F-16XL ARF by Global Knight Models from Global Jet Club
05-15-2021, 02:53 PM
#226
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (20)
F-16XL Successful Test Flight!
Takeoff
Low Approach and Landing
Flight Report
I used low rate roll and high rate pitch for the flight. The roll rate was way too high and I will reduce before next flight. Pitch rate was good inflight but it was slow to rotate on take off with the forward CG. I may set up a higher rate for take off before the next fight. Trim was close, it required a couple of clicks nose up prior to gear retraction and one click right roll. No changes after gear retracted. The jet seemed to require pitch and roll corrections during normal flight with no gyro. After the gyro was turned on in cruise gain it became rock stable. It made a big difference.
I probably made the CG check at close to the most aft CG after the front tank was empty. I use the 45 up line and roll inverted method. I got a nice slow arc to the canopy. It felt pretty good. I put the gear down and trimmed for approach speed in the gear down flight mode. I made a planned low approach and go around. It was very easy to control and set up on final with about a 10 degree nose up pitch attitude. Thrust was at approach power and the jet flew down final nearly hands off at that attitude. The next approach and landing was the same and thrust was reduced to idle just at touchdown. I applied brakes and as the jet came to a stop the nose gear down lock strut unlocked and the nose gear folded back slightly. I shut down on the runway and walked it back. No damage to the gear or door but the down lock needs adjustment so it stays locked with bumps on grass and braking pressure on the nose gear.
I flew about 5 minutes plus taxi time. I used a taxi tank prior to taxi. After landing a visual check of the tanks showed front tank empty, left tank about half and right tank full. The CTU with the current calibration showed 57% remaining. There should be plenty for an 8 min flight. Overall the jet was real easy to fly. Looking forward to the next flights.
Gary
Takeoff
Low Approach and Landing
Flight Report
I used low rate roll and high rate pitch for the flight. The roll rate was way too high and I will reduce before next flight. Pitch rate was good inflight but it was slow to rotate on take off with the forward CG. I may set up a higher rate for take off before the next fight. Trim was close, it required a couple of clicks nose up prior to gear retraction and one click right roll. No changes after gear retracted. The jet seemed to require pitch and roll corrections during normal flight with no gyro. After the gyro was turned on in cruise gain it became rock stable. It made a big difference.
I probably made the CG check at close to the most aft CG after the front tank was empty. I use the 45 up line and roll inverted method. I got a nice slow arc to the canopy. It felt pretty good. I put the gear down and trimmed for approach speed in the gear down flight mode. I made a planned low approach and go around. It was very easy to control and set up on final with about a 10 degree nose up pitch attitude. Thrust was at approach power and the jet flew down final nearly hands off at that attitude. The next approach and landing was the same and thrust was reduced to idle just at touchdown. I applied brakes and as the jet came to a stop the nose gear down lock strut unlocked and the nose gear folded back slightly. I shut down on the runway and walked it back. No damage to the gear or door but the down lock needs adjustment so it stays locked with bumps on grass and braking pressure on the nose gear.
I flew about 5 minutes plus taxi time. I used a taxi tank prior to taxi. After landing a visual check of the tanks showed front tank empty, left tank about half and right tank full. The CTU with the current calibration showed 57% remaining. There should be plenty for an 8 min flight. Overall the jet was real easy to fly. Looking forward to the next flights.
Gary
Last edited by Viper1GJ; 05-15-2021 at 03:47 PM.
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Viper1GJ (05-15-2021)
05-17-2021, 04:39 PM
#228
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (20)
Nose gear strut brace adjustment
The nose gear unlocked and partially collapsed when stopping after landing. I removed the nose gear and after several attempts finally got it adjusted. I found both control arms that attached to the retract motor needed adjustments. Both arms had setscrews and needed a small reposition on the shafts. I also reduced the motor unload time in the LG-15 controller. Now both parts of the strut brace stay aligned when the gear is extended and provide a good down lock for the nose gear.
The nose gear unlocked and partially collapsed when stopping after landing. I removed the nose gear and after several attempts finally got it adjusted. I found both control arms that attached to the retract motor needed adjustments. Both arms had setscrews and needed a small reposition on the shafts. I also reduced the motor unload time in the LG-15 controller. Now both parts of the strut brace stay aligned when the gear is extended and provide a good down lock for the nose gear.
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patf (05-18-2021)
05-18-2021, 04:47 PM
#232
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (20)
Thanks guys. Appreciate the compliments.
I sent Mike at GJC a long list of recommendations. He told me the Global Knight factory was going to incorporate them in the next round. Hopefully it will be a big improvement. With that said I really thought the XL flew well. I only got the one flight last weekend because the node gear would not lock down properly but it was a fun flight. I thought the jet was very easy to fly and easier to land than the other F-16s I have flown. I'm looking forward to flying it a lot at First In Flight next week.
