Want to build 1/48 scale r/c helis. Need help with running gear.

[TedD70]

I would like to build a collection of 1/48 scale r/c model heli's that the US military flew during the Vietnam war. These include the UH-34 and the HH-3E Jolly Green Giant from Sikorsky, and the Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight.



I will be using the fuselages from 1/48 plastic scale model kits to build r/c helis that are not available commercially. I might even carve the fuselages from wood and dust off dust off my old vac-forming stuff to save a little weight.



I thought I could use the running gear from 100 size (I believe they're called) helis from companies like RC ERA and WLToys, but:

1. They are not very reliable. The RC ERA stuff seems to have problems burning up servo motors, can (or coreless) main motors and tail rotor motors fairly quickly.
2. The control boards are over complicated. Gyro assist is great but I just don’t need to fly scale helis upside down, and I’m not sure I want push button take off and landing and altitude hold.
3. I do not want proprietary battery assemblies like RC ERA uses, especially now that I see that these things are falling out of their helis during flight.
4. I need 4 main rotor blades. I would like brushless main motor and coreless (can) tail rotor motors. The manufacturers I named don’t offer much with that combination.
5. I do not want or need blinding speed, but would like enough power for the helis to deal with 2 to 3 mph breezes.

I don’t want to “program” anything. I am 75 years old and do NOT understand any of that stuff and don’t want to learn how.



To sum up, I really would like flybarless, 2.4 GHz bind-n-fly, 6 channel, 6 axis gyro stabilization, 2-S size components and 10 to 15 minute flight times. I also would like to keep it as simple and reliable as possible

I already own a RC ERA C032 Huey, and its 6 channel BNF transmitter. If I could I would like to use that transmitter to save money.

I would like to keep the cost of a commercial r/c heli OR a package of parts that meets the above requirements under 100 dollars.

If you have experience with this sort of thing, I would appreciate the help.

 

[tamuct01]

This is a lot to digest, my friend, so I'll try to go through each portion as methodically as I can. I have experience flying micro-scale (Blade Nano CPX) to 450 size (Trex 450) helis and nearly everything in-between. I'm not an acrobatic flier, but I like to putz around with cool flying stuff.

I would be wary of trying to graft a plastic scale model kit onto a flying helicopter body. The plastic scale models are heavy for what they are and will likely cause issues if you could use them to mold a lightweight "skin," that might work. Most sport helicopter bodies are lightweight fiberglass, PETG, or polycarbonate plastic.

I agree that the "toy copter" variety of helicopters are not very reliable and have proprietary setups. I would recommend a hobby heli frame with good servos, standard receivers, and a heli gyro.

In my projects, I've found that working with small-scale helis are very unforgiving of weight. You will end up chasing a vicious cycle of adding more power, which adds more weight, which needs more power. Larger helis in the 300+ size can carry more weight and are more forgiving and fly easier. Bigger flies better, as they say.

I understand about the "programming" aspect. However, there will be a learning curve on any of this stuff. You may have to learn to set up mixes, etc., on a radio that's capable of doing what you're asking. As for the helicopter you've mentioned you already have, that looks like a proprietary setup that will not bind to other hobby manufacturers' products. If you want an easy, non-programming way into hobby-class helicopters, I recommend Spektrum. There are many resources online and folks at your local club to help.

As you venture out of the "toy helicopter" range and into the hobby space, you'll need to take a look at your $100 budget, because it won't be enough.

That's my advice from nearly 20 years of flying helis, planes, and drones. The toy helicopters are cool, and that's how I got started in the hobby as well, but they are proprietary, hard to get parts for, and not very reliable.

 

[TedD70]

This is a lot to digest, my friend, so I'll try to go through each portion as methodically as I can. I have experience flying micro-scale (Blade Nano CPX) to 450 size (Trex 450) helis and nearly everything in-between. I'm not an acrobatic flier, but I like to putz around with cool flying stuff.

I would be wary of trying to graft a plastic scale model kit onto a flying helicopter body. The plastic scale models are heavy for what they are and will likely cause issues if you could use them to mold a lightweight "skin," that might work. Most sport helicopter bodies are lightweight fiberglass, PETG, or polycarbonate plastic.

I agree that the "toy copter" variety of helicopters are not very reliable and have proprietary setups. I would recommend a hobby heli frame with good servos, standard receivers, and a heli gyro.

In my projects, I've found that working with small-scale helis are very unforgiving of weight. You will end up chasing a vicious cycle of adding more power, which adds more weight, which needs more power. Larger helis in the 300+ size can carry more weight and are more forgiving and fly easier. Bigger flies better, as they say.

I understand about the "programming" aspect. However, there will be a learning curve on any of this stuff. You may have to learn to set up mixes, etc., on a radio that's capable of doing what you're asking. As for the helicopter you've mentioned you already have, that looks like a proprietary setup that will not bind to other hobby manufacturers' products. If you want an easy, non-programming way into hobby-class helicopters, I recommend Spektrum. There are many resources online and folks at your local club to help.

As you venture out of the "toy helicopter" range and into the hobby space, you'll need to take a look at your $100 budget, because it won't be enough.

That's my advice from nearly 20 years of flying helis, planes, and drones. The toy helicopters are cool, and that's how I got started in the hobby as well, but they are proprietary, hard to get parts for, and not very reliable.

"I would be wary of trying to graft a plastic scale model kit onto a flying helicopter body."

Please search on YT for:

1. Hasegawa 1/48 SH-3H Seaking build with RC

2. Rc Era C186 Turned into a UH-34D Seahorse!

I would be happy with the IN-DOOR performance of either heli seen in the above videos. Please note the weight test discussion in the Sea King vid.

Both of these helis used RC ERA running gear, which I would really like to avoid.

Very sorry to give video titles. I tried everything I could think of and couldn't get the You Tube videos to post.


"I would recommend a hobby heli frame with good servos, standard receivers, and a heli gyro."

That is pretty much what I am asking about. Could you suggest where these can be purchased?


I appreciate very much what you have shared. I am going to take all of that into consideration and give it some thought. But I will also press on and try to get more information.

Thank you very much for your kind response!