Twin Turbine FOAMIE?!? - AMAZING Freewing A-10 Gas Turbine Conversion - Maiden Flight (60 FPS)

Jan M. Berg (janmb) takes his Twin Gas Turbine (2 x JetCat P20SX) powered Freewing A-10 "Warthog" to the skies for the first time... And BOY what an epic bird of prey!
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Enjoy! ;-)

[@EssentialRC]

Outstanding project. Just brought the Freewing A-10 myself and would consider doing this if the hop up parts like the exhaust pipes were available? Cheers Dom (Essential RC)

[@RCTommy]

Essential RC, thank you for your comment, I will give the creator of the plane a nudge for you so he can answer your questions :-)

[@janmb]

Hi Dom, and thanks for the interest. Have watched your youtube videos tons of times :D Congrats on buying possibly the best foam EDF ever made :D For the best source of info on this project, please see my facebook page (viewable without facebook account as well): facebook.com/FreewingA10TurbineConversion As for the exhaust and turbine mounts, I had some help from my Swedish friends at HAB.se. I sent them an extra set of engine nacelles (the 90 mm version) which they used to prototype a mounting kit. This should be available at request from HAB.se I'm sure (probably not listed though, so toss them an email) As for the exhaust pipes, I bought those through HAB.se as well (they are made by Christer at www.csturbine.se/se/?page_id=29). I had mine delivered straight, so I cut them at a five degree angle and turned the aft part 180 degrees, then welded the parts back together for a total of 10 degrees up angle. This was mainly due to not knowing exactly where I would mount the turbines and how long the straight section needed to be. A better solution would probably be to have the manufacturer angle them for you. I can provide measurements from my model if needed. Best of luck if you do decide to go for a conversion yourself. I'll answer any questions as best I can. jan AT berg.as or Jan M Berg on facebook.

[@EssentialRC]

Thanks for the reply Jan. I had read through the excellent Facebook page on the conversion a few times. I've done quite a lot of foam bashing in my time so suspect it's within my skills. I'll give it some serious thought. Such a cool project and a great way to own a twin turbine version of my favourite jet (other than Eurofighter). Thanks again and superb vid. Excellent filming skills. I've watched it several times. Cheers Dom (Essential RC)

[@janmb]

Tommy sure did a great job on the filming and editing (like always). The build itself isn't really that hard at all. Some work obviously, but mostly just some foam grinding and populating the fuselage cavity with new components. As you've probably seen on the FB page, I made some laser cut and 3D printed parts for mounting my components. I'll happily share those if wanted.

[@EssentialRC]

Tommy did good great job. I think result would be even better if he switched off the 'optical image stabilisation' (OIS) on the cam and instead used a monopod with video head. Looked to me like the OIS was causing the image to jump around especially when zoomed in. Otherwise the image was super sharp for HD. 60fps makes all the difference. I know folks filming RC in 4K 24P which is utterly pointless.

[@normanmendonca2834]

This A10 is outstanding mate. She sounds and looks like the real plane. Great maiden flights. Good work Dad on the video. Cheers.

[@janmb]

Thanks! And I completely agree - dad does a great job on the camera 📸😁

[@CandFly]

Fantastic to see this A-10 with this two little P20 gas turbines, beautiful filmmaking with good images 👍🏻😍

[@RCTommy]

T.O Johansen, thank you! Much appreciated 😁😎👍🏻

[@Triplethreatindustries]

Just asking but why ? Thousands of dollars and I’m guessing more weight so the only benefit I can see is real turbine sound and 200 plus hrs of work. Nice job on the landing smooth as glass

[@RCTommy]

The short answer is: Because he can. And true, on takeoff it is a bit heavier than the stock EDF setup, but on landing it is actually lighter than the stock setup (because a lot of the weight is containes within the fuel tank). There are a couple more benefits: Efficiency during vertical climb is substantially better when flying with gas turbines compared to EDF’s, and the smell of burnt jet fuel in the morning is the best...😎 True, it took him a few hours to pull off, but then again... It’s just too cool. 10 years ago we could only dream of this, twin turbine foamie?! Absolute madness. Cheers! 😁👍

[@janmb]

Thanks. The point is indeed debatable, but I guess as Tommy said: Because I can. Performance is slightly better, landing weight slightly lower, flight times slightly better, sound is way better, and I get to fly all day without having to recharge batteries (huge advantage when flying on the lake during winter, where we don't have electricity)

[@yi-tzaistoyreview4576]

unreal. ur skillz are not real. Amazing! I am thinking about not getting one of these due to the fact that it is going to be novel at first and quickly wane off. I know this because i used to fly. I have also had many other hobbies. They all poop out and become boring as dry paint after a while. And if I wait a few years, I get a tiny itch. But everytime I go back to a previous hobby, they die quicker than first time around. So, I think the better part of not making the repeated mistake is to just not rehash an old hobby. And also actually not get new hobbies as they die out eventually. For these reasons, I am not going to get a drone either. thx.

