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F-35B VTOL for 90mm EDF — Build Guide

Simple F-35B – 90mm

At a glance

  • Difficulty: Advanced to build and fly
  • Wingspan: 1000 mm (39.4")
  • Length: 1465 mm (57.7")
  • Flying weight: 5300 g (11.7 lb)

Overview

Thank you for purchasing a model by Lofted Aero! 3D printed aircraft are an exciting new segment of the hobby, and we've got no shortage of ideas for new designs. Your support helps us make those reality.

The F-35B represents the pinnacle of aviation technology – a supersonic fighter jet capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) while maintaining a low radar cross section. While this model won't break the sound barrier, it does replicate the F-35B's VTOL capability with impressive stability. This feature was unheard of in EDF jet models until recently, and is sure to wow everybody at the flying field.

F-35B in VTOL hover

This model is designed to be equipped with an autopilot running Ardupilot software for the stability and control necessary for fully functional VTOL flight. In addition, the Lofted Aero 3BSM and its electronics package are required for completion.

Skill meter

Build: This model is straightforward to build, with simple foam and 3D printed parts. However, advanced components such as the 3BSM, flight controller, and Ardupilot software add complexity.

Flight: This model has smooth handling characteristics but is fast and has a moderate wing loading. It is intended for pilots with prior EDF jet experience.

Specifications

Spec Value
Wingspan 1000mm (39.4")
Length 1465mm (57.7")
Wing Area 37.3dm2 (4.01ft2)
Airframe Weight 1470g (3.25lb)
Flying Weight 5300g (11.7lb)
Wing Loading 142g/dm2 (46.6oz/ft2)
Airfoil KFm2 Step

The following hardware & electronics are required to complete the F-35B. In addition, you'll need some adhesives, your R/C transmitter and receiver, and a LiPo battery charger.

Construction materials

Item Details
Foam Sheets 9mm Depron
Lightweight Filament 3DLabPrint PolyLight LW-PLA (<1kg required)
Conventional Filament eSun PLA+ (<1kg required)
Wing and Fuselage Spars 5/8" Wood Square Dowel (x3)
Nose Joiner 3/8" Wood Square Dowel (x1)
Strapping Tape Extreme Shipping Tape

Power system & avionics

Item Details
Motor, EDFs, and ESCs FMS 90mm Special Metal EDF for 8S (x2)
ESCs FMS Predator 120A HV (x2)
Roll Thruster Motors T-Motor F60 Pro IV 2550kV (x2)
Roll Thruster ESCs T-Motor F35A (x2)
Roll Thruster Props Gemfan D76 (x2)
Main Batteries SMC 4S 5200mAh (x2)
Roll Thruster Batteries Tattu 4S 1300mAh
Flight Control Servos Hitec HS-85MG (x4)
Nose Steering Servo Hitec HS-65MG
Main Retracts FMS F4U Main Retract Set
Nose Retract Freewing Mig-21 Nose Retract Assembly
Medium Servo Extensions 30cm Servo Extension
Long Servo Extensions 60cm Servo Extension
Main Motor & Battery Leads 12AWG Silicone Wire
Roll Motor & Battery Leads 18AWG Silicone Wire

Note: Various common hobby components – such as wires, connectors, and glue – may also be required.

Autopilot equipment — Option 1: Cube

This is the standard recommended autopilot equipment. The build guide will detail this configuration.

Item Details
Flight Controller & GPS Combo Cube Orange+ & Here3+ Set
Second Power Module (Optional) Cube Power Brick Mini
Telemetry Radio (Optional, but Recommended) 3DR Telemetry Radio Set

Autopilot equipment — Option 2: Matek

This is a lower-cost autopilot configuration using hardware from Matek. It runs similar firmware and is fully capable of all functions but sacrifices some robustness and redundancy. Some modifications from the build guide will be required to install and configure this option.