Gary
I sent Mike at GJC a long list of recommendations. He told me the Global Knight factory was going to incorporate them in the next round. Hopefully it will be a big improvement. With that said I really thought the XL flew well. I only got the one flight last weekend because the node gear would not lock down properly but it was a fun flight. I thought the jet was very easy to fly and easier to land than the other F-16s I have flown. I'm looking forward to flying it a lot at First In Flight next week.
Gary
05-18-2021, 05:10 PM
#233
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (20)
Paint and decals
I wanted to respray the light grey dark grey lines on the fuse and wings to be a soft line like on the real jet. I wet sanded the paint ridge to knock off the sharp line a little and then masked off the front and got ready to spray
I bought a pistol grip air brush from Micro Mark several years ago but never learned to use it. I figured this would be a good project to try it on. Once I figured out how it worked I took some grey primer from the rattle can and put it in the airbrush cup and started working the color separation lines. As usual if I knew what I learned I could have done it twice as fast and much better but it got done.
Now my non scale 3 tone grey color scheme looks a little softer.
My next adventure was the water slide decals. Haven't done these in years, many years. I got the stuff Pondus recommended and it turned out to be pretty easy. The decals went back on where they were except for the Rescue arrow. I put the hatch door it points to over the hatch door molded into the fuse skin. Before it was floating somewhere above the door.
I masked off the canopy to protect it from the matte clear that will cover the decals. Tomorrow I plan to clear coat the whole jet with an auto 2K matte clear. Another chance for disaster. We will see...
I wanted to respray the light grey dark grey lines on the fuse and wings to be a soft line like on the real jet. I wet sanded the paint ridge to knock off the sharp line a little and then masked off the front and got ready to spray
I bought a pistol grip air brush from Micro Mark several years ago but never learned to use it. I figured this would be a good project to try it on. Once I figured out how it worked I took some grey primer from the rattle can and put it in the airbrush cup and started working the color separation lines. As usual if I knew what I learned I could have done it twice as fast and much better but it got done.
Now my non scale 3 tone grey color scheme looks a little softer.
My next adventure was the water slide decals. Haven't done these in years, many years. I got the stuff Pondus recommended and it turned out to be pretty easy. The decals went back on where they were except for the Rescue arrow. I put the hatch door it points to over the hatch door molded into the fuse skin. Before it was floating somewhere above the door.
I masked off the canopy to protect it from the matte clear that will cover the decals. Tomorrow I plan to clear coat the whole jet with an auto 2K matte clear. Another chance for disaster. We will see...
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jescardin (05-22-2021)
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yeahbaby (05-18-2021)
05-19-2021, 05:13 AM
#235
Thanks Gary,
Yep, this is a good thread. I am ready to start working on my Xl, and have made a list of all the thing you posted. I am going to start with putting the two half of the fuselage together with aliment pins, and then lower the gear and and get the camber and castor of the mains to track. I am headed to the auto paint store today and see if they can match up the blue and the red of the tail. Insignia blue from Klass Kote does not match. also I did not realized that the big "F16 XL" on the tail was a decal, there are some small chips on the letters, and it looks like the factory tried to touch it up, not good, but just on one side. I am thinking I can mask it off, and let a airbrush guy spray it for me. That the good thing about living at a beach town, lots of T-shirts shops.
Viper, keep us posted on the 2k matte clear coat.
and thanks to Josh too,
TGreen
Yep, this is a good thread. I am ready to start working on my Xl, and have made a list of all the thing you posted. I am going to start with putting the two half of the fuselage together with aliment pins, and then lower the gear and and get the camber and castor of the mains to track. I am headed to the auto paint store today and see if they can match up the blue and the red of the tail. Insignia blue from Klass Kote does not match. also I did not realized that the big "F16 XL" on the tail was a decal, there are some small chips on the letters, and it looks like the factory tried to touch it up, not good, but just on one side. I am thinking I can mask it off, and let a airbrush guy spray it for me. That the good thing about living at a beach town, lots of T-shirts shops.
Viper, keep us posted on the 2k matte clear coat.
and thanks to Josh too,
TGreen
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Viper1GJ (05-19-2021)
05-19-2021, 04:33 PM
#236
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (20)
Matte clear coat complete
I sprayed the clear outside. I used Spray Max 2K matte clear in the two part rattle can. The spray nozzle was one of the best I've ever used. I did get a couple of spits but they leveled out and resprayed ok. This is just back inside after flash off.
I
Overall I was really pleased. The decals seemed to just blend in.
I couldn't asked for any better on top of grey rattle can primer. I did lightly wet sand the primer with 1200 grit before applying decals and I think that helped provide a smooth enough surface to get them to stick ok.
