Airwolf from Heliartist

[stuntpilot]

Hi...

Is there anybody who has this fuselage mounted on their Trex450???
I hope so, course I got some questions.

How did you solve the "problem" with the 8 screws to change the lipo?

I plan to solve the heavy tail problem, with 2 lipos connected as a 2p3s lipo.
How did you do?

The vertical fin is to short, to save the tailblades, in a low tail landing.
What did you do here?

Would it be stupid to loose the blue alu head and tail, for black plastic, just for the look? I think it looks a little wrong in blue!

HOW DOES IT FLY - WHAT TO EXPECT????

I´m ready for first flight now, but its dark, so I wait until tomorrow.
I have had it started up in my living room. Holding it in my hand, when I checked free movements for all moving parts...
Damn the fuselage makes it sound cool!!! :thumbup:

Thanks!!!:noteworthy
Thomas

[crazyerick]

The thing that puts me off from this fuselage is the lack of retracts. I am still keen on the Fusuno RVS fuse.

[robbin wilham]

do you got retracts on the airwolf now

[stuntpilot]

No not yet, but I plan to make it...

[vandelescrow]

I have a MD500 fuselage on mine, I glued the seams between the left and right halves (using ZapADapA something or other) of the main body and tail section but did not glue along the bottom. To hold the bottom and the front part of the canopy together I'm using magnets. Go to a local arts and crafts store, you will find several different strengths ranging from 1 - 10, I first tried power 6 and they would not hold the front canopy on if you tapped it even the slightest. Power 10 is what I have on it now. for the main body I have (along the bottom) 2 sets, the front one doubles for the nose (total 3 magnets there), Tail boom I originaly had 2 sets but found 1 set worked fine plus one set to hold the tail to the main body. The nose is held on with 1 on the bottom of the nose to match the 2 already holding the main body together, and 2 sets about 3/4 of the way up on both sides. Total 13 magnets. I was originaly worried they may cause problems with tail servo or the voltage regulator, but so far so good.

With this set up the body holds together vary well (never had it come loose in flight). easy to plug the battery in then attach the nose, and I can remove the entire body quickly if I want to go back to pod boom or for maintnance.

[robbin wilham]

hey i ordered a AIRWOLF fuse from HELIHOBBY for my daughter and im not sure who makes it but its the fiberglass that shows red version but in small print tells black is available and it was either $179 or $199 and when i opened it it had been damaged in shipping so i sent them pics so they sent me replacement so now i have smoke windows ,fins ,and retracts ,all new that if i dont give them to someone they will just get lost or broke if you want them you can have them if you dont have retracts , they are complete except servo and they are lexan here are some pics just pay shipping when you get them

[stuntpilot]

PM sent to Robbin Wilham

[stuntpilot]

att.. vandelescrow (http://www.helifreak.com/member.php?u=13944)

Thank you for your input...
I will try your idea with the magnets..

/Thomas

[screwbirds]

stuntpilot,

How is the weight of your Airwolf after ready to flight? I am working on my with retract and weight about 1200g without paint job, blades and tail rotor install. Thanks

[stuntpilot]

I dont have a scale, so I only have factury numbers..
Fuselage : 180g
Lipos : 2 * 153g
Retrack not installed yet (but Robbin is helping me, with a pre-built THANKS!)

The rest is just standart 450se with 335mm carbon main blades, carbon tail boom and carbon tail blades.

But it feels heavy!!!

The two lipos are for banlance, its REALLY tail heavy in the fuse...
But at the samme time I get 2 * 2400mha and 2 * 12c, so pleanty of power to get it airborne! I hovered for 4mins and used a little les than 2 * 1000mah.

I didn know what to exspect, so I started out carrefully.

I allso had troubles holding the tail, so it where not possible to me, to fly figure-8.
Its where a really hard time, just to hover.. It needs some fine tuning ;)


/Thomas

[screwbirds]

stuntpilot,
Thanks, I have only enough space to fitted one lipo TP 2200mAh 25C for the power. Hope you will have the photos of how to installed 2 lipos in that little space so I will duplicate it.
Peter

[stuntpilot]

I will, but not tonight. My camera is in my car, the weather is shitty and I`m parked far away. I do it tomrrow...

[screwbirds]

Thanks again and looking forward of your photos.
Peter

[BikeNBoatN]

I've got the red Fusano Airwolf on my TRex-450 done up as USCG using graphics from Callie Graphics. With a Medusa motor, it flies great! Full retracts, lights. Gets lots of positive compliments.

[stuntpilot]

I have room for two bateries, becourse I moved my ESC under the main gear.
My plan is, that the maingear will act as an fan and keep the ESC cool...'

The reciver I allso placed at the bottom plate, behind the ESC...
I use Futaba 2,4ghz so it should be safe, due to ems.

My gyro I moved back to the top, becourse there where no room for it, below. I hope it will be protected by the fuse, in a crash (not that I plan to do one ;))

I use these cheep batteries from ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/2x-2400mAh-Li-Po-12C-11-1V-LiPo-Rechargeable-Battery-RC_W0QQitemZ150186760330QQihZ005QQcategoryZ34056QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I´m thinking of to try A123 with 4 cells, becourse of the weight and charge time.
If I do that, I will charge thru the front window and close and lock the rest, with the 8 screews.
I cant really figure out how to use magnets and be sure it stay togetther in flight...

BikeNBoatN : Damn it looks sweet!!!
I might consider to paint it in the Danish Cost Guard colors (they just dont have the Agusta 109 - So???)
How do you like the sound? Mine sounds just like it has an turbine engine, becourse of the fuse...
Your tail blade protection looks really god, I will go for the same..!:thumbup:

/Thomas

[screwbirds]

stuntpilot
Thanks for the photos, I will see what can I do to duplicate your.
BikeNBoatN
I got the fuse as same as your but in black and planned to re-paint The Navy scheme. What is your setup of battery for a power and would you provide some photos inside? stuntpilot setup seem like he had alot of juices for flight time.

