CLONE recomendation please

[Md001]

Hi guys,

Needed some information on the clone helis....But before I start I know that clones are cheap and nothing compared to the original machine. a lot of people don't encourage getting clones but there are people who are using them and seem to be happy with it...

as a beginner with limited knowledge about the market... there are 3 machines that various people are using.

1.hobbyking 450 size flybar with belt system- around £50
2.tarot 450 size flybar with TT - £ 90
3.copterx 450 size with belt system £80
however they have many different versions like GT/MT/Black angel/ dark angel and all of them claims to be compatible with trex 450 parts.

I have very limited budget...and the market price of a 2nd hand trex fully kitted is around £150...therefore best option for me atm is to get a cheap clone and upgrade it with good parts like gorilla skids, neon tails, good 3g blades and other strong parts, as I move along. this will also help me save some cash for spares and maybe a flight simulator. I know this hobby is very expensive and £100-£150 budget is not much. but hoping it is possible to learn hovering and basic circuits on a cheap machine.
i also have all the electronics needed except for motor and esc. got hitec mg servos, quark gyro, dx6i, ar6200x rx with sat

So I would like to ask for some recommendation and advice from the members who had experience with clone machine or was in a similar situation.
Would really appreciate if you guys can suggest which kit is flyable, stable and 99% compatible with aftermarket mods and align spares.

hobbyking has a uk warehouse and the giant fish also selling hk450 helis under 60 pounds which looks like a very good deal...but not really sure if all the parts are interchangeable with aftermarket spares as they have so many versions.

hope you guys will be able to point me in the right direction and help me find a suitable machine. Thank you in advance.

regards,
md

[pgkevet]

Do you have a transmitter?
I'd say get the sim and transmitter first. there's no point trying to hover a 450 for real if you can't hover it on a sim or you'll be through your budget before you start.
I don't have an anti-clone gene BUT you will have to disassemble very last nut/bolt/bearing and check inside each component for swarf, poor machining and fit and accept that soem of the screws will be nasty soft things (even on the trex) that you'll be swapping out as you build and find them. You also need a bit of a budget for tools and threadlock and lube and pitch guage etc.

tarot parts are usually pretty good - the gears in particular are way better than real cheapo clone gears but a belt is probbaly more fogiving than a TT when hovering and dumping it on the ground every few seconds UNLESS you stick a much higher undercart on there to protect your tail and use training balls and extend the vertical fin : all to protect those tail blades.

Compatabilty across the range is good.. except you have identified assorted models.. and Algn has had a number of 450s over the times. You'll be looking for a clone of the 450 sport or the 450 pro. the sport had the belt tail but soem clones are available of the pro but with a belt.

The only down side to flybars is the extra head parts to repair. BUT if you can't even hover then an fbl heli bouncing on the ground might decide to destroy itself from ground resonance.

This might be a good start: Tarot 450 Sport kit (no Motor, no ESC) tl20008 [TL20008] -

but factor in shpping and possibly being caught by customs etc....

[kenny d]

I think a belt drive is better for a newbie , it takes way more abuse , but I have no dealings with clones

[Md001]

thanks PGK, i have couple lipos and a dx6i...also practising hovering and landing on the free helisim simulator. really like the blue tarot sport kit...any idea how much would be the custom duty fee ?? or i can get the hk450 and buy tarot parts separately. then again i will have to buy all the screws and bearing that i have little knowledge about..maybe do a research tonite and see what it all adds up to.

md

Do you have a transmitter?
I'd say get the sim and transmitter first. there's no point trying to hover a 450 for real if you can't hover it on a sim or you'll be through your budget before you start.
I don't have an anti-clone gene BUT you will have to disassemble very last nut/bolt/bearing and check inside each component for swarf, poor machining and fit and accept that soem of the screws will be nasty soft things (even on the trex) that you'll be swapping out as you build and find them. You also need a bit of a budget for tools and threadlock and lube and pitch guage etc.

tarot parts are usually pretty good - the gears in particular are way better than real cheapo clone gears but a belt is probbaly more fogiving than a TT when hovering and dumping it on the ground every few seconds UNLESS you stick a much higher undercart on there to protect your tail and use training balls and extend the vertical fin : all to protect those tail blades.