[@janmb]

Thanks 👍

[@MrFishface5]

any way I could get pics of the area where you have the fuel tank and uat.?

[@janmb]

Hi John. You will find tons of photos, including what you seek, here: (viewable both with and without facebook account) facebook.com/FreewingA10TurbineConversion/

[@RCTommy]

What JanMB said^ 😎

[@michaellipousky9143]

Absolutely effing outstanding!!!! It looked a little heavy but then it floated in very nicely! What is the AUW? The performance looks amazing. I wish you luck in getting it all trimmed up, balanced out, and made into a really nice flying model!!! Good luck👍👍👍

[@RCTommy]

According to JanMB on Facebook, the AUW is 7000 grams, with an empty weight of 6040 grams. He (or anyone else i Norway at the moment) has not been able to fly gas turbine jets this summer due to a major risk of wildfire... But we’ll be back on our wings soon! Here’s the post from Facebook that I’m referering to, cheers😎: facebook.com/953519544805754/posts/982742871883421/

[@michaellipousky9143]

RC Tommy very cool thank you for the link

[@dragonsknights]

the jet exhaust doesn't damage the tail stabilizers? The same for the nacelles in which are placed the turbines, did u use a conversion set? I love her sound, A10 is in my wish list :)

[@RCTommy]

The jet exhaust does not harm the horizontal stabilizer unless the gas turbine has a hot start (which is why JanMB covers it with a fiberglass cloth during startup). He also made a ~10 degree up-angle on the exhaust pipe to counter the vertical thrust offset, which also points the heated gasses up and away from the horizontal stabilizer. He had HAB Electronic AB (a Swedish RC company) to design and manufacture a turbine conversion kit for him. And yes: It’s truly a nice little model. Definitely the most expensive foam brick I’ve ever seen flying! 😁😎👍

[@JustFlyIt09]

A great airplane, great pilot, great flight and excellent video

[@mrvoyagerm]

Amazing engineering and flying on this one. It looked like you have "brakes on" during the rollout after landing? If so who's brakes if you don't mind?

[@RCTommy]

mrvoyagerm, thank you for your comment😊 You are correct in your observations. Mr. JanMB has added a pair of Schulman Aviation Electromagnetic Brakes ( shulmanaviation.com/index.php?cPath=322_315 ). I’m not sure what size he is using, but you should be able to measure the stock wheels quite easily and order the brakes thereafter. Cheers!

[@shehzadkhan7710]

Awesome... could u share the setup videos, how you did the conversion...thank you

[@bayarea5168]

Tommy your the Best!

[@RCTommy]

BayArea51, Thank you! 😁😎👍

[@gmax876]

Foam is everywhere now.

[@janmb]

Yep!

[@rcguyusvi9206]

nice landing on the mains.

[@scotabot7826]

I wonder how much nose weight it took? Boy that thing was very close to a stall on the first landing attempt!!!

[@ArcticRc]

Lovely

[@ghoustanable]

Great flying and landing. Are you running JP hobby electromagnetic brakes on the plane if so what size wheel are you using on the A-10? I have the same plane and was thinking of installing brakes on it giving her short runway. Thanks

[@RCTommy]

Garfield Houstan, Mr. Berg added a pair of Schulman Aviation Electromagnetic Brakes ( shulmanaviation.com/index.php?cPath=322_315 ). I’m not sure what size he is using, but it should be easy to measure the wheels you have today and order thereafter. They are really good, but also a bit on the pricey side. Cheers! 😊

[@janmb]

What Tommy said. I use brakes from Shulman Aviation. Fairly similar to JP, but slightly better quality and better adjustment options. Expensive, but kinda worth it on a project like this one. I think the size I ordered was 3 1/4, but in reality they are a tad smaller than that.

[@sotm6078]

Roughly 5 grand of turbines in a foamie!

[@janmb]

Yep. Some people (me) have silly priorities some times. 😂

[@blakjack3053]

I know right? Frickin ballsy n badass!

[@derjoh1986]

Very impressed with this setup! Great job!!

[@janmb]

Thanks ☺️

[@nikthequick298]

Great Flight!! Im Thinking about the same Projekt here in Germany. Did you use the 90mm Gondola? How much fuel u put in? Where do u get the attachment for the 2 Turbines? Do u have some Pictures from building it? Sorry, so many Questions. But i love ur A10!!