Item Details
Flight Controller Matek H743-Wing v3
GPS Receiver Matek M10Q GNSS
Telemetry Radio (Optional, but Recommended) 3DR Telemetry Radio Set

Autopilot equipment — Option 3: Team Black Sheep

This autopilot configuration is comparable to the Matek, but may be easier to source in some markets.

Item Details
Flight Controller TBS Lucid H7 Wing
GPS Receiver TBS M10Q GNSS
Telemetry Radio (Optional, but Recommended) 3DR Telemetry Radio Set

3BSM equipment

3BSM print files are optionally included with this model. Please refer to 3BSM build guide for additional details.

Item Details
Electronics 3BSM Electronics Pack
Hardware 3BSM Hardware Pack
Servo Power Supply Castle 10A BEC
BEC Programmer* Castle Link

*Used for increasing the supply voltage to the 3BSM servos for faster performance if desired.

Hardware

Item Part
Hinge Pins 2.5 x 43 Round Pins (x6 - 1 packs)
Pushrods 1.2mm Pushrods
M3 Threaded Inserts M3 Short Insert (x26, pack contains 100)
Lower Nose Mount Screws M3 x 25mm Cap Screws (x2)
3BSM and Fan Mount Screws M3 x 10mm Cap Screws (x10)
Retract Mount Screws M3 x 6mm Countersunk Screws (x12)
Nose Servo Bracket Mount Screws M3 x 6mm Cap Screws (x2)
Upper Nose Mount Screws #2 x 5/16" Self-Tapping Screws (x2)

Note: A convenient hardware pack containing all inserts and fasteners is available from Lofted Aero HERE.

Printing thin-wall models

Desktop 3D printers are perfectly capable of producing great-flying R/C models durable enough to withstand hangar rash and general use. However, aircraft designs contain a unique mix of thin surfaces and intricate solid supports that require some practice to print perfectly. Keep the following tips in mind when printing your model.

Slicing with OrcaSlicer

The model download includes .3MF project files for OrcaSlicer – a modern, free, and open source slicer with wide support for popular printers and the ability to utilize multiple plates and varying settings within a single project. These project files include print settings tailored to the model as well as filament settings with adjusted temperature and retractions. The provided settings have been tested to suit a wide range of printers – in most cases, no changes should be necessary aside from choosing your printer.

OrcaSlicer project OrcaSlicer presets

The video below provides a guide for opening the .3MF project files in OrcaSlicer and ensuring the included process and filament settings are applied properly.

Tutorial video

Modifiers and per-object settings

OrcaSlicer allows per-object modifications to slicing settings, and this method is frequently used in the provided .3MF files. When making settings changes, be mindful of these per-object settings as well as any height range or other modifiers that have been applied to each part. You can use the "View all object's settings" button to quickly view the modifications for all part files in each project.

View all object's settings

(example screenshot shown – may not represent this model)

Quality filament

Using good quality filament can be the key to successful thin-wall prints. Foaming LW-PLA is the filament of choice for these prints due to its low warp and high interlayer bond strength – but not all LW-PLA is created equally. With poor quality filament, you may notice surface imperfections, underextrusion, or inconsistent foaming. We've had the best results with 3DLabPrint's "PolyLight" LW-PLA and strongly recommend it for printing Lofted Aero models. If it's not available in your region, Colorfabb's LW-PLA is a good substitute. Bambu PLA Aero will produce acceptable results, but weight and surface finish tend to be worse than the 3DLabPrint or Colorfabb materials.

Filament spool

Other printing options

If you'd rather configure and slice the STL files yourself with the software and method of your choice, refer to the table below to configure slicing settings for the different types of parts.

