Which 50-sized for a beginner? Plse vote now!

[Steve]

I've owned 3 Hirobo helis over the years, and still have one - my Sceadu 50, which is just a fantastic work horse.

I currently own 2 JR helis, and they are the bestest helis I've ever flown.

I also have 2 Millenniums, and they are the biggest kept secret cheapest 2nd hand large helis you can get - fantastic value for money on the 2nd hand scene.

I also have 3 CSM gyros - never had any real problems with any of them, and 2 Futaba gyros. The Futabas are definitly more user-friendly, but the CSMs are never-the-less ok, and work fine provided the airframe is in good condition - i.e. they highlight mechanical problems which isn't a bad thing in my book.

I've flown a Raptor 30 a couple of times, and set up as a learning machine, it's just fine.

I've never flown a Knight, but on close inspection, it looks like a copy of various Hirobo helis, part Scuttle, part Freya etc. That's not to say it flies no good, it just looks like stuff I've seen before, and the canopy is ugly due to being ill-fitting.

I just get a little bit peaved sometimes with the "Knights are Great" brigade who jump up very time and frantically wave their hands when someone asks a quastion about a suitable heli for learning to fly, or FAI stuff, or 3D flying, or doing the washing-up .....

I'm sure it's a great flying model, but the Sceadu and Raptor are tried and tested. They've both been around for a long time, most, if not all model clubs have a good understanding o fthem, and the spares are well priced, and readily available, ususally around the corner at your local model shop. There's a lot to be said for that in this hobby.

[rspblake]

I just get a little bit peaved sometimes

try one you might

[ChrisB]

Manager

Agree with your comments,we are all entitled to our opinions and most models nowadays are of good quality,some better than others in small ways but any modern RC heli is good kit

I also dislike the bigging up of the Knights,it comes across so false and does the product no favours,hopefully because i personally have a dig at a model as much as i will praise it,my views will be taken as honest..


I agree totally that Align have made an incredible impact on the electric side of things their products just keep getting better and better,and its only fair to assume that a Nitro 600 would be equally as impressive

Whether its better than the Knight 3d in every way is another story,i think they will both be good helis and we as the end user will benefit from healthy and worthy competition

As stated in other threads,i intend to have Compass and Align models in my fleet for a long time to come i enjoy owning and flying both of their models..

But this is only my personal choice,most other models are very good choices for all levels of flier,,a lot of it comes down to personal choice and what people like the look of

I like the look and layout of the Sport and the 600,i am not so keen on the look of the mechanics on the 3d but in the air with a canopy on its a rahter handy piece of kit,also i dont like the fact that the coming 600 nitro has the anti rotation guide in front of the swash,to me it looks odd and puts me off the thing slightly,but again this is nit picking on both counts

But above all else,i just wanna enjoy the flying and the maintenance,the purchasing of new stuff and the FRIENDLY banter that goes on here

[Arky]

The N9 has the anti rotation plate on the front too, and arnt thay getting some help from one of the chaps who helped design the N9 ? may add up

Raptor 50 gets my vote for a beginner

[Ade_Law]

jason, next time were down the field at the same time grab a tank on the knight... you WILL change your mind.

Ade

[rapt50]

Ive got to say raptor SE 50 and a hypper like the one im selling i the classifieds a raptormadsteve.But serioslyany raptor 50 or even sceadu 50 .not tried the knight yet, but as the man said they did have problems to start with, soon as i can get one ill tell every one what i thnk?????? ps what ever you do dont get a tt 50 they are rubbish i tried and failed

[Nutz]

The only heli I have flown is the Raptors, it started last year with a knackered second hand 30 V1, then bought a new Titan and then another new Titan, then sold 1 Titan and kept the other which is more pimped than a car form Tim Westwoods MTV "pimp my ride".

I have not flown another 50 size helis so can't comment on them, but the Raptor is nice out the box and has loads of bits to make it even better as you progress. It is a heli that grows with you. Mine started out totally standard with just a QUK head and now it is full blown and still getting little bits tricked out here and there.


The Nutz spec Titan is undercover at the mo in the yellow Align FG canopy, the other heli is a pimped up Trex T6 (600)



The Trex in action
[ame]http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/nutz_photos/?action=view&current=TrevsTrexLitup.flv[/ame]
[ame="http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/nutz_photos/?action=view&current=TrevsTrexLitup.flv"][/ame]

[Arky]

jason, next time were down the field at the same time grab a tank on the knight... you WILL change your mind.

Ade

Ade thanks for the offer
i hear what your saying not flown one myself but i hear there great and i agree thay look smooth and fast, don't doubt its a much more 3d capable, but the raptor imo is probley an easyer more stable learning platform, with easyer parts availability and better support as everyone and his dog has one.

saying that if i was gona buy another 50 right now it would most likly be the knight 3d but im gona hold out "skint" and see what the t-rex 600 nitro is like, and in the mean time, i'll just carry on scaring the crap outa myself with the N9

Jason

[Arky]

Nutz whats with the boom sicking out the side of the rex ?

[ChrisB]

Nutz whats with the boom sicking out the side of the rex ?

Thats easy its errrrr,ummmm,its a errrrr ummmm


Oh hell Nutz,what is it

[Nutz]

It is not my Rex, watch the vid/link (I could not get the movie thing working).

The heli belongs to Trevor at our field and the pool is some anti fall/roll over crash protection device that he made as he is still new to helis, he can hover OK but not to good with anything else or the knowing of how a helicopter works. I am teaching him slowly though!


Like me he likes to pimp things up, Just need for it to rub off on Jimbob.

[3dx]

Anyone know where to get the led's that's on the 600-looks really cool!!

[Nutz]

The guy that owns it did tell me, but I can't remember, I think he may of said Maplins or something like that.

[3dx]

Ok,need some help here- figure I can get these easily from just about anywhere- problem being how do I wire them up to work with either my Trex 600 or 450se- do I use a spare channel and will I need a resistor?? any one got any wiring diagrams ???
thanks, lenny

[Ade_Law]

I have a foamy here all setup with LEDs You get them from maplins. You need the high intensity ones. Some of them already have resistors built in that run them at the correct current for 5v. If the ones you get dont you need to fit the correct resistor for what the LED is rated for.

Jason, I understand what your saying about knight spares availability. However it is improving all the time. Knights have been available to the trade since the sport was released in october and support has been building since then.

trouble is its a bit of a chicken and egg syndrome. the shops will only carry spares for models that are popular and people will only buy whats recomended. People dont recomend them because the local shop doesnt stock spares!

from past experience of shops in the south of england most shops are pretty useless with carrying spares for helis. I remember walking into a shop for a mainshaft/spindle/flybar/boom for a raptor near southampton and being prowdly shown a small box with a couple of flybars and some plastic bits. So many people buy by mail order for this reason that the argument. Im betting you dont get your N9 spares from channel 4 :-)

if anybody is thinking about getting a knight. ask your local shop to get it for you. They are are struggling to some extent one day they might not be around when you want that flybar and spindle at 11am on a saturday.

Ade