Compatabilty across the range is good.. except you have identified assorted models.. and Algn has had a number of 450s over the times. You'll be looking for a clone of the 450 sport or the 450 pro. the sport had the belt tail but soem clones are available of the pro but with a belt.

The only down side to flybars is the extra head parts to repair. BUT if you can't even hover then an fbl heli bouncing on the ground might decide to destroy itself from ground resonance.

This might be a good start: Tarot 450 Sport kit (no Motor, no ESC) tl20008 [TL20008] -

but factor in shpping and possibly being caught by customs etc....

[Ritchieme]

Tarot all day, the quality is very close and some say the frame is better than aligns own, I can't comment as I don't own an align 450 (i have an align 5 and 600) but really happy with the tarot. As said above, belt will be much more forgiving but you could always put a 500 size tail fin on so your not continually stripping gears

[JoeBailey]

Inport duty if you get nabbed by customs is +4% and then +20%, this is on the total amount including postage. Parcel farce might charge you a tenner on top of that just to be nice.

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[bigpops]

Tarot, without a doubt.

I've had an HK450, I've had a Copter X 450. Neither were that great. The Tarot kit is as good as an Align kit, with the possible exception of the tail pitch slider. Both my Tarot kits were very sloppy, but £5 spent on the equivalent Align part sorted it completely, but this was a while ago.

I've had my two Tarot kits (450 Pro and 450 Sport) for over 2 years and I still fly them and have no complaints.

[MarkG_R1]

I bought a Gootch 450 SE v2 from Heli's from Devon almost 2 years ago and it has evolved into an 80% align flybarless Heli in that time, I'm not sure how many flights I've had with it now but LOTS is a massive understatement and it's been nothing short of excellent and still going strong

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1389315043.281944.jpg

[dieselcarb]

Customs is about 5% but its the £13.50 parcel force put on top thats a real pita. I have a hk 450 pro as u know they are great and I can imagine the tarrots are to as I had a unstamped head wich I had b4 I got hk heli so fitted it as I had already locktighted it very nice head but the ally is soft. I have a 500 tail fin and skids on mine as the hk skids are narrow and training gear is ugly. But traing gear is good for first few hovers

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[Md001]

Just checked, they even do a 450 cobra amazing md

I bought a Gootch 450 SE v2 from Heli's from Devon almost 2 years ago and it has evolved into an 80% align flybarless Heli in that time, I'm not sure how many flights I've had with it now but LOTS is a massive understatement and it's been nothing short of excellent and still going strong

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[Grant85]

Alright,

If you already have your own transmitter then worth a look at the PNF Assault 450 flybarless heli on Hobbyking.
Cheers Grant.


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[barryorbik]

I have built and rebuilt many of the HK450 and Copterx clones but only one Tarot 450 and that was a totally different league and as some have said equal to or even better in some aspects than the Trex 450's. If you are just starting out I would suggest you think about your intended progression in the hobby and start by buying a decent transmitter that will get you through the initial learning stages, so a Spektrum Dx6i, Dx8 or if funds allow Dx9 would be my suggestion and a good sim package like Pheonix etc. When you get reasonably competent on the sim an MCPx would be my suggestion for a first outdoor/ large indoor space helicopter as they bounce well and cost relatively little to repair compared to the 450's.

[SaneAdam]

Plus 1 for Tarrot in the clone department. My mate got a 450 kit that was fantastic all round. Great value for money

[nobbycopter]

I have a HK Clone/Align heli I'm looking to sell. It started off as a Giant Cod HK450 clone and now only the main frame (metal) and skids (which are sooooo flexible neither I or my son have managed to break them) is left. It has a V2 sport head (FB) and 2 belt drive tail in blue as the clone ones exploded/fell apart. It has an Align 750 gyro, Hitec HS56mg servos, a Hobbywing 40A ESC and an Align 450 motor. Tail servo is an align DS420 I think. It has a plain white Align canopy with Hi-Vis decals on for orientation. PM me if you're interested and I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement...

[uiron]

the only good reviews I've seen were on Tarrot.

What you want in your flybarred heli, though, primarily is reliable tail mechanics, tail servo and gyro. As a beginner you'll have quite some work on cyclic anyway, but good tail will make a huge difference. Good flybar setup will ensure enough stability even with mediocre cyclic servos.
I would also recommend belt tail, mainly to have less sources of vibration.