..... and to disassemble it and pack it up! This was another reason it seemed a good thing to have....

....

I have never really worried much about not having any 'Afterburners' on jets that the full scale version does have it, but I had bought a few of the various Afterburner 'kits' that have been around over the years. eg RC Lander, done as a ring of LEDs to go on the very exhaust of the jet.
These had numerous fitting issues and downsides so I never actually used any.....

When RCgeek started selling some, and with the 'new' idea of using LEDs on the actual EDF motor, it began to seem a more useful idea.
But the cost to get those to Australia is a LOT!! Too much for even one jet, let alone a bunch of them!
So I decided to make up my own version.

4stripes from RCG also 'reminded' me of the idea to make my own, based on that 'on the motor' idea, and it raised my enthusiasm to actually do something!

A single 10W LED makes it easier to do than using many smaller LED's.....

If you only switch the LED On... and Off.... then the driving circuit is extremely simple.
If you want it to Flicker at the On/Off transition region then that gets notably more complex compared to just On/Off, but is still not that hard to implement.

Then there is a third option/possibility, where you have 'unlimited' control of the colours and timings - though what variations and true needs of these possibilities are there? This would be done with the use of a microprocesser unit, such as an Aduino Nano etc. Very small and very cheap.

I decided that my criteria is to at least have '...Continue Reading

I resisted a long time, but finally decided I should get one..... the FRsky Horus X10s.
This is a quite big move upwards in 'luxury' of RC Transmitters - versus its functionality is probably not a lot greater than a much cheaper Taranis X9D (or X9D+). So I would say you are not buying one of these to get more functionality - though just a bit more - but in my case because of a few extra useful things it has.

1) Large color screen - just a lot more information possible, and looks way better than a monochrome smaller screen too! Plus it can be seen better in outdoors/sunlight too!

2) Two extra Trim Switches (T5 and T6), which can be used to great use in extra functions per aircraft. You just have two more Inputs to control things, or add adjustability to things.

3) Triple antennas - two internal - and you can even NOT use the external one. This means no 'sticking out bit', LOL. And that can make it nicer to put down or store etc.
It still has an external bay, which to me seems best used for a Long Range TX/RX system - for long range FPV. And.... it came as a package with the L9/L9R TX/RX system anyway. Perfect....

4) Super quality gimbals. Well, I had changed my X9D to M9's anyway, but these are even better again.

5) Looks modern and pretty cool ! LOL. The 'old' type TX cases are looking a bit dated now, but you would not buy a Horus JUST for that!

6) No battery hatch/cover - a fixed internal battery. I saw that as a positive, as you can open the back easily if you...Continue Reading

Not exactly RC aircraft modeling, but if you LIKE aircraft then you might very well like Flight Simulators also. If you like Flight Simulators then you will LOVE VR !!!! "Incredible" is a good description of it.....

There are not really many VR Headset choices. The main two are the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive in plain or Pro versions. The Rift and plain Vive are the same specs pretty well, and the Vive pro is higher resolution but COSTS a fortune then!
So for various other reasons in the equations, the Oculus Rift is a clear winner in my totals of all aspects.

It cost AUD$529 for the "Occulus Rift with Touch" set at Amazon.com.au, which is pretty well $100 or more lower than anyone else sells them! And it was with free shipping. You WANT that 'Touch set', not just an Occulus Rift on its own! The extras it gives cost a FORTUNE to buy later, and you actually need EVERY item they have in that set!

Now you might think "That is quite an expensive thing", and in some ways it is, but you are getting stuff made like 'Mercedes" or "Apple" quality! This stuff is made 10/10 in no compromise, cover all needs to the Nth degree and in QUALITY.... and even the packaging and box are premium in every way you could do so! (Which Apple do, and this might exceed typical Apple packaging 'luxury' too!)
Also, consider the cost of a good monitor for a PC and then this whole Oculus Rift cost is very reasonable and I think worth every cent!
More so...Continue Reading

Another A-10 Warthog ?
Who needs TWO ?

The first thing about the Freewing Twin 80mm A-10 Warthog is the 1700mm Wing Span. So it is bigger..... but not by much really. The LX A-10 being 1550mm already.
It is all the details of it that make it 'better'....
The offset, to scale, nose wheel.
The Wing Gear Pods smaller (than the LX)
The 4 Flaps
Lights/Lighting
Detailed cockpit and pilot
It is just a lot more scale all around.

Another thing is that the Twin 80mm use a 'battery each', whilst my A-10 runs from ONE 6S supply. That means much higher Power demands (Current/Amps) from that one battery, and a 'total energy' of 6S 5000mAH for the LX, versus 6S "10,000"mAH effectively for the Freewing. All whilst 80mm EDFs are more efficient too.
SOME of that energy has to go to moving a larger jet and mass. But that 'double energy total' is still a lot more even including that.

