View Full Version : Video of a new turbine helicopter
The Wren test pilot team have posted a video on YouTube.
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=k6HTLhyHAeQ
Testing is being done by Wren's team in Luxemburg - Lucien, Olivier and Eric. Lucien has been Wren's Turboprop pilot since the first turboprops in 2002 - his Wren 54-powered Tucano has probably won more trophies than any other turboprop-powered model and is still going well after 5 years.
Lucien did all the testing on the 44 turboprop prototypes - two engines, tested for over a year in three different airframes. He and Olivier, who is a helicopter pilot, are now testing the 44 heli engine. For this project, Lucien is chief engineer and Olivier is the pilot. They are in daily contact with Mike Murphy at Wren and we are delighted with the progress they are making.
Sara Parish
Wren Turbines
rkeith2
07-01-2008, 01:53 PM
That MW44 is getting me excited
DDragon
07-02-2008, 10:47 AM
That's a really nice design Sara. I especially liked the way the front of the frames protected the turbine.
Picked up my turbine on Monday. Should start the build soon. Thanks
lperagallo
07-02-2008, 02:17 PM
Ron,
First Paint........Now a turbine! What's going to get you turned on next!:tongue
Lou
bayselec
07-03-2008, 06:48 AM
Wicked video the ultimate RC heli.
Light for a turbine heli as well..
Is that a Henseleit factory built model or one they have modified themselves?
Cheers Rob
The modifications to take the turbine have been done by the Wren engineers. You can see that installation will be a lot more straightforward than with our 54 heli because the gearbox drops straight onto a conventional engine mount. Here's a pic of the 54 and 44 side-by-side to show size difference and the new gearbox shape.
Sara Parish
Wren Turbines
pbmdazza
07-16-2008, 06:35 AM
Sara
The big question is ....when will this be available for sale??????
Darren
I daren't try giving a date as there are so many things which can cause us to miss it. There are so many parts in an engine, and any one of them made wrong/late can mess things up. For example, someone at the foundry trips and breaks a batch of waxes (for castings) ... someone puts an incorrect figure into the CNC machine which is making parts, causing one dimension to be very slightly wrong, so that the error is only apparent when we receive and check the parts ... the starter motors arrive and the supplier has sent the wrong size ... etc etc. All these things have actually happened, and many more. That's why I will only give a date once everything is here and we have checked it all. Quite a number of the parts are here already, but not all of them. So at the moment "Sometime in the Autumn, we hope" is the best we can do.
Sara Parish
Wren Turbines
Matt Jenner
07-16-2008, 07:05 AM
Darren,(Daazaster)
they will be out later this summer, according to Ian contessa,
Matt,
That was our original prediction, but I spoke to Ian yesterday afternoon and he's now had the latest prediction - see my post above.
Sara Parish
Wren Turbines
pbmdazza
07-16-2008, 08:43 AM
Thanks Sara
i know what you mean if you say it will be here x date then peps want it out on that date.
but around autumn time sounds good to me.
i understand that it wont be available in kit form due to the build tolerences but is there any idea on the price?
Darren
lperagallo
07-16-2008, 08:54 AM
Sara,
I hope Chris get get his hands on a 44 soon.:thumbup: I'm still waiting for the new 44Magnum that he has talked about. Can't really get to testing without an engine. I'm sure he has been bugging you for an engine also, so I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents since I'm number two on his list. He's number one on his list........Boy and I thought customers came first:wow2: :cheers
Cheers,
Lou
Thanks Sara
i understand that it wont be available in kit form due to the build tolerences but is there any idea on the price?
Darren
It's expected to be 2500 GB Pounds including VAT in the UK and approx.4250 US Dollars. The exact dollar price depends on the pound/dollar rate when the engine is launched.
Sara Parish
Wren Turbines
pbmdazza
07-16-2008, 02:41 PM
i know that the thrust version of 44 is not available as a kit and nor will the heli/generator version, but for thoese that may already have a 44 thrust engine will they be able to purchase the second stage and gearbox to convert it to a two stage setup?
