Trex450hde vs blade400

[Metoleous]

So, I've been hovering my trex for a while now, getting 2 hours of flight time a day(retirement is great). So feeling a bit froggy, I decided to crank up my blade 400 and give her a go...HOLY CRAP!! even with the expo's dialed up and all the newbie settings, I couldn't keep her up for more than about 30-45 seconds(let alone a decent hover) followed by an aggresive landing. It was like I was starting from scratch...the only thing I can think of is that the Trex is mCCPM and the Blade is eCCPM. for me, the Trex is a lot easier to hover probably because of slop induced by not having the servos connected directly to the swash...but geez it was a scary difference. so the Blade is getting shelved till I get alot more proficient...
take care

[jboweruk]

Just to make you feel worse (wicked laugh) I learnt on the Blade, and I love her to bits.

That said hats off to you as I can't fly the Rex on Phoenix, it's too twitchy. Guess it's what your used to.

[Metoleous]

Oh I agree, I originally started with the Blade, and could get her into a hover, after a really bad crash, I started using the Trex(I was waiting on parts), and now I'm use to it. I thought I could just pick up the Blade again and just start back from where I left off....ummm not so much. I'm back at square one. I think my first assumption was right, in that learn one before moving on to the next heli.

[king2]

Blade 400 or ????????

Help

I currently fly an esky honeybee king 2 and can hover with great success, however I am finding it a bit inaccurate.

It is soon to be my birthday and have been promised a new machine my budget is £250- £300
With this in mind I am seriously considering a Blade 400 as it is a complete deal with a 2.4ghz dx6i transmitter (which I could take to the next model after!)
My local modelshop doesnt recommend I go this route but I can see no better alternative to this.
Any ideas would help

are the servos an issue on the blade???

[Made2Fade]

Boggy... ron where are you???? This is your department lol
My opinion is ya cant go wrong as you already said its got the DX6i which you can use with your next heli. These are great little helis apparently. I have heard the servos are an issue though. Hey you could change them with the change you get from the £300 though. Can i ask... what did your LHS recommend instead then?
Cheers
Lee

[cambs flyer]

Great advise all round, and I doubt your LHS will mislead you, however there most be some very worried dealer ships and rightly too, a chap wanting to to put bread on he's family's supper table and worrying like mad will they'll go under or not is a terrible state of affairs, as unfortunately any type of RC is expensive to a point, but when people are loosing there homes by the hundred each day, peoples homes/properties is the single most priority any husband & wife need to think of.

But I do fear a few well known and trusted LHS's won't be here this time next March, which is tragic and so the chain tears apart.

My advice too you would be buy the Blade 400 RTF system, Phoenix & as many F/Shafts, M/Shafts, loads of cheap blades, a few booms and a boat load of enthusiasm

Why the Blade 400? because it's cheap, but doesn't suffer from it, you'll have the trusty DX6i and if you find funds after the purchase become tight, you haven't spent more ££££ on a 450 where it could be used to pay for a bill or something.

The fun factor is the most important thing regardless of machine, and in our current climate Prudence is the name of the game.

Ron & Andrew are amoungst many who know this machine inside out.

[Metoleous]

After the last repair on the T450 spun her up a few RPM and found the main shaft was bent slightly. So I ordered up some new main shafts. I said screw it and have been hovering the B400 with my home made training gear since. finally able to hover her again. Well today it it was raining in the morning and the big foamy balls on the training gear got soaked. later on when the rain had turned to snow and I went back out for session 2, The foamies froze to the snow. So I had to take off the balls which really lightened up the heli's power to weight ratio. Now she flies like the one on G3.5, really frisky. even did a few piroettes. I went through 4 more batteries. Still a bit scarry, but I'm getting used to the agility of the B400, and haven't crashed. knock on wood. Anyway, what the guys are saying about the Blade is true. It's a great little machine. I don't think the DX6I was designed to be used in freezing temps. the little nubbies on the trim switches have all broken internally, but are easily beefed up with a little two part epoxy. Don't get me wrong, I think the DX6 is excellent, I don't think the designers had anticipated a nutcase like me putting it through this kind of abuse!! When you have to scrape frozen snow off your Xmitter, it may be time to find a place indoors!!haha

[cambs flyer]

Gotta say bud your hard core alright. I used to have a DX6 and all I broke was the aerial, my own fault of course, as I'm sure most 2.Hz antennas get bust while on the Sims, Lol.