What I'm really happy with is the matte clear blended in all the defects and color shades and made the jet start looking really good. Now the colors are consistent and have the same flat sheen. It reminds me of the new production F-16s I used to test fly. They had just come out of the paint shop and had only one flight before I got to them. The cockpits smelled like a new car and they had no grease, grime, tool marks, and paint patches yet. Now my XL looks like those jets did and I'm really happy with how it looks overall.
Some happy snaps before packing off to First In Flight.
The only thing left to do is install the Jeti pitot tube air speed sensor and make some quick wing bags for the trip.
The red white and blue tail looks much better after the matte clear coat
Ready to rock and roll.
The colors are now consistent and uniform
I like the shape of this jet! What we need now is and air to air loadout with some white AIM-9 missiles on the wing tips and some white AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles in conformal mounts under the wings!
I sprayed the clear outside. I used Spray Max 2K matte clear in the two part rattle can. The spray nozzle was one of the best I've ever used. I did get a couple of spits but they leveled out and resprayed ok. This is just back inside after flash off.
IOverall I was really pleased. The decals seemed to just blend in.
I couldn't asked for any better on top of grey rattle can primer. I did lightly wet sand the primer with 1200 grit before applying decals and I think that helped provide a smooth enough surface to get them to stick ok.
What I'm really happy with is the matte clear blended in all the defects and color shades and made the jet start looking really good. Now the colors are consistent and have the same flat sheen. It reminds me of the new production F-16s I used to test fly. They had just come out of the paint shop and had only one flight before I got to them. The cockpits smelled like a new car and they had no grease, grime, tool marks, and paint patches yet. Now my XL looks like those jets did and I'm really happy with how it looks overall.
Some happy snaps before packing off to First In Flight.
The only thing left to do is install the Jeti pitot tube air speed sensor and make some quick wing bags for the trip.
The red white and blue tail looks much better after the matte clear coat
Ready to rock and roll.
The colors are now consistent and uniform
I like the shape of this jet! What we need now is and air to air loadout with some white AIM-9 missiles on the wing tips and some white AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles in conformal mounts under the wings!
Last edited by Viper1GJ; 05-19-2021 at 04:51 PM.
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Viper1GJ (05-20-2021)
05-26-2021, 07:41 PM
#240
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (20)
First In Flight Jet Rally first takeoff wreck.
On my first take off attempt today and FIF the nose gear mounting plate fell out just after starting the take off roll. I was not even at rotation speed and the jet veered right and the nose fell down. I reduced thrust and applied brakes and it came to a straight stop with the turbine at idle. I shut down the turbine and my spotter ran out on the runway to push the jet back to the pits. When he lifted the nose the entire nose gear and mounting plate fell out. Inspection showed there was almost no glue on the joints. What little there was, was brittle and easily cracked and crumbled. There was a small fiberglass strip on the front joint which was not wetted and was useless. The steering servo gears were stripped and required a replacement servo.
If you have one of the first XL jets I highly recommend you not fly it until you make sure the nose gear mount plate is secure. I would recommend removing it and making a proper mount system and then re glue it back in. This is the second gear plate failure I am aware of.
I contacted GLC and they are looking for some replacement parts, but nothing will get here quickly so I elected to make repairs and try to fly it with the nose gear fixed down.
No real gluing surface here. Also the small filler braces behind the front former were made of balsa.
The pitot tube on pavement probably saved the jet. On grass it would have dug in and broken the nose off. The pitot tube bolt got ground in half like a flat blade screwdriver.
\
Skin damage on bottom of the radome
Damaged gear parts. Wires pulled from gear motor, screw shaft bent, and threads messed up.
Jet hauled back into camper for a field repair. I ground out the brittle glue and prepped the glue joints for some real epoxy. If I were in the shop I would have made some plywood spacers to give more glue surface to the bottom of the air duct which is carbon fiber. That will have to wait till I get back to the shop. I reattached the gear mount plate with lots of Six10 epoxy and let it setup. Didn't take long with the high temps here.
Rear door hinge was broken out so I removed the two remaining hinges and took the door off. I disabled the gear door servo.
The replacement steering servo was mounted and the gear reinstalled. A drill bit was zip tied and taped to the strut brace to keep the gear locked down
HVAC tape wrapped around the strut brace to keep the zip ties in place
Nose gear well covered by HVAC tape. We will try again tomorrow. Fighter pilot creed: "Never give up"
On my first take off attempt today and FIF the nose gear mounting plate fell out just after starting the take off roll. I was not even at rotation speed and the jet veered right and the nose fell down. I reduced thrust and applied brakes and it came to a straight stop with the turbine at idle. I shut down the turbine and my spotter ran out on the runway to push the jet back to the pits. When he lifted the nose the entire nose gear and mounting plate fell out. Inspection showed there was almost no glue on the joints. What little there was, was brittle and easily cracked and crumbled. There was a small fiberglass strip on the front joint which was not wetted and was useless. The steering servo gears were stripped and required a replacement servo.
