SJM 400 V2 - great work of art!

[BarnOwl]

Here is the second version of the SJM 400, just the sheer looks and the completely different head system as I am used from my T-Rexes made me just pre order this beauty:

http://www.sjm400.com/400IIkits.html

http://www.sjm400.com/images/400pro_1.jpg

http://www.sjm400.com/images/400pro_4.jpg

http://static.rcgroups.com/forums/attachments/1/0/3/2/5/6/a977838-116-v2_sjm400_oc.jpg

There is a big thread on RCGroups about this bird, seems to be unbeatable value to me........

[Scott_RC-TEK]

Hey BarnOwl,
Thanks for the kind words and it is good to be here too. Be sure to let us know how you like the heli once you get it!

Regards,
Scott

[Fabien]

Hello,

i'm french distributor for APlus / SJM and i worked a lot on the early models with Aplus Rc as well to correct some bugs.
If you need any informations, just do not hesitate to ask here, and i'll make my possible to help.
Scott from RC Tek takes care of sales in Germany and USA ( www.sjm400.com) but we have very good relationships and focus a lot on customer support, wherever he customers are. I use to post a lot on Rc Groups under the nickname of " Bricobrac", but i will be very pelased to answer your questions.

THe new rotor head is very strong, it has no dampening so you need high RPM but it handles quite well.

For the price, this is a very nice little chopper and with a few tweaks / mods youc an make a lot of fun with it.

BEst regards,

Fabien

PS: i'll post all the linkage lenght pictures here as it is the only thing that is hard to find on hte heli, and these linkage lenght are not shwon in the manuals as far as i know.

[BarnOwl]

Hi Fabien, thanks for sharing your expience with us.
For starters I have been looking at the electronics setup of the heli. I am going to strip one of my T-Rexes for this purpose.
Would a 450TH motor and Hitec HS 65 servo's be too much for this bird?

[Fabien]

Hi Fabien, thanks for sharing your expience with us.
For starters I have been looking at the electronics setup of the heli. I am going to strip one of my T-Rexes for this purpose.
Would a 450TH motor and Hitec HS 65 servo's be too much for this bird?

Hi,

i fly the heli with a 450S motor from APlus Rc. The 450 TH is really a cool motor to fit in, with 12teeth pinion.

You can installHS65 on this bird with no problems. On previous versions, it was needed to nail a bit the servos suppors, but as here you can slide up or down the servo supports, they will just fitl like a charm :).

Just take care to check every bit of the heli and each screws. You must use SOFT loctite ( not the one providide in the kit, it is too hard), and if you balance everythng fine, you will have a rock solid flying helicopter.

The PRO rotorhead is the same as on APlus 400 Pro Head and SJM V1 Pro EHad as well, and is not so hard to setup. You can go on RC groups and check out my posts in the Aplus /SJM Pro head build log ( my nickname there is Bricobrac) but if you want, i cna make a summary here about he main points to take care of and to help in the building of the heli.

For the price it is really a cool little chopper, and i'm working on adaptable tail transmissions to make this thing adaptable in my whole fuselage range :)

BEst regards,

Fabien
E-Copter

[PDC]

Hi!

I just learned about this heli today, and have preordered one, on top of the aplus 300 and 400 pro I just ordered yesterday.

To me it looks like they all comes from the same factory, but just a sold under different names. And from the data card it looks like the SJM400 is the biggest of them.

Could anybody give me a quick update on the history behind these for me new micro´s, they look fantastic, and the price is fantastic too I think.

Looks like it will be hard to sell my old Piccolo´s and Hornet heli´s :-)

Thanks!

Paul

[BarnOwl]

Well, it's a pretty new bird, so experiences are not as available as the T-Rex yet. There is a big thread on RCGroups about the SJM400-Version 1. The V2 has a lot of updates but the heli is the same. If they really are as fantastic as they look I will find out as shipping of the V2 will hopefully start today or tomorrow..............

O, and just to be completely clear about this: I payed the full amount for the kit I receive and I am not in any way associated with the distributor. Just the plain hobby here and my personal views without any commercial ties.

[BarnOwl]

but if you want, i cna make a summary here about he main points to take care of and to help in the building of the heli.

Fabien
E-Copter

Please do so. I will post my experiences here as soon as I recieve the heli and start building it. Because it is so different than the T-Rex, I'll appreciate all tips here.

[bluemooone]

your right :Its gorgeous! When will this be out? What battery do you recomend? NM found awnsers! This thing is like the Jaguar of helis , my complements to the designers :!:

[PTFlyer]

and how does one go about "pre-Ordering" one of these bad boys??

[bluemooone]

See top link, yep ive one on the way also . dont think she will be able to 3D like a rex but who knows?

[BarnOwl]

First batch of the V2 should be shipping any time now.........(I hope).

Fabien: Could you please post the linkage lengths here? :D

[Sgt_BF_Gunner]

Gentlemen,

My understanding is that the APLUS 400 and the SJM 400 is the frame? APLUS is carbon fiber and the SJM is fiberglass?

The picture at the beginning of this thread shows a nice bronze (?) colored aluminum head. Is this the V2 head? Does the APLUS come with this cleaner looking head?

