Build and Review: HeliArtist Hughes 500D N23CP Fuselage

[BlackTitanium]

The Hughes N23CP, is HeliArtist (http://www.heliartist.com/) 3rd Hughes 500D fuselage, it is prepainted in a blue, green and white scheme.
http://www.heliartist.com/smill_product_pic/hughes_blue_s.jpg
The HeliArtist (http://www.heliartist.com/) Hughes N23CP is my third HeliArtist fuselage. My other two scale fuselages are the Bell Jet Ranger and Hughes 500D. They have all been fairly easy builds and a joy to fly.
http://www.heliartist.com/smill_product_pic/jet_ranger.jpghttp://www.heliartist.com/smill_product_pic/Hugeshes500E-Small2.jpg
I ordered the N23CP from Flying-Hobby, and received it within 3 days from Hong Kong.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41322&d=1205055988

Inside the box there are three bags and the 2 page installation sheet.
Bag #1 contains the two piece fuselage.
Bag #2 contains mounting hardware, skid pipes, vertical and horizontal stabilizer.
Bag #3 contains the landing struts.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41323&d=1205055988

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41324&d=1205055988

I find the best method for achieving a level assembly of the landing gear, is to assemble the struts and skids, attach, level and weight down the assembly before applying the epoxy.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41326&d=1205056080

In the kit you'll find a bag with several dozen wooden pieces to build a frame set. I used 8 layers in the front and 9 layers in the rear.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41341&stc=1&d=1205081316

The install guide suggest fixing one of the woods to the frame with a screw, and then to epoxy the frame to the fuselage's wood frame set.
I opted to do a four point mount with zip ties. It is very secure and can be more easily removed for maintenance.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41334&d=1205056606

To access the battery, on this fuselage, you simply remove the nose section that is magnetically attached.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41325&d=1205055988

The nose section comes with four magnets, two on the nose and two and the fuselage. For my own security I installed six additional sets of rare earth magnets on the nose and fuselage.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41327&d=1205056080

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41346&stc=1&d=1205082367

[BlackTitanium]

When installing the tail's vertical/horizontal stabilizer, I found it necessary to do a little dremel work, to allow for a better fit mounting the v/h stabilizer, and to prevent the servo rudder rod from binding on the edge of the fuselage tail.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41342&stc=1&d=1205081588

Also, I used some ball links, which provided the perfect amount of spacing between the vertical stabilizer and tail boom.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41331&d=1205056501

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41330&d=1205056501

As with any fuselage, the helicopter will be tail heavy and some consideration of component placement will need to be addressed. I've always found it necessary to add some lead weights, in th nose section, to achieve center of gravity.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41332&d=1205056501

For those of us that lack painting skills and enjoy scale models, the HeliArtist fuselages are the perfect choice.

The N23CP is HeliArtist 3rd 500D fuselage. It has some improvements over the first Hughes 500D fuselage.
1. Molded plastic landing gear struts
2. Translucent tinted windows
3. Magnetically attached nose for easy battery replacement

The N23CP is a joy to fly, and looks very realistic in the air.
It's appearance is larger and makes it easier to see, relative to the stock 450, at farther distances.

Overall, the HeliArtist 500D N23CP fuselage is a very easy build.
The fuselage can be installed and ready to fly in just a few hours.
A small bit of dremel work I would recommend, on the tail assembly, but is not required.

I look forward to seeing more color options, for the Hughes 500D, and would like to see some 500E fuselges.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=41333&d=1205056501

Align T-Rex 450 SE V2
NeuMotors 1107/2Y with 15T pinion
Castle Creation 35 ESC
Futaba 9257 rudder servo
HiTec HS65 cyclic servos
Futaba GY401 gyro
Flight Power EVO 25 2170 mAh 3S
Mavrikk E-Series 335 mm Carbon Fiber Main Rotor Blades
Gorilla Gear paddles with full weights
Spektrum AR6100 Receiver

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[Rodan]

Looks great!

IMHO, the nose on the Align 'E' model just doesn't look right... this 'D' model looks great!

That would make a great Little Bird...:YeaBaby:

[SimonV6]

Yeah that is very nice, I know what you mean about the "E" model, nose needs to be a little more pointed perhaps?

Might get that "D" at some point, when I crash my "E", thats is lol ;)


Simon

[int2str]

Great post, Titanium!
Great pictures and a very nice looking Heli!

[slider46]

If only that paint scheme came in the e version they would sell a ton of them I bet... I know I would own one.

[BlackTitanium]

Yeah, I wish it was the 500E. The E version is my favorite too, but I had to have this color scheme.
I assume HeliArtist makes the Align 500E's, and it seems that Align has the exclusive on the E version.

[fred kaz]

Hi,

I am just about to order one of these, I have been waiting here in the UK for the past month for the Align one to be shipped to the UK. I was thing about getting the other Heliartist 500D Fuselage but I do not like that yellow colour scheme.

Anyway back to the question that I would like to ask.

I presume that you have to take off the tail gearbox and mount it when you have pushed the boom through the fuselage. Is there enough room left to tighten the lock bolt on the gearbox to the boom or did you have to drill a small hole in the body to get access to it.

