The Frankenbelt is complete!

[another_finn]

It has been a long and interesting journey - but I think this one has finally arrived. This abomination started life as a bone stock RTF Belt CP, but as parts wore out or proved unsatisfactory I started figuring out what you can do to make it better. At this point it's only sort of on topic in the Belt CP section, but since many of you guys have watched it grow and contributed your compatible parts ideas I thought you should see the end result.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3240/2482815218_0bd46e779f_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/74006048@N00/2482815218/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3189/2482001513_570e1cee5c_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/74006048@N00/2482001513/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3235/2482103897_5637b5e5a0_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/74006048@N00/2482103897/)


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2393/2482918030_91a05664bd_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/74006048@N00/2482918030/)

Upgrades:
T-Rex 450 SE V2 frame and gears
T-Rex 450 S alloy/plastic head
Microheli T-Rex 450 Uni swashplate
Microheli Precision Tail Pro SE V3
SG90s on the swash
DS285 tail servo
AR7000 receiver
Hobbywing 3A/5A UBEC
HeliArtist MD500D N23CP fuselage

Esky parts remaining:
3800 kV motor and 25 A ESC
Carbon fiber tail boom
Belt
0704A HH gyro

Frankly, it was more interesting while it still had the Esky plastic frame... but I couldn't get the servos to fit in the MD500 fuselage so it had to go. All the rest was on there while it was still a Belt CP. The point is, I replaced most of the parts repairing crash damage and normal wear and tear... so I essentially built a piecemeal T-Rex for not much more than I would have spent on Esky parts and upgrades. That might be something to think about before spending money on the purple bits :)

Maybe I should get a barebones and go a different route next time? I'd love one chopped down to King II size...

[Ian 777]

looks wonderful Mika:thumbup:

Whats it fly like? how much does it weigh? and can we have a vid. please?:)

[helihathnofury]

A flying egg reborn!!!!!! Looks very cool Mika, great effort, and looking fwd to vids!!!!!!!

Mike

:thumbup:

[mnwizard]

I like it!!! :thumbup:

[Jonnyheli]

That is stunning... Its nice to see a belt cp has a fuselauge which isn't an airwolf! But I really do like the airwolf aswell:P I would like to see a belt cp with an apache fuse with guns and the lot!

-Jonny

[Ian 777]

Have you flown it yet Mika??

[another_finn]

I spent a couple of batteries in test hovers yesterday, and it was a real joy to fly - the motor wasn't straining anywhere near as much as I feared, and the extra weight made it really stable. I haven't weighed it yet, but the fuselage is supposed to add 269 grams.

Sounds like a lot of extra weight to haul around, but it does make my HDX450 look a whole size class smaller :)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3021/2483214787_1efcaa76a6_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/74006048@N00/2483214787/)

The fuselage and those 325 blades do an excellent job of trapping the wind, though... We had 22 mph gusts today, so you can tell I'm fighting it all the way. Not having a cameraman handy didn't make it much easier, as I kept glancing at the camera display and trying to stay in the picture.

6r3na6VQBDA

I actually almost bought an Airwolf first, but decided to go with this long-standing favorite after the 'Wolf became practically the standard canopy over at HG ;)

The Apache is another old favorite, along with the Cobra and Huey... They all just need the elevated tail mechanics, which I didn't feel like tackling on my first 450 size scale build. Perhaps one day...

[helihathnofury]

Fantastic Mika, So nice top see a co0pter look like an actual copter. Looks like she flies well too.

Congrats,

Mike
:clappp:clappp:clappp

[Ian 777]

That looks great Mika, in spite of the wind, it'll be lovely in still air. Very pretty looking birch wood too :thumbup:

[mnwizard]

You are a brave, brave man Mika! :noteworthy

[Ber60]

I even like the sound ( growl ) it makes :drool::thumbup:

[helihathnofury]

.....he's either brave, or [more likely] very good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike

:noteworthy:noteworthy:noteworthy

[Ronniebiggs]

Excellant flying. Nice vid.

:clappp

I wouldnt have dared to fly in them winds:thumbup:

Andy

[DierWolf]

Looking good...

[another_finn]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I'll take stupid and lucky any day of the week ;)

All that fiberglass does make a wonderful amplifier... I had to put some double sided sticky pads on the aileron servo and tail mechanics to dampen the contact points and make the sound more of a growl than a rattle.

...of course that means when I eventually damage the paint it will get some olive drab and an MP3 player. We all know the movie :D

[mnwizard]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I'll take stupid and lucky any day of the week ;)

All that fiberglass does make a wonderful amplifier... I had to put some double sided sticky pads on the aileron servo and tail mechanics to dampen the contact points and make the sound more of a growl than a rattle.

...of course that means when I eventually damage the paint it will get some olive drab and an MP3 player. We all know the movie :D

I love the smell of napalm in the morning......

[drewpyfz6]

Hi Mika,
Thats looking real smooth - these bodies do add a lot to the handling.
It coped really well with the wind too.... well done. :noteworthy

drew

[Ian 777]

Thats interesting, scale bodies improve handling in what way??

Also what is the effect on the flight time:)

[DierWolf]

That body improves handling a bit coz of the shape, the airwolf however makes it worse :)

[Ian 777]

Do you know any others that are any good?

[another_finn]

Thats interesting, scale bodies improve handling in what way??

Also what is the effect on the flight time:)
Well, technically he said they add to the handling. I've certainly noticed myself handling it a lot more since I got the fuselage installed :bad

Obviously all that weight isn't adding any flight time, but my Esky 2100s from last summer are getting too old to tell the difference... They're giving up way too soon with or without the fuselage.

It might all be in my head, but I do think the weight (and yes, quite possibly the shape) makes it more stable than it's ever been. When the wind isn't throwing it all over the backyard, that is :roll:

[Ian 777]

Did you do the paint job Mika?

[another_finn]

Comes pre-painted... If I was resposible, that straight white bar under the front door would taper off to follow the curve from the rear. Then again, the shiny black belly probably wouldn't be that smooth and shiny...

They do have an all-white version that's considerably cheaper, though. I wish it had been available when I got mine. I would still be building the rocket pods ;)

[Ian 777]

Looks great but I agree about the white line

[Ronniebiggs]

Hmm just thought Frankenbelt. What the hell do I call mine then:shock:

Its not a Trex it has a belt head (But not for long:YeaBaby:) and thats all belt. HDX frame?

Heinz 57:YeaBaby:

?