[BikeNBoatN]

Because a buddy here had the same heli, I took his advice with motors. He found the stock Align 430-XL to be underpowered, and my Aon-3500 was no better, so he finally settled on a Medusa 028-032-3400 (a little shorter and easier on batteries than their 040). He had plenty of power with that motor, so I got the same one on mine. The downside is that it requires good batteries. Cheap lipo's just don't have the power needed. The 040 would be even more powerful, but is even harder on batteries. I've got a CC-35, 6V ParkBEC, and TP-3S-2070's. Lipo angled on the upper tray, ESC on the flat bottom tray below it, GY240 on the flat bottom tray under the boom mount, AR6000 taped on the left frame side below the boom mount, HS65MG's everywhere, carbon boom (no boom braces), ParkBEC taped on the left front frame side forward of the motor. Other than the Medusa, nothing really out of the ordinary.

Currently I'm running a 13T pinion, but it's a little over-geared, as it'll spin 3100 if I run at 100%. Accordingly, I'm using Align carbon blades as I wouldn't trust woodies that fast. I have the throttle curve reduced so it spins about 27-2800 in high-governor mode. The next time I have to pull the frame out, I'll drop down to an 11T so I can bring my throttle curve back up. Even over-geared and as heavy as it is, the climbout is just a little slower than a stock pod-and-boom. Unfortunately I don't have a scale to weigh it. But the power is plenty for scale flying, complete with high-speed, high-bank turns, pulling a lot of collective and up-elevator.

When I get some time, I'll take a pic of the insides and post it.

[BlackTitanium]

Because a buddy here had the same heli, I took his advice with motors. He found the stock Align 430-XL to be underpowered, and my Aon-3500 was no better, so he finally settled on a Medusa 028-032-3400 (a little shorter and easier on batteries than their 040). He had plenty of power with that motor, so I got the same one on mine. The downside is that it requires good batteries. Cheap lipo's just don't have the power needed. The 040 would be even more powerful, but is even harder on batteries. I've got a CC-35, 6V ParkBEC, and TP-3S-2070's. Lipo angled on the upper tray, ESC on the flat bottom tray below it, GY240 on the flat bottom tray under the boom mount, AR6000 taped on the left frame side below the boom mount, HS65MG's everywhere, carbon boom (no boom braces), ParkBEC taped on the left front frame side forward of the motor. Other than the Medusa, nothing really out of the ordinary.

Currently I'm running a 13T pinion, but it's a little over-geared, as it'll spin 3100 if I run at 100%. Accordingly, I'm using Align carbon blades as I wouldn't trust woodies that fast. I have the throttle curve reduced so it spins about 27-2800 in high-governor mode. The next time I have to pull the frame out, I'll drop down to an 11T so I can bring my throttle curve back up. Even over-geared and as heavy as it is, the climbout is just a little slower than a stock pod-and-boom. Unfortunately I don't have a scale to weigh it. But the power is plenty for scale flying, complete with high-speed, high-bank turns, pulling a lot of collective and up-elevator.

When I get some time, I'll take a pic of the insides and post it.

Don't bother with the 11T pinion, you will be underpowered with the 11T pinion.
The 12T pinion will work perfect with CC35 ESC and 430-XL Motor.
That is the set up that I have, in my HeliArtist Jet Ranger fuselage.
I also use 335mm Carbon blades for better lift, on both my Heliartist Jet Ranger and HeliArtist Hughes 500D.

My 500D has a CC35 ESC, Neumotor 1107/2Y and a 15T pinion.

Jet Ranger Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU9zqXGOq1A If you watch close enough, you can see loops and rolls performed with the Jet ranger fuselage.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=31618&d=1196009844

[stuntpilot]

Black Titanium how do you change batteries in you Jetranger?
How is the canopy mounted?

/Thomas

[stuntpilot]

BTW. Nice video!

[BlackTitanium]

Black Titanium how do you change batteries in you Jetranger?
How is the canopy mounted?

/Thomas

I have installed four blind nuts on the fuselage, for the screws to mount the nose of the fuselage.
The other four original screws, for mounting the nose, have been cut and CA'd to the nose section.

[BlackTitanium]

The CG balance of my Jet Ranger was achieved by using lead weights, in the nose section.

[BikeNBoatN]

Don't bother with the 11T pinion, you will be underpowered with the 11T pinion.
The 12T pinion will work perfect with CC35 ESC and 430-XL Motor.


I also have a JetRanger (from DarthDrk) on an MX400 that works just fine with the 430XL and 13T. You're right, that setup was underpowered with 11T.

But my USCG RedWolf is not really comparable to the JetRanger because of the large difference in weight. The JetRanger fuse is thin plastic, with no retracts and is a lightweight compared to the fiberglass Fusano fuse with a retract servo and all the extra retract mechanisms. The extra weight of the wolf is why I went with a Medusa motor, as the 430XL just doesn't have the power to haul around high bank turns. For gentle scale flying, the 430XL is ok, as it definitely teaches you collective management. But if you ever need to cram a bunch of positive collective to keep from hitting the ground, the stock motor just won't do it.

[screwbirds]

BikeNBoatN
Thanks for the power setup advise.
Peter

[Skid man]

Hey!!!!!!! I like your set up of helis.. I just finnished my hughes 500D from heli artist ,and wow it looks cool!!!. Only had time for one battery for it was getting dark, you say your using a bigger blade 335. Im using 325 on my t rex 450 v2 and it looks like it could use a little more lift . Thanks for all your good info....Skid man