My LX A-10 is not too bad overall, and sit them side by side on the ground and whilst the Freewing will be clearly 'better' - more scale etc - the LX is still a pretty good version of an A-10. But ALL those above things added up (more energy, more efficient, more scale, bigger) and the FW A-10 is a lot better in real terms. But at a LOT higher cost!!
Mind you, with my 'good bits' in the LX A-10 it is a grand total of towards AUD$700..... versus the FW A-10 at AUD$1030

....

It just feels like Christmas, so......

After a LONG drawn out yes/no battle over the Freewing F-14 Tomcat I gave in and got one.
I had a valid reason!! It looks great! Oh and another one.... it is BIG. Bigger than anything else I have. And.... it has scale swept wing ability too!
So many good reason..... hehe
Mind you I was also tossing up over the Freewing A-10 Warthog 1700mm, and that only JUST lost out the battle with the F-14. Yet I might get that also later.... (For Xmas??) - but will have to sell my LX 1550mm A-10 first to be fair.

I think the L-39 Albatros 80mm was the "primer" for these, as being 80mm also means it uses the same batteries as these will - these will just use TWO of those each flight. So getting the 'cheaper' single 80mm FIRST meant.......

....

I was thinking I might need another plane.... another EDF jet....
Hmm, I like the look of that Freewing L-39 Albatros 80mm EDF jet!!! So on the spur of the moment I ordered it from HOBBY PARADISE in China..... and TWO DAYS LATER it arrived from China!! (to Australia!). Incredible....

I had quickly read up on it, to be sure it would be at least 'good' or 'OK'. Everything I could find was positive, thus I just went and did it!
Even though I prefer 'larger' 90mm jets really, I decided to give this slightly smaller 80mm class a try.

The L-39 is the 'latest generation' manufacturing ideas and parts etc. It is just all done SO WELL !! Every aspect of it is done 'properly' and you really can just assemble it and fly, and it is very likely just going to KEEP WORKING.
Well, maybe some servos/electronics could still be not totally trustworthy.....

The painting is excellent, the decals are excellent, the engineering ideas and implementations are excellent, the landing gear setup is excellent.... it is just all so well done!

Assembly took about one hour.....
Painting it fully in WBPU took another hour. The reason for WBPU is many fold:
1) Add a gloss finish
2) Add a small amount of surface strength
3) Slicker... lower drag.
4) Easier to clean!
So using WBPU on ALL foamies is highly recommended!

I am not sure when i will get to fly it as the weather outlook is not good, but it will be ready to fly as of tonight.
Ordered.... sent from China to Australia..... ready to fly on Day 3.... !!!

....

I have decided to start dabbling... Learning.... about springs and how to make them.
This is for OLEOS, so that you can alter them and tune them to suit any particular aircraft and its AUW.
Most of my aircraft have INCORRECT spring/suspension strengths and qualities, seeing you only get to use what any given Oleo comes with - and they rarely come with a strength/behaviour that is truly suited. This is because a strength required has to match the aircraft AUW - which varies per any owners own 'version', and of course across the multitude of aircraft types and constructions etc.

On my Mig-29 I discovered the oleos I used were somewhere from JUST strong enough, to "too soft". They are just strong enough to hold its AUW if it is standing statically with no external influences on it, but as soon as it MOVES they will be driven to bottom out. You would think that this can't be a good situation to have.... but in reality it IS quite good. maybe not perfect, but still a very good end result. And much better than too stiff!!
This is because it is actually JUST short of able to hold the AUW, and even though they fully compress they are still operating as springs - any time the aircraft tries to LIFT UPWARDS they resume operation. And that occurs as it 'bumps' its way across grass, bumps etc. So they ARE doing useful things.

This outcome showed me that oleos that 'easily' hold up an aircraft are not going to achieve this aspect of useful operation. They will pass too much '...Continue Reading

The GASB2 50mm Fanjet is just a first test of 3D printing techniques, and what results they give. To show SHORTFALLS in 3D printing.
I already know that a Single Perimeter surface has its 'costs'.
This larger "70mm" Fanjet is aimed to test out TWO perimeters..... 2x 0.4mm = 0.8mm.
Theoretically this means 'double' the weight of single perimeter.... but at least this design is almost totally 'empty' internally. eg no complex design/layout of ribs etc.

I quickly did a scaled up version of the 50mm.....
70mm / 50mm = 1.4 : 1
But no.....
70mm 6S = 1.6Kg thrust (in-plane), versus 50mm at 450g thrust in-plane..... That is 3.5 : 1.......
But no.... you won't make a plane 3.5x larger!

Next... the Funjet this is all based on has a 830mm wingspan for its 70mm Fanjet version.....
Hmmmm.... I want more lift.... so I settled on 1.8x in scale. A 1080mm wingspan.

I don't know what that will mean in the final flying result, but I am predicting the greater size and mass will make a more penetrating and 'linear' flying aircraft. It is not aimed at speed, just to fly well and be resilient!