RC Helicopters...and Other RC Related Stuff!

[PokeSephiroth]

This is a topic that talks about Remote Controlled Helicopters (or airplanes, maybe cars...meh.) Feel free to chime in with what you've got, and let's talk RC!

Well, I can't say I'm a pro with RC helis, heck I'm far from it, but ever since I got my first RC heli, I became hooked! It all started some years ago when my older brother gave me one of those miniature remote controlled cars  (Zipzaps)...remember when those were all the rage, and kept selling out at RadioShack? Yeah. Those. Then a year after that, he got me an Air Hogs Picooz Helicopter. I fell inlove!

Skip forward to now, and I got myself hooked with the Syma s107 Metal Series, helicopter. For $25 (Cheaper on Amazon, but meh), it's pretty darn good, and quiet too, for an RC heli, that is! I've had that one for over a year now, and I've asked pbmax back then, what were some other good "entry level" helis that were hobby grade, and not just ones you could easily buy at a department store or big box store.

Enter, the Blade mCX2, by E-flite. Oh man, possibly the best $100 I've spent on a toy before. So good, I ended up getting two! Hahahaha!!! Luckily, I found the 2nd one on Craigslist for only $55. And so, my RC Heli collection starts to grow. I kinda wish I still had my older helis that I had before I got my Syma s107... I believe I've had (from chronological order):
- Air Hogs Picooz
- Micro Mosquito Helicopter (SUUUUUCKED)
- Air Hogs Reflex Helicopter (It was okay...)
- Propel Execu-Heli (Really cheap heli...really cheap controls...but it still works!)
- Syma s107 (Really great for its price)
- Blade mCX2 (Awesome heli, kinda pricey, but you get what you pay for!)

I could have sworn I had more before, but I just can't remember the names of them. Hahaha... So, here's my little collection as of now.

(Pictured from left to right: Excecu-Heli, Symma s107G, Blade mCX2 Stock Body, Blade mCX2 [with Carbon Fiber Tail Boom])

Please feel free to share your RC's! Would love to get intouch with other fishy peeps that also have an interest in this hobby.

 

[keeones23]

Hey Hey. The blue one you have, I have but its the yellow one..got it from best buy for $30 which is a rip off because online they are much cheaper. But anyways right now I have that, a 4ch FP Hero H995 which is actually a pretty good bird, I have a Walkera CB180D(best that I own), and an Esky Belt CP V2 that I got from a buddy of mine that needs a little work but still flies decent. I'm an ok pilot and a better mechanic after so many crashes and hard landings.

 

[Paintguy]

I have one that is capable of inverted flight... extremely hard to fly and fragile. Also have an easy to fly eflight cx2. Have not used them in a long time though. I prefer my nitro monster truck or electric buggy. Used to race them every Saturday at an outdoor track in Woodinville. I would trade airbrushed tops for parts or race fees... thus the name Paintguy.

 

[pbmax]

That's a great start, Poke!

I started out way back in the day with a hummingbird fixed pitch heli knock-off (gws dragonfly).  I went through a Hornet 2 and a humming bird CP before I punted on helis for a long time.  Then I picked up a Blade MSR, then a MCX2, then a MCP.  Of those the MCX2 easily flew the best out of the box.  I still have a hate-hate relationship with the MCP... I did a brushless conversion on it, but I never could get the tail to hold during 3D flight.  I picked up a simulator, Phoenix, before I got my MCP and that helped a lot as far as smooth FFF and 3D practice. I could scream the MCP around the yard all day upright, but the second I got it upside down, the tail would freak and I'd end up on the ground in various states of damage.

After that I built a Turnigy Micro Quad and I was hooked.  Since then I've built a number of multirotors and I've become a pretty decent pilot (flips, rolls, FFF, etc.).  I'm done with helis... too many things can go wrong, too many things to get just right.  Multirotors are easier to build, fix, and generally more stable thanks to the fancy flight controllers they use.