[@janmb]

Thanks Nik! I highly recommend checking out my turbine conversion page on facebook: facebook.com/FreewingA10TurbineConversion/ There you will find specs from before and after, as well as detailed documentation of the entire process. To answer your current questions: - Yes, I used 90mm engine housings to get as much space and airflow as possible. 80mm housings should work just fine though. - Fuel: 1.2 liters, tank made by cmjets in Spain - Attachments for the turbines were designed for me by a friend in Sweden called Henrik Torphammar. Mounting brackets and exhaust should be available upon request through HAB.se - Pictures: TONS! Check the facebook page (it should be viewable even if you don't have a facebook account)

[@nikthequick298]

very nice and friendly you are fantastic!! Thanks a lot!!

[@janmb]

My pleasure :)

[@scottw40]

Wow what incredible designing and some d*** good flying

[@s.w.warbirds4126]

Very nice !!!!!!!!!

[@jeffsuriano629]

Awesome work, beautiful landing!

[@janmb]

Thanks

[@davidb4557]

Nice flight.

[@janmb]

Thanks!

[@jetthelooter]

Fuel foam and heat don't mix well so this is damn impressive. Good job!!

[@RCTommy]

I agree, the work done by JanMB on this bird is outstanding!

[@janmb]

Thanks!

[@shelbyseelbach9568]

Turbine powered foam planes are actually available from several manufacturers.

[@davidzahn739]

Kerosene does not hurt epo foam. Poly styrene foam would be a different story.

[@Heli4213]

AWESOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@RCTommy]

Thanks! 😁👍

[@francisconti9085]

Nice job, came back to watch again!

[@bayarea5168]

Nice upgrade!

[@wingsab]

well done, boss. :o that landing

[@thomasusowski2155]

Wow turbines into a freewing model!!! Maybe my Freewing F-15 and 16 could use some upgrades!!

[@janmb]

Go for it 👍

[@jeffhenderson934]

I know you did this 4 years ago, it’s probably mentioned below, so I’ll say it again- The sound must be incredible in person. I love the jet on 12s, but if I knew anything about turbines I’d convert the a-10.

[@RCTommy]

The sound is amazing. So is the smell (if you fly on kerosene or jet A1). And the power at high RPMs are unbeatable. So is the flying time. If you want to head into the field of gas turbines, I would recommend you getting in touch with your local/closest pilots or builders. Maybe buy a second hand/pre built jet. Learn from the mistakes other pilots have already done. Another thing you can do before you get into the real deal is to simulate flying a gas turbine jet by programming an idle switch (15-20% idle) and set a 2.5-3 seconds slow down/delay function on the throttle channel for an EDF jet (that's what I did). It makes you have to think about power management in another way than usual (which is not so different from flying a real jet). You don't get the same high-end-power, nor the same sound, smell or flight times, but it is a nice way to see if flying a gas turbine is something you would enjoy. Sure, there is a learning curve to it. But once you get it, you'll understand it forever.

[@n64uwls6a]

Well done!

[@irvinparadizo6616]

Waooo, I have one freewings A-10 myself, I got a question do you make videos when you make the up grade. If you do It would be nice if you posted on the channel. Very nice..

[@RCTommy]

The builder (JanMB) made a facebook page for his conversion, you should check it out. Sadly, this plane is not flying with gas turbines anymore. Luckily for me though, one of the turbines is running nicely in my Freewing Gripen now! Cheers! facebook.com/FreewingA10TurbineConversion/

[@fcolon1976]

Sweet bird!!!!

[@sariffofficial]

That is insane, what a great conversion, looks amazing

[@janmb]

Thanks!

[@joeshmoe12301230]

Thats awesome. An videos of how he made the modifications? Thanks.

[@RCTommy]

joeshmoe12301230, not so many videos I’m afraid, but most of the build process was depicted on his Facebook page (and yes, he is more than happy to answer any questions one might have regarding his build): facebook.com/profile.php?id=953519544805754

[@joeshmoe12301230]

RC Tommy I'll check it out. Thanks!

[@Airguardian]

Sweet landing!

[@janmb]

Thanks!

[@NICHOLASRGLORIOSO]

Airguardian yes it was!!

[@iriquiosgunship]

Beautiful aircraft!

[@janmb]

Thanks :-)

[@hamiltonshangar]

What kind of brake system do you have on here? And what size? I hope you can help lol Thank you!!

[@RCTommy]

Jan installed the upgraded straight struts from Freewing and added Shulman Aviation wheels with electromagnetic brakes. For further specs/dimensions, I would hit him up with a question on his facebook page (even though he is done with this model, he’ll still answer any question). Source: facebook.com/953519544805754/posts/963976620426713/?d=n

[@hamiltonshangar]

RC Tommy Thank you I appreciate it!