Parts Material Perimeters Infill Tops/Bottoms Print Temp Bed Temp
Nose, Fuselage, Hatch Foaming LW-PLA 1 (Vase) 0% 0 235C 56C
Gear Fairings Foaming LW-PLA 2 6% Gyroid 4/2 235C 56C
Fan Covers Foaming LW-PLA 2 100% 5/2 235C 56C
Lift Fan Duct, Battery Hatch Frame, Battery Hatch Hinges Foaming LW-PLA 2 20% Gyroid 5/2 235C 56C
Stabilator Stiffeners, Lower Stab Stiffeners Foaming LW-PLA 4 20% Gyroid 5/2 235C 56C
Vertical Tail Bases Foaming LW-PLA 1 0% 5/2 235C 56C
Roll Thrusters PLA 3 100%, Supports ON 10/10 210C 60C
3BSM Mounts, Fan Mounts PLA 3 40% Grid 3/3 210C 60C
Battery Holders PLA 3 20% Grid 4/3 210C 60C
GPS Mount, Hatch Latches, Servo Mounts PLA 3 40% Grid 4/3 210C 60C
Control Horns PLA 3 100% 4/3 210C 60C
Main Gear Mounts PLA 3 20% Grid 4/3 210C 60C
Nose Gear Mount, Nose Servo Mount PLA 3 40% Grid 4/3 210C 60C
Wheel Hubs PLA 3 20% Grid 3/2 210C 60C
Main Wheels Foaming TPU 5 15% Gyroid 8/8 240C 25C
Nose Wheel Foaming TPU 4 15% Gyroid 6/6 240C 25C

Reference print weights for each part.

Wing assembly

  1. Cut out both the main wings from 9mm Depron foam.

    Main wings cut from Depron

    Main wing panels

  2. Cut out and bevel the flaperons. Hinge with strapping tape on the top and bottom.

    Flaperons cut and beveled

    Flaperons hinged with strapping tape

  3. Glue the two main wing halves together at the center, using strapping tape to reinforce the seam.

    Wing halves joined at the center

  4. Cut the 5/8" (~16mm) wood square wing spar to 650 mm length and use epoxy to install it into the slot in the wings. Ensure that it's flush with the underside.

    Wing spar installed in its slot

  5. Reinforce the underside of the wing spar with strapping tape.

    Underside of the wing spar taped

  6. Cut out both upper wing doublers from 9mm Depron foam.

    Upper wing doublers cut out

  7. Using the spar for alignment, glue the upper doublers onto the top surface of the wing. Slow curing or laminating epoxy is helpful considering the large contact area. Use weights and a flat working surface to keep the wing flat and warp-free while curing.

    Upper doublers glued to the wing

  8. Reinforce the top of the wing spar with strapping tape.

    Top of the wing spar taped

  9. Bevel the top and bottom faces of the wing leading edges. Wrap strapping tape around them.

    Wing leading edges beveled and taped

  10. Glue the 5/8" (~16mm) square fuselage spars to the underside of the wing, flush with the inside edges of the cutout for the 3BSM. The spars should be 925 mm in length and even with the aft edge as shown.

    Fuselage spars glued to the wing underside

  11. Glue the lower stab stiffeners onto the aft edge of the wing and fuselage spars. You'll need to drill holes for the hinge point pockets to fit into the foam.

    Lower stab stiffeners glued on

  12. Glue the front and rear sections of the gear fairings together. Then, glue the gear mount parts into the fairings. There should be an inboard mount (marked "I") and an outboard mount (marked "O") for each fairing. The pockets in the mounts should be oriented towards the opening.

    Gear fairing sections joined

    Gear mounts installed in the fairings

  13. Glue the gear mount assemblies to the underside of the wings, aligning the front surface with the leading edge and using the tabs on the gear mounts to interface with the spar.

    Gear mount assemblies glued to the wing

  14. Install M3 threaded inserts in the gear mounts.

    Threaded inserts in the gear mounts

Lower fuselage assembly

  1. Cut out the lower fuselage components, using light spray adhesive to adhere the templates. Leave them attached.

    Lower fuselage components cut out

  2. Bevel the outside edges of the center panel. The lines are dashed, indicating that the bevel should be on the opposite side of the paper template.

    Beveling the center panel edges

  3. Place a strip of tape along these lines but on the opposite side from the template. Remove the area spanning the opening.