 

[PokeSephiroth]

Wow, so glad to see that there are tons more people besides me and pbmax, that enjoy RC things! Very cool!

pbmax, I was so tempted to get a quad-rotor last night, but I just couldn't... I didn't want to over saturate myself with new things and then end up lost between what I wanted to play with. Haha!! I will, at some point, definitely try them out Looooove your hobby room! I can't wait to start displaying my stuff like that!

keeones23, I'm loving the mCX2, and since then, I haven't touched my Syma s107G... mostly because my AA Battery Charger died, and I'm too lazy to buy a new one (whaaaaat?) And the fact that the Syma's remote uses 6 AA batteries just kills me!

paintguy, ahaha, nice! I've never heard of a nitro monster truck before, whoa! Thing must go really fast!

 

[pbmax]

I have one that is capable of inverted flight... extremely hard to fly and fragile. Also have an easy to fly eflight cx2. Have not used them in a long time though. I prefer my nitro monster truck or electric buggy. Used to race them every Saturday at an outdoor track in Woodinville. I would trade airbrushed tops for parts or race fees... thus the name Paintguy.

Hehe, painting bodies is always my least favorite part of a car / truck build. Got any photos of your work?

I got rid of my HPI Savage on account of the noise it made. I'm just a basher and I didn't want my neighbors to hate me

 

[Flyfalcons]

Hirobo Sceadu Evo 50
Hirobo Freya X-Spec 90
T-Rex 450 SE V2
Blade MCX
Blade MSR
Heli-Max Axe 100CP

On the work bench:
Chaos 600 electric, full Agusta 109 fuselage w/retracts, four-blade head in Airlift Northwest scheme.

Previous:
Raptor 60
Kyosho Caliber 30

 

[pbmax]

Nice - that's a spendy collection. :spoton: 

 

[Flyfalcons]

RC and aviation are sort of my thing. I've lost count of how many Extra 300 variants (RC) I've had.

 

[pbmax]

I had a Trex 450 SE for a bit - got it fixed up and flying, then sold it to a friend. I dumped far more money than I wanted to into helis. I have a few fixed wing rc aircraft, but nothing fancy. My favorite is the kite-like wing you can see in the garage photo.

 

[Paintguy]

I have not gotten the airbrush out in a while but here is a sample of my work. When the web started I had the largest r/c gallery in world with step-by-step painting information. I also had a fish tank with convicts in it too .

 

[PokeSephiroth]

Whoa, those look nice!

 

[pbmax]

I have not gotten the airbrush out in a while but here is a sample of my work. When the web started I had the largest r/c gallery in world with step-by-step painting information. I also had a fish tank with convicts in it too .

Wow :affraid: those are outstanding!  You do very nice work. :cheers:

 

[bassetman]

I fly large sailplanes and slope gliders. I have been building and flying RC since about 1980. I also have a 100cc ultimate biplane.

 

[Paintguy]

Where can you even fly an r/c plane anymore? I used to go down to Redmond to watch.. I think that place is still open if you are a member.

 

[pbmax]

Myself and a bunch of other folks fly over a large, unfinished parking lot at my work. Granted, it's not suitable for large models - nearly all electrics and mostly fairly small. But every once and a while someone brings a nitro heli in.

 

[PokeSephiroth]

I would *loooove love love* to see someone fly something like this in person. *swoon*
Yes, has to be a 747.

[flash=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/v/Jfkyp89LLTE[/flash]
and
[flash=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/v/is5erfr4mGg" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true[/flash]

 

[PokeSephiroth]

AND THIS. OH MY GOSH. THIS.

[flash=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/v/twySPAI8Mfg" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true[/flash]

 

[PokeSephiroth]

I would hate to be a passenger IN that helicopter. Awesome piloting skills though!

[flash=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/v/AluijV5unBA" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true[/flash]

 

[bassetman]

Such a beautiful day Sunday I took my 4.5 meter glider out for some slope soaring. Everything was great until a red tail hawk attacked the glider damaging the wing covering. Glider went inverted and spun in from about 100 feet. Anyone need some balsa kindleing? Looks like a new kit for Xmas.