FREEWING / MotionRC F-18 90MM Upgrades video By: RCINFORMER

[@daykin17]

Once again Rich hits a homerun....bravo....brilliant...thanks

[@dradden1556]

Very cool. I'm like that too. I'm usually changing several things before I even do a maiden.

[@mikessi]

Got 2 of your trays from Dustin. They have been installed and were easy to do and work great. Thanks for making it happen.

[@RCINFORMER]

Excellent! Glad the upgrade is helping everyone out:)

[@preauzalam3483]

@@RCINFORMER Hey where can i buy an upgraded tray from?

[@RCINFORMER]

@@preauzalam3483 Contact Dustin Hollowman for the Kit: [e-mail]

[@Triplethreatindustries]

Great video!!!! Keep the tips coming... you just saved someone there model and possibly helped to keep an already frustrated hobbyist in our beloved hobby . Thank you .

[@RCINFORMER]

Thanks for the great comment! I don't make any of the planes you buy, but I do make many of the planes you buy, better:)

[@Ahkeys82]

Nice work Rich!

[@olsonaviation9382]

I just got my f-18 for my birthday and you got the mods video on my birthday haha

[@IFLYRC80]

Nice work!

[@darkofc]

👍😊 Excellent - really like your mods !

[@victorrcjets7660]

Still wanting to get the F-18 soon definitely looking at your upgrades as well. It would be nice if they made a reversed d85. And of course I always recommend upgrading the BEC for anyone adding anything into you're plane or jets.

[@RCINFORMER]

The new version of the F-18 may already have this upgrade from the factory. I have not seen what the new tail improvements to the new version look like yet. I had submitted these changes to Alpha at MotionRC back in November for a potential upgrade to the production version.... Additionally, I suggested better tail servos. It appears that they have added these to the model but I am not sure is Alpha incorporated these other suggestions to the model.

[@greghoff7303]

If you get your D85s from servocity you can pay $10 extra for it to come pre-programmed as a reverse servo. Or like he said, just plug it in to another channel and reverse it in your transmitter. I have mine set up with tailerons and full span flaps and it works great.

[@hifinsword]

@@greghoff7303 Greg, I have a question on the tailerons. I've considered it but I have zero experience with them except on Delta wing 2lb foamie models. I don't want to get 10' in the air and find out I have too much travel, or not enough. What's the throws on the tailerons? Also, are the ailerons now flaps only? Or do they still function as ailerons too? Mine are currently full span flaps and ailerons. I also got my D85s from ServoCity. But I bought the DPC-11 programmer for $19.99, much less than the $79.99 HFP-30 programmer Rich has. I haven't tried it yet but it is recommended, so it should work.

[@greghoff7303]

Hifin Sword I don’t know exactly what I set them to, but the taileron roll deflection is pretty minimal compared to the amount of throw available. My ailerons are still acting as ailerons and fullspan flaps and I have reduced the aileron throw as well. I run a hobby eagle gyro that is set up as a delta wing and corrects for both pitch and roll on the tailerons and rudders only. My ailerons are just Aux channels that are actuated by left/right stick and are mixed with the flaps. This plane is very responsive in the roll axis with flaps up, so you could always make this mix on a switch and try tailerons way up high with varying rates to test it out. It took me 3-4 flights to figure out just how much deflection I liked. There is a pro and con with tailerons. The Pro being it helps greatly with roll when using full span flaps in the landing configuration (also mixing in about 25% rudder for coordinated turns with your ailerons when using full flaps). The con being aileron rolls at lower speeds are less axial since the nuetral elevator position has substantial nose up trim. This creates a “loaded roll” and the roll becomes a little less crisp. However, the real F/A-18 has the same characteristic and is why rolls beyond 360 degrees at a time are a prohibited maneuver.

[@RCINFORMER]

That is what the servo programmer is for. You use it to program the servo to operate in reverse rotation:)

[@kenkrouse434]

love it ! it is a ARF plane !

[@brucebeamer2298]

Thanks Rich, just received the ARF. Do you need a separate BEC? I will be doing the suggested elevator set-up.

[@RCINFORMER]

Bruce, You may already have the new upgrades in the tail already from the factory. Let me know what yours looks like:) The plane already has a BEC in it, I merely added a slightly larger one for the additional amp draw of the new tail servos that i added:)

[@brucebeamer2298]

Well, it's definitely glued down good, there is no lateral support like your set-up 👍

[@hifinsword]

@@RCINFORMER Good call on the BEC. I used the Hobby King 20A dual output BEC. One output is to my Rx and the other to the Blue Box.

[@ShadowOppsRC]

Great job Rich! Making a good plane even bettet!

[@RCINFORMER]

I don't make any of the planes you buy.... but I do make many of the planes you buy better:)

[@ShadowOppsRC]

@@RCINFORMER very true Rich!

[@DeucesWildRC]

Awesome tips and mods as always Rich 👍

[@williamlane6374]

I just got the freewing f18 hornet high performance blue angel and it still doesn't have the upgrades in your video, and may definitely need the upgrades for it since I do fly from grass.

[@mikessi]

Thanks for the info. I'm on my second one and have found placing carbon fiber strips in the slot in the plastic nose strut and a spacer block behind it also stiffens the nose gear. I think your mod is stronger. I look forward to your flight videos with the F-18.

[@bencinas1]

Rich, I would be very interested in a new battery shelf. Thank you

[@castlefranck3979]

Very nice improvement Rich but why you shouldn't add a carbon spar to reinforce the rod ? Thanks for your reply and still continue your excellent job.

[@hifinsword]

Rich, I really like the battery tray mod. I plan to copy that. Great help with your video. Also, is there something behind the vertical sidewall you screwed the aluminum brackets to? I hesitate to remove the plastic there to find out, or did you glue the 1/32" ply directly to the plastic wall?