    Tape applied opposite the template lines Opening area removed

  4. Cut a small bevel along the lines shown on the template side. Be careful not to cut through the tape on the opposite side. This will allow for a bend in the aft lower fuselage.

    Small bevel cut on the template side

  5. Bevel the perimeter of the side panels. Where the lines are solid, the bevel should be on the same side as the paper template. Where the lines are dashed, the bevel should be on the underside.

    Beveling the side panel perimeter

    Side panel bevels, opposite side

  6. There are three additional bevel cuts on the paper side of the part. Apply strips of tape on the reverse of these locations.

    Three additional bevel cut locations

    Tape applied on the reverse

  7. On the backside, fill in the triangular section in the middle with tape.

    Triangular section filled with tape

  8. On the template side, cut the three bevels backed by the tape hinges. Be careful not to cut the tape itself.

    Cutting the three bevels backed by tape

  9. Cut the two vertical lines inside the triangular section. Again, don't cut the tape on the backside.

    Cutting the two vertical lines

  10. Remove the paper templates from the panels. You can remove the template from the center panel too.

    Templates removed from the panels

  11. Carefully fold the side panels into the shape shown.

    Folding the side panels

    Side panels folded to shape

  12. Glue the side panels to the edges of the center panel.

    Side panels glued to the center panel

  13. Glue the complete lower fuselage assembly to the underside of the main wing. Align the edges with the wing at the intake area and along the inboard edge of the flaperons. Press the side walls against the landing gear fairings, using glue to secure.

    Lower fuselage glued to the wing underside

  14. Use strapping tape to reinforce the corners of the lower fuselage and the edges of the intake area.

    Corners and intake edges reinforced

  15. Cut out and install the small spacer wedges at the rear.

    Spacer wedges installed at the rear

    Spacer wedges in place

Upper fuselage assembly

  1. Make small notches in the areas shown to allow the three upper fuselage sections to interlock.

    Notches for the upper fuselage sections

  2. Use medium CA to join the upper fuselage sections together.

    Upper fuselage sections joined

  3. Use a sharp hobby knife to carefully cut away the hatch opening.

    Hatch opening cut away

  4. Insert a pen spring and the hatch latch into the forward hatch section. Then, glue the two sections of the hatch together. Ensure that the hatch latch can slide freely.

    Hatch latch and spring inserted

    Hatch sections glued together

  5. Glue the upper fan doubler to the forward section of the upper fuselage.

    Upper fan doubler glued on

  6. Glue the completed upper fuselage onto the top of the wing. The aft edge of the upper fuselage should align with the front edge of the wing spar.

    Upper fuselage glued onto the wing

  7. Cut two 65 mm lengths of 3/8" (~10mm) wood square dowel. Use CA to glue them into their slots in the upper fuselage.

    Wood square dowels glued into the upper fuselage

  8. Install two threaded inserts in each lift fan mount.

    Threaded inserts in the lift fan mount

  9. Slide the lift fan mounts over the wood square dowels in the fuselage. Optionally, glue with CA.

    Lift fan mounts slid onto the dowels

Nose assembly

  1. Glue the three nose sections together as shown.

    Three nose sections glued together

  2. Glue the upper fan doubler to the aft section of the nose assembly.

    Upper fan doubler on the nose

  3. Install eight threaded inserts in the nose gear mount.

    Nose gear mount inserts Nose gear mount inserts installed

  4. Use two M3 x 6mm screws to attach the nose steering servo mount to the nose gear mount as shown.

    Nose steering servo mount attached

  5. Slide the nose gear mount over the larger wood square dowels. Drill holes through the dowel to match the threaded insert locations in the mount.

    Nose gear mount on the square dowels

  6. Slide the assembled nose section over the nose gear mount and small square dowels. Ensure that it properly overlaps the forward alignment lip of the upper fuselage.

