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My SM F-14 Tomcat

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My SM F-14 Tomcat

Old 01-17-2019, 09:21 AM
  #301  
LGM Graphix
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Originally Posted by drorso
Hi guys, great post. I'm considering the FEJ F-14. Any pros and cons? can you link for more videos of the F-14s posted here?
I would do a search on the forums for the FEJ F14. There are a million reasons not to buy one. They are cheaper than the Skymaster but there is an old adage that goes "only the rich can afford to buy cheap". Or "Buy cheap, buy twice".

An F14 is my ultimate jet, one day I hope to have one but until I can afford at least the Skymaster one I won't waste any money on one. I had high hopes for the FEJ F14 when it first came out but the amount of re-engineering and fixes one has to make to an airplane with such a poor track record just to be able to safely fly circuits is ridiculous. Look for Dubd's thread on his F14. There wasn't anything left except a bitter taste on that one.

Having said all of that, it's been years, you don't hear much about FEJ on the forum here anymore but they are still in business. Perhaps they have improved the airplanes but they have long left the customer to be the beta tester for airframes, I'd want to be reading success stories before I put that much money at risk.

Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.
Old 01-17-2019, 09:38 AM
  #302  
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Thank you, i've just started the research, I sure don't want to be a beta tester with such a machine.
Old 01-18-2019, 07:40 AM
  #303  
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Inspiration for your projects...


I wonder how many of you guys on here where around and maybe involved in the program. Such a cool time capsule video!
Old 01-18-2019, 08:30 AM
  #304  
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I was born in the wrong generation!!!!
Old 01-18-2019, 11:12 AM
  #305  
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Originally Posted by FenderBean
I was born in the wrong generation!!!!
LOL! yeah man, I've said that so many times too!
Imagine what could have been had they developed the Tomcat further especially when the program was retired too early. What a machine!
I thought it was interesting when it was stated that the Super Hornet ended up being about the same size as the F-14 but still lacks the speed and range as the F-14.
Old 01-18-2019, 12:25 PM
  #306  
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Originally Posted by Chris Nicastro
LOL! yeah man, I've said that so many times too!
Imagine what could have been had they developed the Tomcat further especially when the program was retired too early. What a machine!
I thought it was interesting when it was stated that the Super Hornet ended up being about the same size as the F-14 but still lacks the speed and range as the F-14.
Politics was the end of the F-14. It had a couple of issues which had been worked out for the "D" model and would have been a much better airplane than the F-18, but politicians who's districts included the manufacturer's of the various components and the airframe, had more horsepower than the guys representing the districts where the Grumman's were built.

Took me a long time to get one and I've still not flown it as it needs it's air system completely replaced, but it's the SM in the Jolly Roger scheme.

Old 01-18-2019, 01:00 PM
  #307  
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Zeeb, nice looking cat, I don’t know if it was a better than F-18, the F-14 was insanely high cost to maintain due to maintenance. That being said it’s definitely a cooler jet and without it just think of all the pilot dreams that started with top gun! lol
I replaced all my air cylinders with ultra precision, I gave the SM stock stuff a try but even after pulling all of them and pressure testing/fixing leaks they still ended up leaking. I have done the same on my SM f-18, their air cylinders minus the landing gear are junk.

Last edited by FenderBean; 01-18-2019 at 01:06 PM.
Old 01-19-2019, 09:33 AM
  #308  
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One more video... I’ve never seen the original Tomcat animation until now, check it out.
Old 01-19-2019, 09:34 AM
  #309  
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Congratulations Zeeb, awesome jet and the same scheme I would like too.
Old 01-19-2019, 08:56 PM
  #310  
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Zeeb, I am almost 100% sure I took that picture of you next to your F-14.

Steven
Old 01-20-2019, 11:13 AM
  #311  
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Originally Posted by Westwindpilot86
Zeeb, I am almost 100% sure I took that picture of you next to your F-14.

Steven
Could have been but I thought it was Andrew.
Old 01-20-2019, 03:18 PM
  #312  
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I had the jolly Rogers scheme... couldn’t bear to build that thing... CARF Sukhoi was sooo much easier to get in and install stuff.
Old 01-21-2019, 09:56 AM
  #313  
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Originally Posted by DrScoles
I had the jolly Rogers scheme... couldn’t bear to build that thing... CARF Sukhoi was sooo much easier to get in and install stuff.
Why do you think I've not tackled replacing the air system on mine yet???? lol....

