Freewing MIG 15

Doesn't sound as though a large pan of boiling water is going to help at all. The fan biz is frustrating, HK almost do a kit for the EDF but they don't have a suitable motor. I did manage to buy the last 64mm unit from a seller in Jersey. I pulled my busted EDF apart, bladeless rotor and case in three bits. Fortunately, whatever was jamming the motor has gone and it spins nicely. All I need is the fan unit from HK HK to finish the rebuild. Funny thing, the MIG seems to have a better write up than the F86 Sabre, the FMS MIG looks good, but at about 40% more than the Freewing version, and its only half the size, might be too easy to lose in the weeds, and its only Spektrum compatible.I wonder if the unavailability of 64mm EDF units is due to suppliers under stocking, or fliers busting too many?

Strangely enough Brian I have two, yes two spare EDF motors for 64mm fans.

The problem I've found is getting a complete set of parts. for a 64mm EDF. A five blade EDF needs a 4500kV motor, a 40 Amp ESC and a 3S battery. The alternative seems to be a 64mm twelve blade EDF which needs a 3900kV motor, a 50Amp ESC and a 4S battery. I've done a lot of Internet trawling over the last couple of days, and so far, I haven't been able to source a complete set of bits. So I must wait for the postman to bring the goodies from Jersey, Hong Kong or Motion RC in Holland.

This morning, a large cardboard box was delivered. It contained vast quantities of packaging, which looks vaguely like insulation material for a conservatory roof. Fortunately, buried in the assorted "inflated plastic tubular packaging" There was, delicately wrapped in its own translucent polythene bag, a complete replacement fuselage for the MIG. At the moment I'm waiting for a new fan unit, with luck I'll be able to fit the original motor, which I thought had seized, but it was in fact, prevented from turning by a small bead of EPO foam with glue on it. I managed to resist the temptation to get a Sabre from ProBuild, when I saw how small it was, I figured I wouldn't be able to see if at a distance of fifteen feet (or the Metric equivalent)so it was a non-starter.

Yesterday was too good to be true. Shortly after I'd unpacked and checked the goodies from Motion RC, A nice lady from Hermes brought me a small cube shaped parcel. Amazing, it was the 64mm EDF from Jersey, ordered a day after I placed my order with HK. However my delight was short lived. I opened the parcel on the bench, fan assembled with motor....good.....packet of connectors and insulating sleeves.......good. Three connectors for the ESC, six pieces of sleeving and...........only two bullet connectors for the motor leads. The day was saved when I found just one suitable connector in a box of "stuff" that I had been keeping for no particular reason. Funny how a box of "stuff" can be so useful sometimes. I fear its an age thing.

Finally got the new EDF to fit into the MIG's fuselage. The front ring looks as though its a shade bigger than the Freewing housing it replaces. Did the binding routine on the Spektrum Rx, just to be sure. All plugged in and ready to go. Controls all OK except for a bit of down elevator, I expect that's something to do with the re-arranged geometry of the fuselage caused by its abrupt arrivalon the runway. The first motor run made dust blow out of the air intake. Quick swap of two motor leads and all is sounding good..Funny thing, although the MIG hit the ground quite hard, it wasn't hard enough to shift the CG.
Hopefully the next post will be about a successful second "first flight".

Glad to hear you verified the fan direction without placing a servo lead into it......:whistle:

Brian thinks "Funny how a box of "stuff" can be so useful sometimes. I fear its an age thing”
Not at all Brian, nothing to do with age, just a sensibly frugal attitude. I’ve got quite a few of those containers, I call them my Valuable Junk Boxes.

Not Valuable Junk Boxes. A Gold mine

Junk box to Gold Mine....must be good. Late yesterday afternoon I was outside my shed/workshop. I had the MIG in my left hand and i was trying to get the "feel" of launching it underhand. Something that Tim performed effortlessly for my first flight.
After a few minutes of bobbing, swaying and generally not getting very far, I was surprised to hear my next door neighbours clapping. Then they leaned over the fence, each one of them was holding a white card with numbers on :- They were 2.8. 2.3,2.6 and 1.1. In the first place I don't think they realised what I was trying to do, and when I told them they fell about laughing.
I went indoors for a good sulk, had a look at the state of my HobbyKing order. BAH! The "UK Stock" for my LiPos has been changed to "HK" Unfortunately, I've found that alternative sources of LiPos charge a lot more than HobbyKing. Seems that "Operation Ripoff" is gathering momentum.