    Nose section slid into place

  7. Secure the nose to the airframe with two M3 x 25mm machine screws and two #2 x 5/16" self-tapping screws.

    Nose secured to the airframe

Aft fuselage assembly

  1. Use epoxy or CA to glue the 3BSM mounts and aft brace onto the fuselage spars.

    3BSM mounts and aft brace glued on

  2. Install six M3 threaded inserts into the front and rear 3BSM mounts.

    Threaded inserts in the 3BSM mounts

Battery hatch assembly

  1. Slide the battery hatch latch into the holder along with a pen spring.

    Battery hatch latch and spring

  2. Glue the small round latch tab into place, securing the assembly.

    Latch tab glued in

  3. Glue the completed hatch latch assembly into the foam battery hatch panel.

    Hatch latch glued into the panel

  4. Glue the battery hatch frame into the cutout in the underside of the fuselage.

    Battery hatch frame glued in

  5. Use a metal rod to join the three battery hatch hinges together with the hatch frame, forming the hinge.

    Hatch hinges joined with a metal rod

  6. Glue the battery hatch panel to the three hinge points, ensuring that it can move and latch freely.

    Battery hatch panel glued to the hinges

Control surfaces and tail assembly

  1. Cut notches for the flaperon control horns, then glue them onto the flaperon surfaces.

    Flaperon control horns glued on

  2. Glue the printed leading edge components onto the stabilators.

    Printed leading edges on the stabilators

  3. Cut a notch for the control horns, then glue them to the stabilators. Apply glue to both the plastic leading edge and the foam surface.

    Stabilator control horns glued on

  4. Insert three plastic pin hinges into each stabilator leading edge. Use a drill to clear the holes if necessary. Ensure that the hinge axes are aligned, then secure with epoxy.

    Pin hinges in the stabilator leading edge

  5. Glue the hinge points into the plastic stiffeners on the aft edge of the wing assembly. Again, use a drill to clear the holes if necessary. Exercise the hinge while the glue sets to ensure that the hinge points stay free and aligned.

    Hinge points glued into the wing stiffeners

  6. Glue the vertical stabilizer bases onto the top wing surface. Ensure that they are straight and parallel.

    Vertical stabilizer bases glued on

  7. Wrap strapping tape around the leading edges of the vertical stabilizers.

    Vertical stabilizer leading edges taped

  8. Fit the vertical stabilizers into their mounts. If you plan to paint the model, it might be a good idea to dry fit them for now glue them on afterwards.

    Vertical stabilizers fitted to their mounts

Finishing touches

  1. Glue the roll thruster housings into their cutouts from the underside of each wing.

    Roll thruster housings glued into the wings

With the airframe complete, it's a great time to paint your model if desired.

Completed airframe ready for paint

Power system installation

  1. Follow the 3BSM documentation and video guide series to assemble the 3BSM.

  2. Use six M3 x 10mm socket head screws to mount the completed 3BSM and the fan onto its mounts.

    3BSM and fan mounted

  3. Use some of the screws included with the roll motors to mount them to the roll thruster housings.

    Roll motors mounted in the housings

  4. Extend the roll motor wiring as necessary and secure it to the underside of the wings with tape.

    Roll motor wiring extended and secured

  5. Slide the lift fan exhaust duct onto the aft edge of the lift fan. The "shelf" on the bottom of the duct should face aft.

    Lift fan exhaust duct fitted

  6. Remove the nose and nose gear mount. Attach the lift fan to its mounts with four M3 x 10mm socket head screws. Also use two self-tapping screws to secure the lift fan exhaust duct to the lift fan mounts.

    Lift fan and exhaust duct installed

Landing gear installation

  1. Install the wheel hubs into the tires by gluing the hub halves together. Files to print the tire and wheel hubs for the nose wheel are also provided, though you can use the stock wheel if you'd like.

    Wheel hubs glued into the tires

  2. Replace the large main wheels included with the retracts with the completed smaller main wheels. Use washers if necessary to provide spacing between the wheel hub and strut. You may need to use a rotary tool with a cutoff wheel to shorten the stock axle.