I have also ordered a 5 blade head. Also do you know of anyway where you can get any extra prts for the body, (Wire cutter, Antenna, Etc)

Any help/tips would be appriciated.

Cheers,

Fred:)

[BlackTitanium]

There are three parts to the tail rotor assembly, the tail rotor boom mount and the two side gear box pieces.

To install the frame into the fuselage, you'll have to remove tail rotor shaft and blade grips. Remove the two side gear box pieces from the tail rotor boom mount, and remove the gear box assembly, leaving the tail rotor boom mount attached.

I don't know where to get the wire cutter and antennae.

[Wenlock]

I was so impressed by your review, I just went and bought one of these bodies. It's every bit as good as I expected.

I was thinking about making side windows, I'd like to have blacked-out windows to hide the mechanics. I just wonder whether this would cause a problem with overheating? Maybe it would be possible to fit a small fan in the dummy exhaust at the rear of the body to pull air through from the roof?

[stikflyer]

I have been thinking about getting one of these, but have always wondered how you attach the tail after you have the frame in the fuse? Do you disassemble the tail case and reassemble it after the boom is in the fuselage?

[BlackTitanium]

I have been thinking about getting one of these, but have always wondered how you attach the tail after you have the frame in the fuse? Do you disassemble the tail case and reassemble it after the boom is in the fuselage?


Yes, after your heli is completely setup and has been flight checked, you remove the skids, boom support rods and horizontal stabilizer.

Remove the screws form the two side plates of the tail assembly, pull the two halves apart, remove the belt from the gear, and set aside.

Slide the heli into the fuselage, re-assemble the tail gear box assembly, then mount the heli to the fuselage.

Not hard to do, just a lot of screws and spacers to deal with.

[BlackTitanium]

A bit windy out, but I managed to get another video of the Hughes 500D N23CP.
On this video I have the RC-Tek rotor head and tail installed.

BEXLP_u2NXU

[foofighter]

Nice review, thanks! Quick question for you. I am in the process of assembling one, and I noticed with the initial fitting of the mechanics in the fuse, that the flybar does not have much clearance over the rear portion of the fuse. Did you have to decrease your cyclic throw?

[BlackTitanium]

Did you have to decrease your cyclic throw?

No, I did not make any changes to my cyclic throw.
My setups are just the same as my 3D setups, except for full flybar weights on the scale Heli's.

I have not experienced any issues with the flybar striking the fuselage.
I suppose it may be possible, if you're trying extreme 3D maneuvers.

[viper0173]

that looks great, im in the middle of the 500d build just have to figure a setup for the tail rotor servo. and i wish i got the sam instructions as you. i gonly got one page and it tells u nothing. whish sucks cuz this is my first scale. i also ordered mine from flying hobby and i t was here in 4 days . any other suggestions on the tail servo mount. other than what is already out there.? what dd youy do?

[ChasHeliCop]

BT,
I hope you are getting paid on a commission, I just ordered one too. Where did you get the magnets, I think that's a great safety precaution. Hopefully mine will be here middle of the week.

Chas :thumbup:

[BlackTitanium]

BT,
I hope you are getting paid on a commission, I just ordered one too. Where did you get the magnets, I think that's a great safety precaution. Hopefully mine will be here middle of the week.

Chas :thumbup:

Got the rare earth magnets from Radio Shack.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102642&cp=&sr=1&origkw=magnets&kw=magnets&parentPage=search

[ChasHeliCop]

Wow,,, I got my fuse today, I didn't realize it was so big. It looks like the 500 would almost fit in there, if the boom was shorter.

[BlackTitanium]

Just wanted to make a correction to my build setup.

I do not have a Futaba 9257 servo installed on the rudder.
I just took it apart, for photos , and discovered that I have a Futaba S3154 Servo installed for the rudder.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=47533&stc=1&d=1210265928

[ChasHeliCop]

Hey BT,

DId you ever measure the temps on you rbattery and ESC after flying the Hughes. My motor came in at 150* and ESC @146* Just curious, I need to do something about that.

[BlackTitanium]

Hey BT,

DId you ever measure the temps on you rbattery and ESC after flying the Hughes. My motor came in at 150* and ESC @146* Just curious, I need to do something about that.
No, I have not done any measurements. I have a NeuMotor 1107/2Y, it runs very cool, so I'm not concerned.

[heirmeistr]

I am trying to finish up on my HeliArtist build. I have question about the tail section though. They give you a wooden spacer (star-shpaed) that it suppose to go around your tail boom. I am afraid to install that. I think it would just induce vibrations. Did you use it? If not, what did you do? It is obvious to me that my current self made CF tail servo linkage will hit the fiberglass fuselage. I need something longer, thinner, and just as strong. What do you suggest? What did you do?
Thanks

[BlackTitanium]

Use some high density foam, and push it into the tail end.
This will absorb vibrations, and eliminate tail boom slop in the fuselage.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=44007&d=1207122803

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=44008&d=1207122803

[Felt]

I have to questions...

1) If I understand you correctly, the mechs are basically being held to the fuselage by tie raps?

2) Where did you get such little levelers?