Spitfire76's Build Log of Ben's XF-16

[Yankee2003]

EDF and ESC should be here sometime today.

In the meantime, I've setup an elevon configuration on the Aura 5 lite and tested that the directions are correct.
View attachment 238913
May need to adjust throws. I wonder if there are some recommendations ?

I need to get my tail surfaces working. I can do that while I wait. I have both battery and esc to motor extensions coming (tomorrow). I am leaning toward the path of least resistance and putting in the battery extension. I still want to build another one to paint up nice. This one is probably going to have a quick whitewash, visibility tape (that would be suspiciously similar to the Noob colors I used on the Wonder and/or some vinyl stickers…..er…..decals. So if I can at least cut my teeth on this one, and keep it flying long enough for the next one….I will consider that a win.

 

[Spitfire76]

I need to get my tail surfaces working. I can do that while I wait. I have both battery and esc to motor extensions coming (tomorrow). I am leaning toward the path of least resistance and putting in the battery extension. I still want to build another one to paint up nice. This one is probably going to have a quick whitewash, visibility tape (that would be suspiciously similar to the Noob colors I used on the Wonder and/or some vinyl stickers…..er…..decals. So if I can at least cut my teeth on this one, and keep it flying long enough for the next one….I will consider that a win.

Mike, can you point me again please to Ben's recommended throws for the elevons as I could not find it in your link to his original thread.

Regarding painting I am considering the following paint scheme although the RAF doesn't actually have any F-16s but if they did.......



also its the only 2 rattle cans that are not blocked.

At the moment I don't have any 4s batteries so have to get some. I was considering running a couple in parallel and have a cable for that which would double up as an extension.

 

[Yankee2003]

Mike, can you point me again please to Ben's recommended throws for the elevons as I could not find it in your link to his original thread.

Regarding painting I am considering the following paint scheme although the RAF doesn't actually have any F-16s but if they did.......

View attachment 238922

also its the only 2 rattle cans that are not blocked.

At the moment I don't have any 4s batteries so have to get some. I was considering running a couple in parallel and have a cable for that which would double up as an extension.

Just hit the link on my
last post on page three. It is above the statement of Ben’s recommendations. Takes you right to it.

 

[Spitfire76]

Just hit the link on my
last post on page three. It is above the statement of Ben’s recommendations. Takes you right to it.

ok, got it and see why I did not see it at first, I had his ignore content flag set. Anyway here is what he suggests.

"Control surface throws should be +/-20° to start, and I like at least 40% expo. You can push the throws up to as high as 30° or even 40° depending on how responsive you want the bird to be, and how confident you are on the sticks.
When balanced near the aft-CG mark, and flown with more aggressive throws, it will happily pull full-throttle Cobra maneuvers without breaking a sweat (or a wing)."

As rates and expo are handled by the Aura I'll need to make those changes.

PS - EDF/ESC delayed with a new delivery date of Tuesday so it will be Wednesday by the time I get to work on that part. In the meantime I am going to paint.

 

[Spitfire76]

Turns out that the BB throw gauge is 20 degress on the high side so used it to adjust the throws.

Aura settings
Elevon "B" configuration.
All flight mode rates set to 125/125 for alirons and elevators and 40 expo in all flight modes.
Flight Mode 1, Gyro off
Flight Mode 2, 6 axis level assist, low gain
Flight Mode 3, 3 axis no level assist, low gain - uses new control mode E which is the same as D but without level assist.

 

[AdityaPratap]

i am thinking of using a 5 inch bdf for this plane , and i am going to use a emax 2207 1900 kv motor with 2 3s batteries in series

 

[Spitfire76]

Hopefully some resemblance to a F16 forming. Not so happy with the nose and I that on the next build I will try the original box design of the 2 front nose sections rather than removing the paper to make them round.

 

[Spitfire76]

My EDF/ESC order from Amazon is delayed once again and it's now estimated to be here on Thursday. If it's not I can claim a refund. Also, I noticed that this PowerFun's EDF/ESC combo is no longer orderable on Amazon so its likely it will not turn up. I could order from Valuehobby but noticed that their 80A Hobbywing ESCs have 4mm bullet connectors whereas that EDF has 3.5mm. I can solder but I prefer to get the matching connectors up front and the same goes with the battery connectors.

 

[Yankee2003]

My EDF/ESC order from Amazon is delayed once again and it's now estimated to be here on Thursday. If it's not I can claim a refund. Also, I noticed that this PowerFun's EDF/ESC combo is no longer orderable on Amazon so its likely it will not turn up. I could order from Valuehobby but noticed that their 80A Hobbywing ESCs have 4mm bullet connectors whereas that EDF has 3.5mm. I can solder but I prefer to get the matching connectors up front and the same goes with the battery connectors.

You can get 80 amp esc with 3.5 mm, but they usually will come with xt90. So you will likely need to solder or get an adapter to get it all to match up.
If you can do it all at one time it can be kind of fun…..in a weird way…..sort of.

 

[Yankee2003]

Hopefully some resemblance to a F16 forming. Not so happy with the nose and I that on the next build I will try the original box design of the 2 front nose sections rather than removing the paper to make them round.