    Smaller main wheels installed on the retracts

  3. Install the nose retract with four M3 x 6mm countersunk screws. Screw the nose steering servo into its mount with the mounting screws supplied with the servo and connect it to the nose gear with a linkage and clevis. Re-install the nose once complete.

    Nose retract and steering servo installed

  4. Assemble the main retracts, struts, and wheels. Install with four M3 x 6mm countersunk screws each.

    Main retracts assembled and installed

Servo installation

  1. Screw all servos to their servo mount plates. Install the stabilator servos in the location shown by gluing the mount plates to the foam. Ensure that the control linkage is perpendicular to the hinge axis. Run servo extensions as necessary to reach the avionics bay.

    Stabilator servos installed

  2. Cut slots for the flaperon servos behind the landing gear mount fairings and install them as shown. Run servo extensions as necessary to reach the avionics bay.

    Flaperon servos installed

Avionics layout — Cube

This diagram details the avionics layout using the Cube autopilot and Here2/Here3 GNSS. This scheme can be replicated with numerous ArduPilot-compatible hardware options as well.

F-35B avionics wiring diagram – Cube

Ports and functions — Cube

The recommended configuration uses the ports and connection scheme detailed below. If you wish to change sensors or output assignments, refer to the ArduPilot wiki to ensure that parameters are updated accordingly.

Servos and motors

Device Autopilot Port
Lift Fan ESC MAIN 1 (SERVO1)
Main Fan ESC MAIN 2 (SERVO2)
Right Flaperon Servo MAIN 3 (SERVO3)
Left Flaperon Servo MAIN 4 (SERVO4)
Right Stabilator Servo MAIN 5 (SERVO5)
Left Stabilator Servo MAIN 6 (SERVO6)
3BSM Controller Yaw MAIN 7 (SERVO7)
3BSM Controller Tilt MAIN 8 (SERVO8)
Right Roll ESC AUX 1 (SERVO9)
Left Roll ESC AUX 2 (SERVO10)
Nose Steering Servo AUX 5 (SERVO13)
Electric Retracts AUX 6 (SERVO14)

Sensors and peripherals

Device Autopilot Port
R/C Receiver RCIN (if using PPM or S.BUS), SPKT (if using DSM)
GPS/GNSS CAN1 (if using CAN), GPS1 (if using Serial + I2C)
Telemetry Radio TELEM1 (SERIAL1)

Power

Device Input Output
Power Module 1 8S from main batteries 5.35V to Cube POWER1 port
Power Module 2 (Optional) 4S from roll battery 5.35V to Cube POWER2 port
CC BEC 4S from Power Module 2 (roll battery) 6V – 8.4V to 3BSM control board
Main ESC built-in BEC 8S from main batteries 5V to Cube servo rail

Note

Only one of ESC should have its red 5V BEC lead connected to the Cube's servo rail at a time.

Avionics layout — Matek H743-Wing or TBS Lucid H7 Wing

This diagram details the avionics layout using the Matek H743-Wing and Matek GNSS. This wiring scheme is the same for the TBS Lucid H7 Wing option as well.

F-35B avionics wiring diagram – Matek / TBS

Ports and functions — Matek H743-Wing or TBS Lucid H7 Wing

The recommended configuration uses the ports and connection scheme detailed below. If you wish to change sensors or output assignments, refer to the ArduPilot wiki to ensure that parameters are updated accordingly. The firmware flashing process is different – here's a useful video guide: Installing ArduPilot on an H743 Flight Controller.