If you have one of the first XL jets I highly recommend you not fly it until you make sure the nose gear mount plate is secure. I would recommend removing it and making a proper mount system and then re glue it back in. This is the second gear plate failure I am aware of.
I contacted GLC and they are looking for some replacement parts, but nothing will get here quickly so I elected to make repairs and try to fly it with the nose gear fixed down.
No real gluing surface here. Also the small filler braces behind the front former were made of balsa.
The pitot tube on pavement probably saved the jet. On grass it would have dug in and broken the nose off. The pitot tube bolt got ground in half like a flat blade screwdriver.
\Skin damage on bottom of the radome
Damaged gear parts. Wires pulled from gear motor, screw shaft bent, and threads messed up.
Jet hauled back into camper for a field repair. I ground out the brittle glue and prepped the glue joints for some real epoxy. If I were in the shop I would have made some plywood spacers to give more glue surface to the bottom of the air duct which is carbon fiber. That will have to wait till I get back to the shop. I reattached the gear mount plate with lots of Six10 epoxy and let it setup. Didn't take long with the high temps here.
Rear door hinge was broken out so I removed the two remaining hinges and took the door off. I disabled the gear door servo.
The replacement steering servo was mounted and the gear reinstalled. A drill bit was zip tied and taped to the strut brace to keep the gear locked down
HVAC tape wrapped around the strut brace to keep the zip ties in place
Nose gear well covered by HVAC tape. We will try again tomorrow. Fighter pilot creed: "Never give up"
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patf (05-27-2021)
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Auburn02 (05-27-2021)
05-27-2021, 05:28 AM
#244
Gary,
Sorry for the damage, but good job on the field repair.
It does make you wonder about the integrity of the structure that you cannot see (wings & fin). Trying to get an x-ray of those probably wouldn't be a bad idea, given the other issues with it. Either that or a small hole with a bore-scope to get a visual on the insides.
Paul
Sorry for the damage, but good job on the field repair.
It does make you wonder about the integrity of the structure that you cannot see (wings & fin). Trying to get an x-ray of those probably wouldn't be a bad idea, given the other issues with it. Either that or a small hole with a bore-scope to get a visual on the insides.
Paul
05-27-2021, 05:38 PM
#246
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (20)
Better today at FIF. I got 3 sorties with the fixed nose gear. The HVAC tape over the nose gear well did not stay on was removed for the third flight.
I think the jet is starting to work better after having some initial brake problems caused by my improper setup of the radio and LGC15 gear controller. I moved one battery from the nose to just behind the cockpit to shift CG aft a little. So far I've made 2 great landings and 2 fast and long landings so clearly I need some more training.
FIF flight line and pattern was busy most of the day and temps were in upper 90s. It's impossible to fly multiple approaches here so I'll have to get back home to really get it dialed in.
GJC is sending me another nose gear. Hopefully it will arrive tomorrow in time to install and fly with all gear up but the weather is not looking good for the weekend.
I think the jet is starting to work better after having some initial brake problems caused by my improper setup of the radio and LGC15 gear controller. I moved one battery from the nose to just behind the cockpit to shift CG aft a little. So far I've made 2 great landings and 2 fast and long landings so clearly I need some more training.
FIF flight line and pattern was busy most of the day and temps were in upper 90s. It's impossible to fly multiple approaches here so I'll have to get back home to really get it dialed in.
GJC is sending me another nose gear. Hopefully it will arrive tomorrow in time to install and fly with all gear up but the weather is not looking good for the weekend.
Last edited by Viper1GJ; 05-27-2021 at 05:53 PM.
05-27-2021, 05:45 PM
#247
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (20)
No, I think the bottom of the air duct is carbon fiber and is strong enough but bridging across the two formers does not provide enough glue surface area. A plywood frame under the gear plate to bond the plate to the air duct surface would work IMO but it has to have some quality epoxy. The brittle "Chinapoxy" glue that is used will not do the job holding the landing gear on.
05-28-2021, 07:52 AM
#250
I'll even make an unrequested suggestion for the developer.
Buy a 1/6 Skymaster, BVM or even a Fly Eagle F-16 and just copy the airframe except the wings. Copy the rudder internals. Nothing in an F-16 model should be a mistery. Then just focus on the wing. Have a good structural engineer (or a model designer with experience) look over wing internals.
Then test the living F out of it before selling it, unless you are into the Fly Eagle flight test program. 🤷♂️
Buy a 1/6 Skymaster, BVM or even a Fly Eagle F-16 and just copy the airframe except the wings. Copy the rudder internals. Nothing in an F-16 model should be a mistery. Then just focus on the wing. Have a good structural engineer (or a model designer with experience) look over wing internals.
Then test the living F out of it before selling it, unless you are into the Fly Eagle flight test program. 🤷♂️