Tried chasing leaks that was a losing proposition and it's got water in the system besides. Now I'm in the process of moving and won't have a shop at all for awhile, so the TomCat is sitting down at the other house in the shipping box it came in.
Old 01-21-2019, 11:52 AM
  #314  
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If I ever have to tear into mine again and tear out the air system I will just sell it and buy a new one, its soooo much work!
Old 01-24-2019, 03:59 AM
  #315  
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Like some of you I also had a problem with the mains not going up because rotation wasn't smooth. After partially disassembling them and rotating them by hand a while with little improvement, somewhere in the comments here on RCU somebody said to compress the struts... As soon as I tried that, the mechanism became silky smooth, very recommended!
The geometry on this landing gear is not the best and the last bit of movement has basically no stroke left from the piston to work with, so it needs to be as smooth as possible...
Just posting in the hope anybody else with the same problem can see this and spend less time than I did figuring it out!
Thanks to the RCU contributor who originally gave this advice, whoever you are~
Old 01-24-2019, 11:20 AM
  #316  
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I made sure not to put too much pressure since the stroking of the struts will keep it lubricated, I even will grab the rudders and lift the rear up and down when it sits awhile between flights before take off.
Old 01-24-2019, 04:39 PM
  #317  
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Next time I see Likai I m gonna have to ***** at him for that final bit of the actuator stroke, it really sucks...
His F-16 landing gear is SO much better in that regards, just had it in hands yesterday and it's a little jewel with these self locking struts and everything
Old 08-28-2020, 08:02 PM
  #318  
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Hi guys,
I've just completed reading this thread, each and every post, as a preparation for building mine. BTW, i have the VF-84 Jolly Roger schema.

Thanks a lot Wim, Keith, Muzz, Alex for the very helpful info.

Dror.

Last edited by drorso; 08-28-2020 at 09:24 PM.
Old 10-11-2020, 04:10 AM
  #319  
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Default Sequencer ??

Originally Posted by WimB
Muzz,

The canopy comes with a kind-of sequencing valve. I guess if operated by a slowed servo, it should work without an extra sequencer.
The gear is another question. In fact, on the main gear, first the two doors on the wheel need to open, and then the smaller door over the strut. Otherwise, the doors will hit. I have an EVU5 for that, with an extra EVU2..

Wim
Hi Wim ,
Going thru threads now building information for building mine that just arrived.. Just saw this post regarding a sequencer for the canopy ?? Any pics of what you received.. perhaps they changed the Kit from then to now .. i dont see any sequencer concept for my cockpit
Just curious .

Cheers if you have time to respond .

Brgds
Michael
Old 10-11-2020, 09:48 AM
  #320  
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Originally Posted by citation560v
Hi Wim ,
Going thru threads now building information for building mine that just arrived.. Just saw this post regarding a sequencer for the canopy ?? Any pics of what you received.. perhaps they changed the Kit from then to now .. i dont see any sequencer concept for my cockpit
Just curious .

Cheers if you have time to respond .

Brgds
Michael
Hi Michael,

Answering here, since I made a deep research on the issue.

The kit should come with one large air cylinder to operate the canopy up and down, and two small cylinders inside the fuselage at front of the canopy, with locking mechanism. You need to do the sequencing either with your transmitter - connecting the air valves to two separate channels, and define a delay in one of them, or use an additional sequencer, just like with the landing gear and the gear doors.

Mine came without all this mechanism, partially because i asked not to add another pneumatic system. I got it later on, and I will lock the canopy manually. Keep It Simple...

Dror.
Old 10-11-2020, 11:54 AM
  #321  
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If I was building one now, I would dump the air cylinders for canopy & locks and go with an electric actuator.
Old 10-12-2020, 06:32 PM
  #322  
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Has anyone put an after burner lighting system in this using the stock nozzles? I’ve seen it done by a local fellow using the details4scale after market “A” model TF30 nozzles, which look absolutely amazing. But they seem to be out of business. The dimensions on the stock nozzles are a bit awkward when looking at what Unilight has to offer size wise....either the 92mm or 102mm won’t work by my measurements. Any ideas?
Old 10-13-2020, 04:38 PM
  #323  
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The pipes angle at the end so it will block on half of the stock nozzle.
Old 10-14-2020, 05:28 AM
  #324  
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Originally Posted by FenderBean
The pipes angle at the end so it will block on half of the stock nozzle.
Ya good point....

I’m looking at these flexible LED strips that you mount along the inside of the nozzle at the ends

Hyperdyne Labs - RC Products - RC Deluxe RGB Afterburner Kit

Might work and they’re pretty reasonably priced...
Old 11-30-2020, 10:33 PM
  #325  
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Have you figured a solution yet?

JanR

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