New Heli

[kenny d]

Is the WLToys v911 just a Blade MSR clone?

i just bought one (V911) for a friend £30 delivered from fleebay , it is actually good value , I had to set it up to fly straight but after that it's going strong & hasn't broke yet

[Peteski]

I'm looking at the likes of the MJX F-45/F-49, WLtoys V912 etc.
What's the best out of those 3 helis or indeed any others that fall into that sort of price bracket?

The problem with all these "toy grade" helis is that they are not really serviceable and all use their own cheap proprietary radios. So while they may actually fly reasonably well and improve your flying skills, in the long run they will not save you any money over buying a "hobby grade" heli. You will have to make that step up at some point anyway if you are going to progress. So it's worth having a think about how committed you are at this point and what you are ultimately trying to achieve. If you are still unsure about the whole hobby, then something like a V911 makes sense as it's a very cheap intro and by all accounts flies very well. But if you are determined to follow the hobby further, then you would be better off biting the bullet now with a much more expensive Blade 230S or maybe the slightly cheaper Blade 200 SRX or even cheaper Blade 120 SR. The first of these would take you all the way up to 3D flying with the support of SAFE technology along the way, while the latter two would only teach you the basics of upright flight. All of them are readily serviceable following a crash or parts just wearing out. If you are on a very tight budget, you could also pick up a used 120 SR for not much more than the new cost of one of the better "toy" helis you mentioned.

[myxiplx]

The WLToys range are generally an exception to that Peteski. The v911 can be picked up for £30-£35 including transmitter, totally ready to fly, and parts are readily available on eBay.

However if I was starting again I'd go straight for Blade, they just fly incredibly well, and use transmitters that are compatible with larger models too.

[Peteski]

The WLToys range are generally an exception to that Peteski. The v911 can be picked up for £30-£35 including transmitter, totally ready to fly, and parts are readily available on eBay.

Yeah very good point, but the point I was trying to make was that if you spent £30 on a V911 now, then you would be still facing the same cost to progress from there a couple of weeks later. At some point along the line you have to decide if you are in it for the longer term and a V911 could well help to make that decision if you are not already sure. But If you are sure, then it's probably better to save up for a model that would take you much further along the progress path. The Blade 230S could possibly work out as the cheapest overall cost to take you from complete novice to a reasonable 3D pilot! The V911 route is going to be much cheaper right now, but ultimately it's not going to take you very far along that path and you'll have to buy another heli anyway to keep progressing. But if you want a heli that you can fly casually around the house at any time, then a V911 could be fun to have anyway!

[myxiplx]

Yup, I agree Pete. A cheap heli along the lines of a v911 is tempting, but won't take you far. With a decent indoor model already it's well worth taking the bigger jump to a quality outdoor model.

[james_2k]

alighn-trex have a 200srx seconds with warranty for a good price ~115

BLADE 200 SR X (shop soiled) BNF BLH2080UK-seconds Model Helicopters

need to buy a tx, but a cheap one will do. and will be usable if you decide on a more advanced heli later. but its more expensive as others have said

[tomatwalden]

alighn-trex have a 200srx seconds with warranty for a good price ~115

BLADE 200 SR X (shop soiled) BNF BLH2080UK-seconds Model Helicopters

need to buy a tx, but a cheap one will do. and will be usable if you decide on a more advanced heli later. but its more expensive as others have said

The 200srx is still fixed pitch though, albeit more advanced than the flybarred heli the op has at the mo. The 230s is the equivalent collective pitch from Blade

[Guest]

I hear and take on board what you guys are saying and i'm sure it makes sense in the long run. The thing is i'm not sure how far i want to get into it at this stage.
I can stretch to £100 at the moment and iv'e short listed 2 helis, the MJX F-49 and the WLtoys V-913.
I know all you experienced flyers will say that i need to up the dosh outlay a bit but if pressed which of those two would you say is the best bet regarding stability/reliability/battery life/ spares availability/fun factor......etc?
Thanks.

[tomatwalden]

I'd suggest this instead.

https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/pro...blade-msr-rtf/

Basically, Blade mSR RTF. Smaller than the two you've listed, but less than £100 and parts availability really good - much better than the two you've listed. Also being smaller, it's ligher, therefore less likely to break in a crash.

[PeteStewardson]

I'd suggest this instead.

https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/pro...blade-msr-rtf/

Basically, Blade mSR RTF. Smaller than the two you've listed, but less than £100 and parts availability really good - much better than the two you've listed. Also being smaller, it's ligher, therefore less likely to break in a crash.

id agree with that. Much better choice.

[myxiplx]

But the mSR is a micro, and he already has one of those. It looks like the OP is looking for a larger 4 channel helicopter, as opposed to moving up to the more expensive CP models.

If I had to suggest a large 4 channel model, it would be the WLToys v913. They're a known brand and have been making helicopters for a long while. However, it's not going to fly any better than the cheaper v911, and the larger size will mean more will break with every crash, and I'm not seeing any obvious place to buy parts from in the UK. There are parts listed on eBay, but you're going to be waiting on shipping from abroad.

I know it's not what you want to hear, but the most fun and economical route in my opinion is still:
- A small heli like the WLToys v911. It's cheap, but if you turn the rates up it can really move, and can be flown indoors or out.
- When you want larger, look at a CP model like the Blade 230S. It's far more capable, designed for beginners, and spare parts are going to be readily available.

The problem with larger models is that they always break more in a crash purely because of their weight, and outside of CP helicopters there just isn't a big market of larger models, which means spare parts are hard to find. Unfortunately when you move up in sizes you really need to be prepared to invest in a good quality model to get one that's going to last you for a while.

A larger model like the v913 doesn't really handle wind any better than smaller models. I'm not going to deny it's fun to have something bigger to fly, I'm just concerned you're going to find it an expensive and/or frustrating option. A v913 you can outgrow in a few months in terms of your flying ability. The 230S will take you years to master, and since it's repairable it will probably last you years too. It's more expensive now, but honestly cheaper in the long run.

[tomatwalden]

But the mSR is a micro, and he already has one of those. It looks like the OP is looking for a larger 4 channel helicopter, as opposed to moving up to the more expensive CP models....

Yes, possibly because he believes bigger = better. The trouble is, that's not true in this case ... as you elude to below ..

A larger model like the v913 doesn't really handle wind any better than smaller models. I'm not going to deny it's fun to have something bigger to fly, I'm just concerned you're going to find it an expensive and/or frustrating option. A v913 you can outgrow in a few months in terms of your flying ability. The 230S will take you years to master, and since it's repairable it will probably last you years too. It's more expensive now, but honestly cheaper in the long run.

And that's the crux of it. A 4-channel fixed pitch heli with a 45-degree flybar for stability is no different if it's an mSR or a V911. Both will fly almost exactly the same, and both with not handle outdoor wind any better than a kite.

Only a flybarless 4-channel like the mSRX or 200SRX will fare better. But the real next step from a 4-channel fixed pitch heli is a 6-channel collective pitch heli. The 230S as you mention is the best obvious choice.

I've always knocked back those in the past that completely ignore those that don't want or have the ability to spend £1000's on this hobby. But I'm afraid that sub-£100 will always be a waste of money beyond very first "toes in the water" steps with this hobby.

To progress beyond those toys, I do think that a budget of £500 (for heli, TX, LIPOs + charger) is a more realistic budget.

[Guest]

"But the mSR is a micro, and he already has one of those. It looks like the OP is looking for a larger 4 channel helicopter, as opposed to moving up to the more expensive CP models".

myxiplx, that's exactly what i'm looking for, i haven't got £500 to chuck on a heli, i just want to get a better one and have fun.
I'm not looking to dance it around the sky on it's tail or cut the lawn with the rotors, it's only a bit of recreation for me.

[james_2k]

200 srx.

Buy this one, everything you need, awesome seller, great heli which is bigger than a micro but far more competent outside than a coax .
bargain, and with everything you need to fly it (even battery and charger!)

MHSH09 | BLADE 200 SRX RTF (EX DEMO) (Second hand)

its fixed pitch so won't cut the grass for you, it has modes to allow you to start basic and move on when you are ready. Awesome!

[myxiplx]

"But the mSR is a micro, and he already has one of those. It looks like the OP is looking for a larger 4 channel helicopter, as opposed to moving up to the more expensive CP models".

myxiplx, that's exactly what i'm looking for, i haven't got £500 to chuck on a heli, i just want to get a better one and have fun.
I'm not looking to dance it around the sky on it's tail or cut the lawn with the rotors, it's only a bit of recreation for me.

Oh I understand completely, I was in exactly the same boat a couple of years ago when I started.

The problem is that there's a big gap between the toy models you can pick up in a shop and the better quality ones. There's literally nothing I'd recommend you buy that's priced between £50 and £200. While the bigger models look impressive, they don't fly any better than the small ones, and a lot of them even fly worse. You'll see 3-4 foot long models in shops selling for £90 as 3.5 or 4 channel, and they're crap, the £35 v911 flies rings around them.

For fun you honestly can't beat the V911 or a small quadcopter, they're both cheap to own, cheap to crash and a blast to fly.

If you feel you want something that offers more than they do in terms of flying capability then it's worth saving up and going for a beginner CP helicopter, and right now the 230S really is the best value for money.