[@RCINFORMER]

Tha wall is just foam. Just Foam-Tac it to the wall:)

[@hifinsword]

@@RCINFORMER Thanks Rich.

[@RCINFORMER]

As I am thinking about your question, you may have a newer version of the model. The factory may have added a plastic wall to to take the place of the wood wall that I added?

[@Mikemesmereyes]

Could you please tell me where I can purchase one of those elongated battery/ front gear trays. Just brought a used F-18 and the front gear area is all tore up. Many thanks

[@RCINFORMER]

Contact Dustin Hollowman for the Upgraded battery floor Kit: [e-mail]

[@FlightLogProductions]

I don't suppose you are making/selling the metal upgrade parts? I would like to do this for my gen 1 F/A-18C Blue Angel jet. I'm not nearly as crafty..

[@jsean13]

Is there a place to buy the new battery tray/floor?

[@nirlachman007]

Hey Rich! Do you know if this elevator mod is needed to todays F-18? The latest version MRC sell I mean

[@carlo8336]

Puoi dirmi perche' hai fatto la modifica nei servi dell'elevatore?grazie

[@stevenfollows1205]

Hi do you run a gyro on the FA18C ? I added the hitec servos d85mg and when i added my hobbyeagle a3L it causes the elevators to glitch even when sitting still. Any ideas why? Cheers

[@iansrc4152]

Nice work Rich, interested in the battery tray upgrade as I fly off grass, still waiting for the upgraded f18 in blue angels to come into stock in Europe, would you ship over the pond please?

[@RCINFORMER]

Contact Dustin Hollowman for the Upgraded battery floor Kit: [e-mail]

[@carlo8336]

Salve puoi dirmi dove hai comprato ,i led per l' aftebanner,? Grazie

[@airhammer6203]

Nice work Rich, as always. Just curious as to what happened that caused you to realize the aircraft needed the tail mods?? Cool battery tray, it should really help the landing gear. AirHammer out!!

[@RCINFORMER]

Many had posted pictures of failures of the tail section. The plastic servo mount & elevator plate was delaminating from the foam.

[@mrt10352]

Where is that battery shelf link, pretty sweet Rich

[@DavesRc]

Looks sweet brother, I also have a gooniac center burner in my F18. Did a really sick custom paint scheme on it. I couldnt believe how nice it came out. Makes me not even want to fly it. Great idea for the elevator mechanism. Dave Air Marshall also did a similar fix on his as well. Great minds think alike. Peace Rich.

[@hifinsword]

Thanks for those tips Rich. I'm interested in getting Dustin to sell me a longer battery tray. Is there a link?

[@RCINFORMER]

I did send Dustin the tray to duplicate... I think hes gonna have that tray available for everyone. Also stay tuned I have a few flight demos on this plane coming out soon.

[@frank-vq4mx]

Good upgrades. But I'm waiting for Dustin to release the upgrades for the F-14.

[@RCINFORMER]

Hes actually making them right now

[@neglg2353]

Great work👍👍👍 I have many flights with just stock elevator servos with push rods on inner hole I bought couple crashed hornets and I believe they were all crashed on landing ,I'm guessing too slow of approach with full flaps? Great freewing jet imo

[@MrBumbles2]

Nice rich, great modeling its become a lost art lol. Always room for improvement with these foamies .

[@DavesRc]

Wheres the weed at mike???? Hahaha lol. Roy smoked it all again didnt he???? Lmao

[@MrBumbles2]

@@DavesRc dam stay puff marshmallow man,

[@jetjacko]

Hi Rich, once again, great mods and video. Would like to order that battery tray, please add me to the list.

[@kenkrouse434]

every time I watch your video's , I have to take out a loan for another plane !

[@jetflyeB787]

nice job..

[@rangrumer]

Looks great Rich! Love the mods you have made to the elevator setup. One note about the afterburner, using only 3 cells (out of the 6 cells) to light the afterburner will put an uneven load on the battery which will reduce the life span of the battery and may make you lose the battery warranty especially when using inefficient LED array that converts most of the energy into heat. My afterburners are using all the cells to power the LED array putting an even load on the battery and also I am using a much more efficient LEDs that are safe to touch even after few minutes of light

[@RCINFORMER]

I used the included BEC that takes all 6 cells down to 12volts so the load is even on my setup. This kit included ALL the wire adapters so that you can use ALL 6 cells thru a 12v BEC, only 3 cells OR use the 3s connector to attach a dedicated 3s lipo. I got to check out your lightburner setup in one of my planes and make a video of it:)

[@rangrumer]

RCINFORMER would love to send you a Lightburner! You will immediately see the difference in quality!

[@jamesonclark5854]

Pretty cheap shot taken at Gooniac here. There's enough hobby to go around without showing that kind of character to everyone.

[@gooniac33]

Jameson Clark its typical and to be expected. People will just get to see more and more what the character is like and make their own choice.

[@gooniac33]

RCINFORMER there is no uneven load which is the very reason why I eliminated the extra part. It just complicates the set up and creates more heat while drawing power from the battery. The ubec will always draw more from your pack than just pulling 3s from the battery pack. Keep it simple. Also no programming or calibrations needed on mine either. Can’t say that for either of the others... just plug mine in and it works!

[@nicholasmundt7290]

is it possible to run twin edfs in this model

[@RCINFORMER]

It would need lots of modifications....

[@gooniac33]

Good stuff! I may have to do the same thing on the tail of mine. Thats a good idea! Keep up the good work!!

[@B仔-p7x]

with FMS 80mm 3.5kg edf ok？