Interested in scale, advice please?

[Gimbal Lock]

Hello all,
What would you recommend for someone with relatively limited modeling experience who wanted to get a start in scale?


I say limited because I've built plastic static models since I was a kid, but have only ever built one balsa model, and my trex 600 was the first and only heli I've built. I do have a good deal of mechanical and close tolerance machine maintenance tho, FWIW.

The thing that intimidates me is the woodwork, and the painting, since I've no real experience there


I've read (with awe) the Apache build in this forum, how much more or less woodwork is involved with a fiberglass kit?

How much custom bulkhead fab is involved in attaching the heli mechanics in the scale fuse? I assume that this also is done with plywood sheeting?

I've been considering a raptor 90 with the ThunderTiger A109 fuse, would this be a manageable project, or is that too involved for a first attempt?

(what i'd really like is one of those big Dauphin kits from vario, with the fenestron benzin, but a man got to know his limits :o)

Thanks all,
GL

[ViperDrags66221]

Gimbal Lock


Check out this forum down below, I think it will answer all of your questions. I urge you to become a member because just like HeliFreak, scalerchelis.com is a great site!!

It even has some of the folks that post on this forum over there!!

www.scalerchelis.com/

Brian:cool:

[Gimbal Lock]

Thanks Brian!

I didn't even think to search for other forums, I'm headed over there now!

[redneckteddy103]

here you can check out my thread as i am building a fiberglass bell 206 from vario

http://www.scalerchelis.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7904&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

David

[Rodan]

My first scaler (and only, so far...) was a Thunder Tiger MD500E on Raptor 50 mechanics. There is no woodwork required (for an out of the box build with R50 mechs) with this kit, it's a straight bolt-in. I have not seen the A109 in person, so I don't know if it's the same, but I would guess it is. Painting is no more difficult than static models, in fact, it's easier, as the RC helis are much bigger! If you've done any paintwork with an airbrush, you'll have no problems. The only thing is you are using different materials (I use auto paints), and may need some bigger equipment (compressor, paint gun, etc.), but the basic skills are the same. The advantage of the A109 is it comes painted, but I would hope the paint is better than the stock paint on the MD530. It didn't matter to me, as I was making it civilian anyway, but the stock paint chipped very easily.

Regardless, the woodwork is not overly difficult, just meticulous, and it sounds like you won't have problems with that. I'll second the recommendation for ScaleRCHelis.com, it's a great community, just like the Freak, only focused on scalers.

Here's my build thread on the MD500 if you're interested:
http://www.scalerchelis.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7624

[Gimbal Lock]

Redneckteddy: that's egg-zactly the kind of thing I was hoping to see, to get an idea of what the kits look like out of the box and how the heli mech. goes in. Thanks, dude!

Rodan, thanks also, I'm hoping that the 109 is a fairly easy bolt on, so that's good info on the 500.

I used to be ok with testors airbrush paints, and the cheap can-fed airbrushes for plastic models, but all I ever did was military flat colors and camo stuff, I've never even seen a can of real auto paint. I don't really like the paint scheme on the 109 fuse as it comes from TT, so most likely I'll have to find somebody at a body shop to shoot the thing for me. I'd either like a very nice executive shuttle or maybe an air ambulance type paint job.

I've joined scaleRChelis, now it looks like another heavy forum reading session is in order!

I love this stuff.

[redneckteddy103]

if you have any questions email me @ redneckteddy103@yahoo.com and if i know the awncer i can help ya or i can help ya find it

David

[lrogers]

My first scale helo was the pre-painted Hughes 500D from Century/Funkey. Very easy to build. Actually, build is the wrong word since so much was all ready done. All the wood was in and the paint job was beautiful. I put a Hirobo Sceadu Evo 50 in mine and added a set of navigation/anti-collision lights. The lights were hardest part, but sure looked good when complete.

This fuselage is HIGHLY recommended.

[Gimbal Lock]

My first scale helo was the pre-painted Hughes 500D from Century/Funkey. Very easy to build. Actually, build is the wrong word since so much was all ready done. All the wood was in and the paint job was beautiful. I put a Hirobo Sceadu Evo 50 in mine and added a set of navigation/anti-collision lights. The lights were hardest part, but sure looked good when complete.

