Phase 3 F-16 EDF Jet
Background:
I purchased this Electric Duct Fan (EDF) Jet from Hobby People in California, USA for $120. This kit came as an Almost Ready to Fly (ARF) kit and included the motor, duct fan unit and ESC.
While assembling this kit, I made the following upgrades / mods:
I purchased this Electric Duct Fan (EDF) Jet from Hobby People in California, USA for $120. This kit came as an Almost Ready to Fly (ARF) kit and included the motor, duct fan unit and ESC.
While assembling this kit, I made the following upgrades / mods:
- Punch some small holes into the foam with a toothpick where the Velcro will be glued, and then apply Gorilla Glue and the Velcro
- Make sure the servo wires are glued SECURELY to the sides of the fuselage (use hot glue, which can be removed if needed)
- Make the bottom removable to have access to motor, ESC and servos for maintenance
- Pull out the bushings on the stabs and epoxy and Gorilla Glue them back in flush
- "Must Do" taileron beef-up: 1/64 plywood on top and bottom of both sides (this is not clear in the pictures because I applied a white sticker on the plywood on top and the red decal on the bottom of the jet
- Balance tailerons: If you don't balance the stab and you get flutter + the stab will snap off (I used 7g lead weights on each taileron). Flutter can strip gears in servos and the twisting moment just snaps off the fairings.
- Grind flats on the stab axles to make sure the arm never slips off.
- I also added rare earth magnets to the canopy; I do not trust the latch that it came with.
- Laminated whole plane with 1.5mm laminate and packing tape to add structural strength
Changes:
The first couple of flights were unsuccessful because there was not enough control surface throw. I fixed this by replacing the 4g Futaba micro servos with HXT500 servos. Because the HXT500 servos had longer wires, I had to hot glue these wires to the foam to prevent the wires from being sucked into the EDF unit.
The first couple of flights were unsuccessful because there was not enough control surface throw. I fixed this by replacing the 4g Futaba micro servos with HXT500 servos. Because the HXT500 servos had longer wires, I had to hot glue these wires to the foam to prevent the wires from being sucked into the EDF unit.
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