Darren
No, the thrust engine can't be used as a first stage and we won't be selling the second stage and gearbox as a separate item. The engines will be available as complete units, no other option. The only way to convert a 44 thrust engine into a heli engine is to sell the first and put the money towards the second!
Sara Parish
Wren Turbines
Bell Bloke
07-17-2008, 04:38 AM
What? :WOW No home build on the MW44 baby turbine? :bawl:bawl:bawl
No way! Even the two people who DO build them have days when they don't go right. Just a few microns difference on a part can make the difference between a good engine and a poor one. The guys often have to mix and match from a batch of parts to get it right, they can't usually take one compressor, one shaft, one wheel, one combustion chamber etc etc off the shelf, put them together and have a good engine. We wish it happened like that, but it doesn't.
Sara Parish
Wren Turbines
Bell Bloke
07-17-2008, 05:26 AM
:bawl:bawl:bawl
fr8brkr
07-22-2008, 10:11 AM
Sara,
Count me as # 3 on Chris's list for a MW44 magnum !! Another couple of months is no big deal.
Gizmoman
08-01-2008, 09:10 PM
Hello;
I'm a long time helicopter flier and for a change of pace I am considering giving turbines a go. My interest at this point is a pod/boom configuration.
After doing some investigating I've decided on the Century Predator conversion with the Wren 54 turbine. Having also found some mention of the Wren 44 I've sent off an email to Wren with a few questions but have not yet heard back. In the meantime I found this forum and thread which has answered my questions; the Wren 44 is not yet available, no it won't be available as a kit, and from the photo it will require a different frame conversion set than used with the 54.
I would much prefer to assemble the first stage myself so that means staying with my original plan of getting the 54 but what are the advantages/disadvantages of the 54 versus the 44? Should I reconsider?
I expect that size, weight, power, and fuel consumption are likely answers but are there other factors? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Giz
lperagallo
08-01-2008, 09:40 PM
Gizmoman,
I don't think your questions can be answered yet because there hasn't been any real experience with a number of helis or flights. While the MW44 is lighter, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will perform better. It should in theory, but without a general release it's hard to tell. There are many people patiently waiting for its release so we can see how it will affect the next generation of turbine birds.
Lou
Bell Bloke
08-02-2008, 06:27 AM
I think that on paper because of the weight advantage of the Wren 44 over the 54, the 44 will be more agile even though the 54 develops more power. It's also highly likely that the Wren 44 will be faster than the Wren 54 for that same reason. This is of course only the case if the your Wren 44 powered heli is smaller and lighter than an existing say Wren 54 Predator conversion. This Wren 44 is also only going to be of any real benefit if you fly 3D, if you are a scale type flier you would benefit more from the Wren 54 and it's extra power.
And make no mistake, there is still nobody out there that I know of who has turned a Wren 54 up to full power and has got away with it. People have tried oh yes! The result is that it normally hurls their fancy beefed up helicopter drive train into next doors cabbage patch! Although I suspect that Mr Bergens machines might well cope with a fully unleashed 54. But they are bigger and heavier than a smallish pod and boom like the Predator, so your back with a weight trade off again. However those larger Bergen machines are designed not for 3D stuff, but for work, ie lifting! And they do appear to lift quite alot............you know.......felled trees, blocks of stone, lead onto church roofs, small European cars....regular stuff.
pbmdazza
08-02-2008, 10:54 AM
the other reason peps are waiting for the 44 is because the gear box has the same mounts as any 90 size nitro. makeing conversion a lot more simple to home produce. personaly i think it would go well into a trex700 or a synergy. the posibilities are almost endless
Bell Bloke
08-02-2008, 10:58 AM
Or maybe even a Century Hawk or Rapter 60! How cool is would that be, tiny helis with turbines. :YeaBaby:
Hello;
. Having also found some mention of the Wren 44 I've sent off an email to Wren with a few questions but have not yet heard back.
Regards,
Giz
Sorry about that - I'm usually quite quick with email response but I was away for a few days last week and came back to an overloaded inbox. I must have missed your mail somehow, could you re-send it?
Many thanks to all the fliers who have helped answer Gizmoman's questions on this thread!
Sara Parish
Wren Turbines