This fuselage is HIGHLY recommended.

Hi Larry, and thanks, I've spent several hours now reading up over at scalehelis, and have decided to learn more before making a choice, but I'm still liking a 109 of some type so having more places to shop is good.

This looks good http://www.heli-world.com/detail.aspx?ID=93

How do you do the lights? I'm imagining there must be some sort of control circuit and harness, with the lights inserted into the fuse??

[lrogers]

I got my lights from Will at Maxx lights. The set included the required lights (super bright LED's), a harness and a "Maxx switch". The switch plugs into the receiver and has three channels. One channel, this is hte one I plugged the harness into, powers the lights when receiver power is turned on. The second channel turns a soild light into a beacon, this is the one I plugged the red belly light into. The channel operates from a switch on the transmitter, this is the one I plugged the landing light into. All very easy to install.

The difficult part was installing the lights in the scale location; the skid tips. I cut a section out of the skid pipe caps and hollowed them out for the red/green navigation lights. Even this wasn't too hard. The hard part was figureing out a way to hide the wires going up the back of the landing struts. I finally decided to use a piece of 1" white heat shrink on the struts. doesn't look bad from a foot or two away.

Oh, the fuselge had light lens all ready installed in the belly, top of "dog house", tail and nose for landing light. I just had to make an opening from inside the fuselage to insert the light into the lens.

If you go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFGIsliCDRE , you can watch a nice video clip of the first flight.

[Rodan]

I also used the "heli-5" light kit from Maxxlights. I used a car headlight kit (2 white leds) from them for my spotlight. I ran the wires up through the inside of the skid struts to the tips of the skids... took a little thought and some creative drilling...

I have an on/off switch to switch the power for the whole light circuit (separate from the RX switch), and the spotlight is switched from the TX via an on-board glow circuit I salvaged from a plane I crashed....

[Dré]

Rodan,


I looked at your build picture's and I have to say..... WOW you took some time on the details, and it payed off.

But I have one question for you..
Do you think I can fit a T-rex 600N in this body (thundertiger 500E, if I am not mistaken), I see one yesterday and thougt.... he thats a nice looking body, and the price is also very fair.

Greets


Dré

[Rodan]

Thanks!

Several folks have put the TRex 600E mechs in the TT MD530 fuselage. I would think the 600N would fit, as it should be very similar, although I don't know of one having been done off the top of my head. You'll have to fabricate the mounting, but it shouldn't be too difficult.

[Dré]

Thanks for the fast reply,

I think I get the body this weekend.


Greets


Dré

[Rodan]

I did a little searching around, and here's one thread on the 600E in the TT fuselage:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=601956

If I have some time this afternoon, I'll see what else I can find... I'm pretty sure there was one on scalerchelis.com, and there's probably something on RR.

[Dré]

Hi Rodan,


Thanks for the link :thumbup:.

I have bean looking around but can only find the 600 electric's .

But I don't think it will be a problem to do it.

Only thing is.......... I see your MD530, but I also see the MD500 and I can't decide :lol:

[Rodan]

If you're talking about the TT MD500, it's a 60 size, and it's also a Defender, which would be more difficult to build into a civilian ship.

The MD530 is a high-altitude version of the MD500, and the only difference (in the real ships) is a different engine and slightly longer boom. Since the boom length is not quite scale, it doesn't make much of a difference. There is also a ventral 'bump' at the rear of the fuse on the MD530 which is not present on the MD500. I left this on mine, but it could easily be removed if you wanted it really scale.

Good luck with your build, and be sure to document it for us. You may be the first to put a TRex 600N into one of these!

[Dré]

Rodan,


I buy the fuse this weekend, and it all looks good :thumbup: ( MD530)

Now I can start building, I only don't know what kind of model I will make :confused:

I dont like the militery one, but did not find a cool one on the internet.....
maybe I make somethink up.


Greets


Dré

[Rodan]

Here's one I considered before settling on Mesa PD...

From Airliners.net - you should check it out if you haven't already. Lots of 500 pics. Be sure to search under both Hughes and MD.

[stevehonn]

Amazing, I considered the Mesa PD scheme myself and really liked G-JIVE but the thought of producing the drop shadow on the blue sections was a little too much. I finally decided on this scheme as I fly far and wide and visibility is important for me.