The new style canopy and alloy upgrades look the Bees Knee's for the 400, well cool!

On my 450 shes had a couple of crashes one of which not only foolish, but resulted in my most expensive crash too date.

I know it doesn't help B400 owners but I use the carbon steel M/Shafts, and as of yet I've never bent one.

[Metoleous]

OB1,
the main shafts on my Blade are hollow, to save weight I suppose the ones I have for the trex are solid. oddly enough I have no problems bending either!haha I did order the higher grade shafts this time around, I think it is the carbon steel. As for the DX6, I think it was just to cold out and the plastic became brittle(for lack aof a better word). but it's a real easy fix, so I've put that little drop of epoxy on all of the trim swtches. I ws going to video tape it today, but my daughter took her camera to town...she'll be back sunday, I'll tape it then.

[heliTV]

It is soon to be my birthday and have been promised a new machine my budget is £250- £300
With this in mind I am seriously considering a Blade 400 as it is a complete deal with a 2.4ghz dx6i transmitter (which I could take to the next model after!)
My local modelshop doesnt recommend I go this route but I can see no better alternative to this.
Any ideas would help
are the servos an issue on the blade???

I have a Blade 400 and would recommend it for a newbie with some reservations. Firstly, make sure you change the setup to Boggy's settings in the sticky post to make it more docile. Secondly, put some training gear on to start with, and thrirdly, buy some spares!!

I've had mine a couple of months and after a few painful experiences with crashes, I'm happy with it and feel I'm making reasonable progress. There are definitely better helis on the market, but there are few that combine the value for money, reasonably cheap repair costs and the decent DX6i radio that you get with the Blade.

Experts will criticise the model and I daresay the purists are right, but for me it works well. People also criticise the servos - they do tend to strip gears in crashes, but replacing gears is simple and cheap. You can replace the whole servo for less than a tenner!

Some say the gyro isn't much good but as a newbie, I haven't noticed this...

I would see if you can stretch the budget a little and buy the Phoenix simulator as this will allow you to practice whenever you like and will save a fortune in crashes!! For me, the simulator is essential...

All the best

Graham

[machasm]

I had a B400 and TBH it was a great heli for what it was intended. To fly reasonably accurately and very cheaply.
My only real criticism would be the gyro as it doesn't hold well at all.
The servos are made of cheese and strip easily, but, as has already been said are very cheap to fix (around £1 for a gear set).
The DX6I transmitter that comes with it is great and can be used on other 6 channel models later.
I think it is one of the best value-for-money setups available.
Go for it.

[Boggy]

whole heartedly with the last two posts. nicely worded graham! and Ade

[cambs flyer]

OB1,
the main shafts on my Blade are hollow, to save weight I suppose the ones I have for the trex are solid. oddly enough I have no problems bending either!haha I did order the higher grade shafts this time around, I think it is the carbon steel. As for the DX6, I think it was just to cold out and the plastic became brittle(for lack aof a better word). but it's a real easy fix, so I've put that little drop of epoxy on all of the trim swtches. I ws going to video tape it today, but my daughter took her camera to town...she'll be back sunday, I'll tape it then.

I look forward to seeing it Bro.

[cambs flyer]

TBH I've always fancied a Blade 400 in my fleet, it has so much to offer the novice, and of course there easy on the ole wallet strings for upgrades and repairs.

I wonder if E-Flite will announce a Blade 500 RTF in the new year? Now that'll be one sweet deal.

[Boggy]

I wonder if E-Flite will announce a Blade 500 RTF in the new year? Now that'll be one sweet deal.

i know they would get at least 1 uk sale!!