Does the APLUS come in a V2 yet and where can I get the APLUS. The APLUS website is not working for ordering yet it appears.

One last question... RC Heli magazine had a blurb in one of their issues about a NOMAX 450 or NOMOX 450, is this a similar bird?

Sorry for all the questions but inquiring minds want to know! :lol:

Thanks,
Gary

[Scott_RC-TEK]

The frames are slightly different in design as well. 80% of the other parts are interchangeable. Yes, the SJM400 is G10 FG and the APLUS is CF.

The new rotor head is for the SJM400-II, but APLUS-RC uses it on their APLUS400 "PRO" model since the head will work on either bird.

We will have www.aplus400.com done soon, but have been really busy with the SJM400 web site so it hasn't developed as fast as the SJM side.

Regards,
Scott


Gentlemen,

My understanding is that the APLUS 400 and the SJM 400 is the frame? APLUS is carbon fiber and the SJM is fiberglass?

The picture at the beginning of this thread shows a nice bronze (?) colored aluminum head. Is this the V2 head? Does the APLUS come with this cleaner looking head?

Does the APLUS come in a V2 yet and where can I get the APLUS. The APLUS website is not working for ordering yet it appears.

One last question... RC Heli magazine had a blurb in one of their issues about a NOMAX 450 or NOMOX 450, is this a similar bird?

Sorry for all the questions but inquiring minds want to know! :lol:

Thanks,
Gary

[Sgt_BF_Gunner]

Thanks Scott.

What is your largest and "best" heli? The APLUS400-PRO? It is hard to sort through all the variations...

Is there a link to purchase one... and Is this the same heli as the Nomax or Nomox?

Thanks,
Gary

[Scott_RC-TEK]

Hi Gary,
The biggest and best will be the new and improved Cyclone 450 kit we will exclusively distribute for JappaUSA. It will be a very nice TREX killer with an updated CF frame and new custom anodized (grey in color) hardware. We are hoping to release it by early to mid October for a lot less than what a TREX 450SE would cost. We will offer the heli via www.cyclone450.com.

The Cyclone 450 is a different beast than the SJM400-I/II or the APLUS400, which are still the best bang for your buck in the 400 size. Note that the APLUS400 "pro" is just a standard APLUS400 with the new SJM400-II 3D "pro" rotor head included in addition to the standard head. There are no other updates, but it is a great helicopter none the less.

Regards,
Scott

PS: The SJM/APLUS is not the same as the "Nomax"



Thanks Scott.

What is your largest and "best" heli? The APLUS400-PRO? It is hard to sort through all the variations...

Is there a link to purchase one... and Is this the same heli as the Nomax or Nomox?

Thanks,
Gary

[bluemooone]

God , I really really really can not wait to start building this!

[Sgt_BF_Gunner]

Thanks Scott,

Just placed my order for the SJM400-II with 450XT.

Sweet heli!

-Gary

[BarnOwl]

Got it yesterday, looks really fine. It is so completely different than the T-Rex and the whole design is very simple and nice. One thing I found out so far is that HS 65 servo's are actually a bit too big: They just fit with the upper servo mounting block sitting on the edge of where it still has some grip. I think it will work though. The HS 56 are smaller and have a better fit.

The v2 kit comes 98% pre- assembled, so I checked all pieces on locktiting. The head was really secure, I did not have to re-locktite anything there (DO check it though.......) The frame parts had all to be locktited, some were, some were not.

Still figuring out where to put the rest of the electronics: The obvious place for the reciever would be the front, but then the ESC has to go under the reciever, and I don't like that.
I am actually thinking of putting the reciever under the tailboom, away from all the high power components.

That's why I would like to see some electronics layout pictures,

Scott? Fabien?

[Sgt_BF_Gunner]

Jeroen
Can we get a photo of the SJM next to your T-Rex for size comparison?

Thanks,
Gary

[BarnOwl]

Jeroen
Can we get a photo of the SJM next to your T-Rex for size comparison?

Thanks,
Gary

No problem, this is a real supermicro, you know......... :wink: :mrgreen:

[BarnOwl]

Just kiddin', you mean a 450 eehh? Here you go:

[bluemooone]

LOL god , you scared me there! It looks great! Not any unnecessary parts or weight at all! So did you get the 65 s to fit? (I have 3 sitting here) Or will I have to swap them with the 56 s in my rex? :lol:

[BarnOwl]

The 65's will fit, but I had a hard time getting them in and I cannot get a complete vertical angle on the linkages. I have managed to get them all under the same outward angle though and way of travel is equal.

I think you are better off putting in the 56's, the 65's are a bit heavy for this bird.......

It is such a nice frame to work on, very open and just about everything is adjustable. I am just not so anxious to put the rx in the front just before the motor and very close to the battery, ESC and powerwires. The alternative is somewhere under the tailboom at the back of the frame, but that will block access to the tailboom adjustment.

I'll give it a go on the front, the G10 plate will sort of shield the ESC from the rx. If I experience glitches, I will move the rx to the back......

[bluemooone]

OK will do the 65mg s are more suited for the rex anyway I suppose. :hug: