I need the instruction manual and drawings for the F104.
Iv had a half built kit lying around for years and its now being completed and i cant find my instruction manual,is there a build thread anywhere on RCU?
What gear are you that have one using besides the scale gear from avons?I got a set of spring airs but not keen on the wire oleos.

Your help will be appreciated

Greg</p>

Greg, mine has Robart oleos, but they were a special type made by Robart just for the Avonds F-104, the axle block is welded on at an angle to allow for the fact the legs are not vertical. Robart stopped making them about 2 or 3 years ago but there may be some unused sets lying around, perhaps worth a "wanted" ad or contact robart in case they have an unsold pair.
Harry

Hi Harry, mine almost went in today. Landing gear refused to retract once again...I flew her gear down until got bored...full power and a half inverted cuban...into downwind...I pull up like mad with full power...ground proximity warning...and I miss the terra firma by maybe a meter!!!! Not fun really at all but I'm getting a bit tired as the model just acts really noseweighted even though it is not. Also to retract I need 10 Bar pressure that my tired compressor will not deliver.
I guess lead to the tail and a new compressor... or I sell the red beast to someone who has more time to tweak it.

TP.

That's a pity Tuomas (hope I got that spelled right!). Mine has simple spring airs lifting the robart oleo and large intairco wheels with brakes, forward into the wind, and it has never had a single problem, I use 100psi which is about 7 bar. Mine balances exactly where I once read on a thread on rcu, elevator response is ok but the F-104 is always going to have large radius in pitching/turning, it does need height especially as the speed rises rapidly on the downward leg.
Harry

Thanks for the input guys.could you possably send me photos?how does the the elevator mechanisim work?
what servos you using?
I could use all the help i can get.

Thanks Greg

I use the Robart legs that were made for the Skymaster Gripen. Almost the same as yours. Also, I use the Robart 530 retract series, that are sold by Philip for the F-104. I have complete succes with that setup.

Greg: Keep the model as light as ever possible. Mine weighs 9,6 kg on stock setup with 1,9 litres of A1 for the Simjet 1200 engine. More that enough for scale flight and also for some "non scale manouvers" . The only modification I made are the removable wings.

more pics.

HereĀ“s some inflight video from Yesterday...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Zu4-s2bpHU

and here she is...


TP.

Greg, just stumbled across this thread....did you find the information you were looking for? Let me know, I have a NIB kit waiting for some attention. I picked up the robart retracts and struts new from Aeroloft a year or so ago. Not inexepensive, but seeing as Robart discontinued them I'm not sure of any other source for them.

Stig, can you share some additional details on what you did to make the wings removable? Seems like a practical modification.

Robart gear dwgs...

http://www.rcscalebuilder.com/forum/...W=Avonds+F-104

Regards

mberme, Wim did a wonderful job explaining his build. He is very knowledgeable on the subject as I believe he designed the original for Philip. Note that he too attached the wings permanently, what I was looking for was details on Stig's modification to make them removable.

Sorry for not checking in earlier, Sean. Just saw you PM today. Lots of building pictures on our danish forum.

First part is on the general danish forum. Link http://www.modelflyvning.dk/forum/sh...t=33511&page=6 . Building pics start on page 6

Second part is on our jetforum. Link http://www.jetdanmark.dk/e107_plugin...wtopic.php?682

Stig,
Thanks for sharing your build pics! It all helps to visulize certain areas. Where did you aquire the aluminum blade wing joiner and socket (your picture attached below)? Looks a lot like the kind that Yellow Aircraft offer.
Also, did you add a rudder to yours? If not, do you wish you had? If you did, any pics of that? I bought the items to do this from Philip when I ordered the kit.

Sean.
The wing joiners are also from Philip Avonds. No rudder needed. Even a moderate cross wind is no problem. Just remember to not pull up elevator when rolling, before you have enough speed for take off, and also to let go of the elevator after touch down.

I did make rudder on my first F-104 that I built and sold 7 years ago. Never used it. (Sorry no pics)

Stig,
Thanks again for the lead. I ordered the blades from Philip this morning without any problems. Just over 30 euros inc shipping if anyone is interested.
Can you post a couple close up shots of the wing root and of the same location on the fuse? Did you tweak the location of former F6 or just open up the slot in the wing to accomodate the new joiner location? I'm also interested in how you keyed the flap actuation (I assume you left the flap servos in the fuse)?

I like the upgrade, thanks again.

Tom Perry ( tp777fo) is the man to talk to. Him and Mike Youngling built those kits and had great sucess. I don't know Mike's RCU name but they will look at this thread I'm sure. Both of them had the 10'fo's with the 'fo bolt mains !!!!!


Danno

With the detachable wings, how do you drive the flaps? I have an original model with permanently attached wings, the flap servos are in the fuselage and the flaps are driven by torque rods coming in from the wings. Do the modern wing kits have cut outs for flap servos to make it easy to use detachable wings, or do they still use torque rods and you have to connect them after plugging on the wings?

Harry

Here are some pics of the wing root and the fuselage. The flap sevo is installed on the inside of the fuselage, with the servo arm protruding through the fuselage. So, when pushing the wing to the fuselage, I mount the pushrod to the servo every time. I have made horns on the flaps from 2,5 mm fibregalss board. I hope the pictures explain the method. ;-)

Stig,
Thanks for kindly posting a couple pics. Your method is easily understood and very simple. Any other suggestions or recomendations for this model? ie. if you built another is there anything you would do differently? Anything you changed that you would do again?
Thanks for sharing your experience with this kit.

Hey Sean.
Glad to be of help.
After flying my F-104 in windy conditions, I have made a few less-than-perfect landings and broken the landing gear mounting plates. It is hard to replace this mounting plate when the model is finished, due to the limited amount of space. So I would reinforce the mounting plates for the main gear, if I were to build another F-104. Other thath that, it is just a great flying model and I'm having a lot of fun with it. At jetmeets I especially like the comments from people, who have never seen a F-104 fly before. I flies a lot better that you should think. Good luck.

Hi You all,

mine went deadstick last summer, and I was forced to land it with limited space and downwind. It hit a fence and the elevator broke off. Also one main leg broke. Really donĀ“t want to throw it away, but just now I canĀ“t say thereĀ“s much willpower to fix it as IĀ“ve spent so much time to do that already. But, may one day IĀ“ll do that and take off everything not absolutely needed.
Right now the MiG-15 is the priority.

Tuomas

some of you have plans to work Avonds F-104?
thanks

I have the plans...just next door to You. Also a little broken F-104...
TP.

Hi Stobe 777 you still have the plans? because i need to see how make to the frames to fuselage.
please let me know......thanks again.