View attachment 238948

How does the canopy cover fit on the fuselage? I will have to bring the sides in quite a bit. And the B-fold end?
Can you add a photo of what this section looks like from the back?

 

[Spitfire76]

How does the canopy cover fit on the fuselage? I will have to bring the sides in quite a bit. And the B-fold end?
Can you add a photo of what this section looks like from the back?

These may help. I assume it’s correct.

I have not decided yet on how it will attach to the fuselage. Thought of making some 3d printed mounts for magnets.

 

[Spitfire76]

My original EDF/ESC order from Amazon never turned up and so I canceled it but found another make with the same specs and it arrived today

FLYCOLOR EDF 70mm 3400KV 4S RC Jet Airplane 12 Blades Ducted Fan with RC Brushless Motor with ESC 80A(3~6S) Balance Tested https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L66RR95/?tag=lstir-20

 

[Spitfire76]

Started mounting this EDF. I did have to change slightly the poster board tube. It's now 9 x 10 with a 1/2 inch overlap on the longer side. I also had to increase the size of the holes in the 3 formers to 3 & 1/16" in diameter although 3" should be better for the former marked "1" on sheet 5 as it doesn't need to go around the poster board. Now does that one need to be glued to the EDF ? Don't really want to do that. May look to see how the EDF is mounted in the master series F16 as it uses the same type of EDF.

 

[Yankee2003]

Started mounting this EDF. I did have to change slightly the poster board tube. It's now 9 x 10 with a 1/2 inch overlap on the longer side. I also had to increase the size of the holes in the 3 formers to 3 & 1/16" in diameter although 3" should be better for the former marked "1" on sheet 5 as it doesn't need to go around the poster board. Now does that one need to be glued to the EDF ? Don't really want to do that. May look to see how the EDF is mounted in the master series F16 as it uses the same type of EDF.

View attachment 239004

This is kind of interesting. In a way, it is far more entertaining when you need to struggle a bit. Hence, the maiden is going to be more rewarding. The second F16 is going to be so much easier having seen the path before. This is just a very fun build.

 

[Yankee2003]

Super busy car weekend. Cars and coffee this morning in Greensboro, and a Saturday night drive in car show in Asheboro.
Turn n burn…..so great. How did I get so lucky?
Sunday afternoon I plan on spending a few hours, lost in the F16. Life…in this space of time….pretty great.
I look forward to your next update Richard. I’ll take a picture of my canopy/hatch plate if I can figure out what to do with it.
Don’t hold your breathe..😀.

 

[Spitfire76]

Super busy car weekend. Cars and coffee this morning in Greensboro, and a Saturday night drive in car show in Asheboro.
Turn n burn…..so great. How did I get so lucky?
Sunday afternoon I plan on spending a few hours, lost in the F16. Life…in this space of time….pretty great.
I look forward to your next update Richard. I’ll take a picture of my canopy/hatch plate if I can figure out what to do with it.
Don’t hold your breathe..😀

Sounds like you are having a fun weekend. My grandson will be visiting today so won't get too much done on the F16.

I cut some notches in the end of the thrust tube for the wires and the side tabs on the EDF but have the wires opposite to where Ben has his coming out from the former as that end had more foam to cut, do you see a problem with that?

I will tape the thrust tube to the EDF housing but really want to avoid gluing the poster board or the foam board to it as scraping the glue off after a crash is a pain. I am the same with servos and so use 3d printed mounts.

 

[Yankee2003]

Sounds like you are having a fun weekend. My grandson will be visiting today so won't get too much done on the F16.

I cut some notches in the end of the thrust tube for the wires and the side tabs on the EDF but have the wires opposite to where Ben has his coming out from the former as that end had more foam to cut, do you see a problem with that?
View attachment 239016 View attachment 239017
I will tape the thrust tube to the EDF housing but really want to avoid gluing the poster board or the foam board to it as scraping the glue off after a crash is a pain. I am the same with servos and so use 3d printed mounts.
View attachment 239018

Mine come out the side of the former. I think the big issue is securing them so they don’t get sucked back into the EDF.

 

[Spitfire76]

Mine come out the side of the former. I think the big issue is securing them so they don’t get sucked back into the EDF.

Makes sense but I do not want hot glue the ESC or wires to the foam board and will use some removable means to secure them.

I assume that its important though to mount the ESC in the airstream in order to keep it cool.

 

[Yankee2003]

The top fuselage over the wings is shaped and installed. The new canopy plate is done. I am going to spend tonight and tomorrow working the fuse to see if I can clean up the lines a bit. Not going to obsess over it.

The bbq skewer is just to hold the sides in so the canopy plate fits a little better. There is certainly a better way to do it…but at this stage it is just what I could reach on the workbench.

The list is getting short.
1) Glue on strakes
2) Glue on lower fins
3) Glue on canopy
4) Glue on vertical tail.
5) Battery area.
6) Little more paint and body.
7) Balance for CG.
A motivated person would be done in a couple hours…including paint.

 

[Spitfire76]

I am making some progress too although it does seem a bit slow. I would like to check that the direction of the EDF is correct before closing the fuselage and losing easy access to the wires. The ESC is rated 3-6s so can I test on a 3s battery although the EDF is 4s?

Did it anyway and the direction was correct so now closing up the fuse.