[@danielburgess7785]

Average flight time(s) from takeoff to landing?

[@janmb]

Daniel Burgess I currently fly about 4 minutes airborne, not including startup or taxi. That is extremely conservative though, landing with typically between a third and a quarter fuel remaining. Still adjusting this, but in baby steps.

[@danielburgess7785]

Thank you for the reply. Take care.

[@trullmann]

Sounds way better than any EDF! great job!

[@RCTommy]

I agree, it sounds (and smells) a lot like the real thing (which is good). Only missing the whistling sound effect of the turbofan gas turbines when it buzzes by. Cheers! 😎

[@trullmann]

@@RCTommy I'm going out on a limb here to say, it sounds like the real thing cuz it is! LOL I dig EDF but nothing sounds like the real deal..

[@RCTommy]

Todd Ullmann, I stand corrected. It IS the real thing😁😂

[@SternLX]

And here I thought spending the money on 2 Schuebeler 90mm HDS units with HET 700-68's(1680kv ver. on two 6S packs) was a bit much for my Freewing A-10. I couldn't even imagine dropping that much on gas turbine power plants for a Foamie.

[@aerospacematt9147]

Wow! That’s pretty neat. I didn’t think it was possible to put turbines inside foamys. Nice job!

[@mckaylundtuttle7962]

You have to put a brick in the front to get correct cg ?

[@RCTommy]

The flight Deck, I’m pretty sure he had to add a couple of lead bars to fix the CG, but the engines actually weigh in at 2 grams less than the stock EDF setup. Adding some lead bars into the nose, a couple of heavy batteries and all the other electronic equipment, and the plane is more or less on CG. He planned it well, and the results are thereafter! 😁

[@janmb]

Yes, a little nose weight is indeed needed - as tends to be the case with all turbine A-10s to some degree. In my case I started off with placing as much of the fixed components with any weight to speak of as far forward as possible. Secondly, I added 25g of lead in the very nose for the first flight. As you can see in this video, this is still a tad tail heavy. I've since added another 40g for 65g total. Still a very pleasant AUW of about 7.1 kg and lands at about 6.2

[@jasonfalcon7821]

My uncle Randall Falcon retired as a general flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon/Viper and survived the attack on the Pentagon on 9/11/01 but he entered the Airforce as an officer and after learning in the T-27 Trojen and then the T-38 Talon he was a test pilot in the A-7 Corsair and he then flew the A-10 Warthog 2 in Top Gun 87' and was in Desert Storm I fly rc helicopters and just getting into EDF that's awesome that you have two awesome turbines in that beautiful Freewing A-10 Warthog ❤️

[@RCTommy]

Thank you for sharing your story. Keep on flying!

[@jasonfalcon7821]

@@RCTommy ❤️ 😊 🛫

[@janmb]

Thanks for the support, camera work and video editing Tommy - awesome!

[@RCTommy]

Thank you, and well done on the A-10 gas turbine conversion and maiden flight 😎

[@NICHOLASRGLORIOSO]

janmb AWESOME !!!

[@NICHOLASRGLORIOSO]

RC Tommy SWEET!!

[@janmb]

Nicholas R Glorioso Thanks 😎

[@Airguardian]

Congrats Jan!!! :D

[@edgardojagr216]

Awesome landing. Love the a10

[@MarkHahn]

Nice work! How much did the turbines set you back? This openens a whole new world of affordable options when it comes to turbines.

[@RCTommy]

Mark Hahn, I don’t know the exact figure (it’s owned and flown by a close friend of mine), but the exact gas turbine setup on this model would be about $5000-$6000 (the listing price of a single JetCat P20SX is currently at €2545). However, there are cheaper turbines in the same category out there. The KingTech KT30G is available for around €1700 (which is a pretty good deal if you ask me). Is it cheap though? Not really. But it sure is a great deal of fun! In contrast, I got my JetCat P60SE (used) for about $800 (it had been run for about 5 hours in total). It does not have to cost a fortune, but then again, there are not that many airframes available on the marked for a 65N gas turbine today (sadly). Cheers! 😊👍

[@yewyew79]

lovely. Where can get the converter kit for freewing A10?

[@RCTommy]

Thank you. I do belive Mr. Berg got his turbine conversion kit from a Swedish dealer (hab.se). He is known to ship internationally. The kit can be found here: www.hab.se/bygghobby/hab-cnc/freewing-a10-turbin-konverteringskitt-komplett-kingtech-k30