Magazin

A Dream Made of Foam

von Markus Nussbaumer
4

The MiG-29 “Fulcrum” from Freewing, a foam-built EDF jet that leaves almost nothing to be desired.



Testimonial

Assembly

Assembling the model is very simple—you just need to glue the front part of the fuselage to the cockpit; the remaining parts fit perfectly and can be easily screwed together. All servos are already installed. However, one elevator servo isn’t responding; to check it, we removed the servo and found that the plug connection was disconnected (not plugged in). The elevator servos in Version 1 were too weak, which led to numerous crashes. The current version is equipped with two 30-gram servos on the elevators and seems very stable. The electronic landing gear with a landing light on the nose wheel is a real highlight. When extending, the landing gear doors open first; then, after a slight delay, the landing gear legs slowly emerge, with the

main landing gear rotates 45° true to the original. The spring-loaded aluminum landing gear feels sturdy, and the large wheels promise trouble-free grass takeoffs for the MiG-29. Programming is extremely simple; the servos and control linkages still need to be fine-tuned, but otherwise everything is well prepared. We select the control surface travel ranges as specified in the manual. We adjust the elevator exactly as described. There is sufficient space for the two 6S 6300 mAh LiPo batteries. There is enough space, but the space at the front of the fuselage isn’t necessary because the model would then be too top-heavy. Helpful markings are provided beneath the wings to help you position the batteries so that the center of gravity is exactly where it should be.


Flight

At the model airfield, all that’s left to do is screw the wings onto the fuselage. Pop in the batteries, and the MiG-29 is ready to go.

Two 6S 6300 mAh LiPo batteries from Swaytronic are used as the power source. Each weighs about 825 g, resulting in a takeoff weight of 5.9 kg. We’re planning a flight time of 4:30 minutes for the first flight to ensure we have enough power in reserve. We have to carry the MiG to the takeoff point because there’s still water on the taxiway. Thanks to the two 80-mm propellers and the large wheels, the model accelerates well on the grass runway and takes off after an estimated 40 meters. We have to trim the elevator just a little bit for level flight and the ailerons slightly to the right; all other controls are perfectly balanced. The model is now flying smoothly and responds precisely to control inputs. On the very first flight, Rodito tests inverted flight, rolls, loops, and more—all of which go off without a hitch; the model now flies as if on rails. The low, fast flybys (up to 120 km/h) are a delight, but it goes



Batteries in place.



The MiG-29 is perfectly camouflaged.

Even at low speeds. After the planned 4:30 minutes, Rodito guides the MiG-29 to a landing. Despite weighing 5.9 kg, the model can be “run down” sufficiently before touching down.

For subsequent flights, we adjusted the stopwatch to 4:20 min, since the battery capacity showed about 25% after the first flight. If you don’t always fly the jet at full throttle

and occasionally incorporate some slow maneuvers, the flight time can be extended by about 30 seconds with a clear conscience; however, the landing should then work on the first try to avoid ruining the batteries in the long run or risking that the model won’t make it back to the runway. The flight characteristics look very scale-like. However, we’re leaving out the armament to reduce drag. Viewed from a distance, you wouldn’t expect this model to be a “foam” jet.

This can be adopted without hesitation.

Launching from the grass is no problem; you can enjoy the flight because the jet has docile flight characteristics. You can fly the jet fast or slow. The model can perform almost all maneuvers. The MiG’s camouflage paint scheme should not be underestimated; if you’re not careful, you’ll lose sight of the jet. The flight time of approximately 4:30 minutes is sufficient with 6S 6300-mAh batteries. Landing is no problem for experienced pilots.

For 729 francs, you get a scale-accurate MiG-29 made of foam, with a wealth of details. In our view, that’s a fair price.


Technical Specifications


Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 “Fulcrum”
Scale:1:9
Wingspan:1257 mm
Length:1,878 mm
Battery:2x 6S 6300 mAh Swaytronic, 825 g each
Takeoff weight:5.9 kg
Motor:2x brushless inrunner 3658–1920KV
ESC:100A brushless – EC5
Propellers:2x 80 mm – 9-blade
Controls:Motor, rudder, elevator, ailerons, flaps, and landing gear
Price:CHF 729 at www.hebu-shop.ch

The view from the air is one-of-a-kind!

The information in the owner's manual regarding the center of gravity, rudder angles, etc., is completely accurate and can be—



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