The 80mm EDF Rafale from FMS is quite a fun aircraft to fly once you iron the kinks out... ! Watch it have at it, performing fantastic upright and inverted high alpha low over the ground in the peaceful catalan sunset sky!
I'm kinda angry at FMS for their poor engineering design choices on this jet; from servos frying on the workbench before even maidening, to retracts getting stuck, servos and wires installed in a way that makes them really hard to maintain or replace, cramped up battery spaces by design, mixing boards that are a tasteless joke, a canard mechanism that severely limits canard throws, canard securing mechanisms with awful and unnecessarily protruding nipples to house the locking screws, nozzles that aren't even correctly sized for the EDF they installed, and a long list of etceteras... I love flying this jet and it has really good post-stall features but hell, I'd struggle recommending it to anyone for all the trouble it's given me. FMS better up their game! Freewing also deals with a lot of these issues, but FMS just amps them to a whole new level. And no, I'm not sponsored by anyone, lol, in case you were wondering.
I'll have just 3D printed a new (properly sized) set of nozzles replace the stock ones, so I'll be demoing the upgraded version soon, keep tuned!
The Rafale flies similar to other deltas out there but with a few points that make it unique: I.e. it features full span split elevons, giving it more authority for extreme acro moves (if you manage to shift CG back aft enough) and the possibility to play with mixes. It does knife edge better than most jets of this type and also does good upright and inverted high alpha (something the FW Euro struggles with), but is less stable in the air overall compared with the Euro.
Also, I'm not particularly fond of the current livery, but I gotta admit it pops out in the sky and looks great from afar. Will likely end up repainting it grey sooner or later though, but hey, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, or so they say!
This jet had been in my crosshairs for a while now, but the pricetag hold me from pulling the trigger for a while. But about a year ago I got a really good deal on AliExpress and took the chance to snatch one (same as the F-16, A-10 and currently I have a J-10 and a new Gripen heading my way). Still, I had been so busy preparing the CARF Eurosport that I procrastinated this one until recently... then I had two servos fry on the workbench, further delaying the maiden flight, but that's 'mostly' sorted out now ;)
I'm also flying this one on my new Jeti transmitter with a REX12A gyro-integrated receiver and I also have added a MUI200 current sensor, which helps making the most out of each and every flight!
Flight features aside, this jet is truly outstanding as a scale model, with a plethora of scale details and with the possibility of installing a lot of ordnance, including 3 external fuel tanks and 6 missiles! That's also one of the reasons I wanted to get the jet... it looks gorgeous in the air showing off with all the underslung ordnance installed!
These were flights 4th to 6th on 'Yvette', as I ended up naming her. ;)
Pilot: RC4ever
Ground video: Luis Ibáñez
Airfield: Aeròdrom d'Avinyonet
RAFALE SPECS:
Wingspan: 974mm
Length: 1409mm
Flying Weight: 3300g aprox
Ducted Fan: 80mm, 12 blade
Motor: Brushless inrunner 3280 - KV2100
ESC: Predator 100A
UBEC: Freewing 8A
Servos: Replaced the wheel steering servo and one of the main gear door ones, then added an extra servo to control the nose gear door, left everything else stock
- 1x 8g Turnigy 1440
- 8x 12g Stock digital metal gear
Receiver: Jeti REX12A Assist
Current sensor: Jeti MUI200
Main battery: SMC HCL-HVP 6S 4400mAh
Receiver battery: CNHL 2S 650mAh
SETUP:
Full throws everywhere, huge expo (around 70-85%), three different flight modes with slightly different canard offset incidence. Canard pitches mostly down, barely any up deflection as I ran into mechanical adjustment issues due to FMS's stupid design mindset. Mixing board and pilot figure removed. Wires tidied up and battery slammed all the way back. I power the electronics from a separate 2S Li-Po through a 8A UBEC. I use the Jeti Assist gyro on all control surfaces in rate mode. CG is currently roughly about 130-140mm... and that's about it! More info soon... (maybe). ^^
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - 4th Flight
04:00 - 5th Flight
07:25 - 6th Flight (Touch & Go practice)
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