Servos and motors

Device Autopilot Port
Lift Fan ESC S1 (SERVO1)
Main Fan ESC S2 (SERVO2)
Right Flaperon Servo S3 (SERVO3)
Left Flaperon Servo S4 (SERVO4)
Right Stabilator Servo S5 (SERVO5)
Left Stabilator Servo S6 (SERVO6)
3BSM Controller Yaw S7 (SERVO7)
3BSM Controller Tilt S8 (SERVO8)
Electric Retracts S9 (SERVO9)
Nose Steering Servo S10 (SERVO10)
Right Roll ESC S11 (SERVO11)
Left Roll ESC S12 (SERVO12)

Sensors and peripherals

Device Autopilot Port
R/C Receiver RX6 (if using PPM or S.BUS), TX6 (if using SRXL/DSM)
GPS/GNSS CAN1 (if using CAN), TX2 RX2 DA1 CL1 (if using Serial + I2C)
Telemetry Radio RX7 TX7 RTS7 CTS7

Power

Device Input Output
BAT 8-36V Pads on H743 8S from main batteries None
CC BEC 4S from roll battery 6V – 8.4V to 3BSM control board

Note

  • Do not connect ESC BEC (red wire) to the flight controller, since it has a built-in regulator to power servos.
  • Power ESCs direct from battery, not from BAT/ESC pads. The current draw will be too high for the H743.

Avionics installation

  1. Secure the various leads from the 3BSM servos and control board with cable ties. Ensure that there is enough to allow for the entire range of motion of the 3BSM.

    3BSM leads secured with cable ties

  2. Cut a hole for the lift fan wires to pass through the back of the lift fan exhaust duct.

    Hole cut for the lift fan wires

  3. A convenient place to secure the ESCs is to the inside of the lower fuselage, fixed to the fuselage spars with cable ties.

    ESCs secured inside the lower fuselage

    ESCs cable-tied to the fuselage spars

  4. Inside the battery bay area, wire the main power leads to accept two 4S packs in series for an 8S configuration. The roll motor ESCs should be connected to a separate connector for their own 4S battery. In the setup pictured, the two ProfiCNC power modules are used to supply power to the Cube. One power module receives the 4S roll battery and connects to the roll ESCs to measure both voltage and current. The second power module is connected only to the input voltage of the 8S batteries and measures voltage only, as the main fans draw too much current for the module. Also shown are the battery mount plates and straps. These should be glued to both the foam and the fuselage spars, though it might be a good idea to wait to do so until the CG and battery placement is determined.

    Battery bay wiring and mount plates

  5. Mount the flight controller, R/C receiver, and GPS module in the avionics bay. You may wish to load firmware and calibrate before mounting. The GPS should have as clear upward visibility as possible.

    Flight controller, receiver, and GPS mounted

  6. If using a telemetry radio, it can be mounted in the avionics bay as well. It's a good idea to mount it as far from the R/C receiver and GPS as possible.

    Telemetry radio mounted

Setup & finishing

Refer to the flight controller setup video to load firmware, perform calibrations, and configure ArduPilot for flight.

As mentioned in the video guide, adjust control deflections using the suggested throws below. It is VERY important that throws match these suggestions, as the default stabilization gains will be incorrect otherwise. Dual rates and trim should not be used, as this can interfere with the flight controller's functions in assisted modes. Regardless, consider using 25% - 50% expo for a smooth control response.

Match these throws exactly

Control Travel
Aileron (measured at root) 20 mm up / 20 mm down
Flap (measured at root) 10 mm mid / 20 mm full
Stabilator (measured at forward-most tip vs. fuselage) 35 mm up / 35 mm down

The recommended CG is located at the mark shown, about 12mm forward of the seam in the landing gear fairings. Ensure that the model balances at this location with the battery, electronics, and all hatches installed. The landing gear should be extended during balancing.

Recommended CG location

Please consider also operating the model in RealFlight, as described in the following video. This simulator runs real ArduPilot firmware and interacts with Mission Planner just like the real model would. Mastering the simulator model is a great way to prepare for the first flights.

Apply graphics if desired. You're ready to fly!

Finished F-35B

F-35B ready to fly

Contact us

Have a question, issue, or just a cool idea for the next aircraft we should model? Drop us an email at: info@loftedaero.com