Thoughts on a HK 500 kit

[Flyextreme]

As far as I'm concerned, this is the best place to by Align....$609 shipped and that includes everything. Plus outstanding customer service (to say the least) http://www.performanceplusrc.com/ser...500-ESP/Detail Kirk is about the best guy you could ever deal with too.

You will spend more than that on the clone (unless you put junk on it). And I agree with all that has been said about needing experience to make most clones work....not to mention safe.

RAZA is right...if you get the complete Align combo, you are pretty much getting the airframe for free. I added all the things that came with my Align600esp that don't come with the clone and it all came out to over a $1,000 not including the airframe. If I take 25% off of that, it's about $750....$760 is what I paid for everything except RX& batts. That's like a free airframe. It's not all the best money can buy, but it's not crap either.

2 more cents, Bill

Bill

[sansone]

I bought the exi 450 to save money, after every crash (many) installed Align parts. NOW have a really good vibration-free heli.. A beginner has everything to gain when learning with an Align heli (or Blade400).. An experienced helipilot can spot the problems with a clone when assembling, a newbie will not see the problems. for that reason I tell newbies to learn on an Align 450 or Blade 400 .. I'm considering an EXI500 because I can NOW spot the problems upon assembly, but worried the cost will be driven up if too many parts need replacement

[slickcdb2000]

Well, you guys put up a good argument! Makes a lot of sense too! So taking ya'lls advice i'm just gonna go will align! So now comes to the next one... 500 or 600? I'm good on a sim, pretty good with my msr, decent with my B400.....

But I think i'll just skip everything on the Hobby King kit, go straight for the money pit

[burton8012]

http://www.helipross.com/t-rex-500-e...ior-combo.html

570.00 for the flybar one



get yours hear 770.00 for the 3G combo i bought my t-rex 700 from here was here in 6 days after order

[Rªzª]

Originally Posted by slickcdb2000

But I think i'll just skip everything on the Hobby King kit, go straight for the money pit

Hehe, see we see it the other way around. We know the clones always end up being the bottomless money pit.

[slickcdb2000]

Originally Posted by Rªzª

Hehe, see we see it the other way around. We know the clones always end up being the bottomless money pit.

Your probably right. I guess I should confess now. When I first got into r/c's I went to nitro surface vehicles. I found a nice "cheap" online store that sold, basically knock of r/c's. And yes I had hell to pay for it. Wouldn't run, wouldn't idle, cheaply made.....etc

I just thought that heli's may be different.

[TCipolla]

So I was visiting my parents and went to their LHS the other day. They were selling a used HK500GT for somebody. I looked it over, and from a distance, it seemed pretty nice. However, when I started playing with it, there was a ton of slop in the head and tail (could be because its used). the metal parts looked nice enough. I dunno, actually seeing one in person for the first time swayed me to not buy one.

on a side note, I saw a quite a few other helis in person for the first time. T-Rex 250...that thing is tiny! Blade MSR...even smaller!! Beam E4...what a nice machine!! Pictures on the internet do not do them justice!

[flipnap]

for what its worth: i bought a copter X because i had a TON of spare trex 500 parts (endless vibration sourcing filled my box with parts).. anyway, ive never built or owned a clone before and i have to say, it wasnt so bad. but that might be because i knew what i was doing and found all the "problem" spots easily (bad bearings here or there, etc).. i already owned all the electronics and had the spares i needed for swapping.. it was a good deal and it flies pretty much like my rex 500 (when it had a fbar). anyway, i guess when it comes down to it, i think if you are starting out you should go with a 500 ESP kit.. not that much money. learn to build on a solid machine. once you crash and rebuild a few times and start learning your way around a heli, buy a clone for the fun of it.. make a frankenstein monster out of it.. but for starting for sure go with a 500ESP (id stay away from 600's if moneys an issue for you)

[slickcdb2000]

ok.. well scratch the idea of getting a hk for build practice.... I was hovering around with my b400 today, in the wind, and..... well.... it got a little to close to the ground! And broke just about EVERYTHING on it! I now have a small pile of screws and a bunch of broken carbon fiber and bent aluminum. I got my work cut out for me putting this thing back together.

[nwmtech]

If there's a bunch of it broken then don't even bother. Order up a 500 and I gaurentee you that 10 seconds into the first hover with the 500 you'll have completely forgotten you ever owned a 400.

[Flyextreme]

Originally Posted by nwmtech

If there's a bunch of it broken then don't even bother. Order up a 500 and I gaurentee you that 10 seconds into the first hover with the 500 you'll have completely forgotten you ever owned a 400.

The Blade 400 taught me alot and got me hooked. But, I got a great deal on a Trex 450SE (bind-n-fly) the difference was like night and day....even more so with a 500. I tried to give the B400 some airtime because I felt that I owed the little guy something for teaching me alot about fixing problems because it had some. Some of which I wasn't even aware of untill I flew something to compare it to....oh! that's how they are supposed to fly/feel...

Get the Align 500esp....you'll wonder why you waited. And the wind won't dictate when/how you fly nearly as much.

[McKrackin1]

Originally Posted by nwmtech

If there's a bunch of it broken then don't even bother. Order up a 500 and I gaurentee you that 10 seconds into the first hover with the 500 you'll have completely forgotten you ever owned a 400.

I agree.
I love my 500's.
I have a ball with the 250's too but never quite got the 450 for some reason.
Maybe because it was so grossly under-powered.


Anywho...the 500 size(425mm blade)is about the best all around heli on the market.IMO.

[freewheel510]

I tried a HK500 for the same reason as you. I got plenty of wrenching experience, but little flying experience with it. Lucky or skilled people might get them to work, but not me!

I also have a Trex 250 mentioned somewhere in here. Ditto the above on it: it's so easy to crash!! And so HARD to work on with all those bitty parts.

Two thumbs up to the TRex 500 ESP. I got one, and except for dumb-a$$ mistakes -- big ones -- it just flies and flies, and I can go thru pack after pack just enjoying flying. Wind (to about 15 mph) is NO problem - the 500 just goes up and down a little in the gusts.

Wanna spend more time flying than fixing? Get a 500 ESP. The 600 rocks too, but parts are a LOT more expensive, and I don't think it's any more stable in flight than the 500. Maybe a tiny bit. But the 500 is an excellent heli.

[nwmtech]

Originally Posted by Flyextreme

The Blade 400 taught me alot and got me hooked. But, I got a great deal on a Trex 450SE (bind-n-fly) the difference was like night and day....even more so with a 500. I tried to give the B400 some airtime because I felt that I owed the little guy something for teaching me alot about fixing problems because it had some. Some of which I wasn't even aware of untill I flew something to compare it to....oh! that's how they are supposed to fly/feel...

Get the Align 500esp....you'll wonder why you waited. And the wind won't dictate when/how you fly nearly as much.

I actually started with a B400 too. Ended up selling it to get a 450Pro and OMG what a difference that was. Even with HS65's and a LGT2100 in the B400 it didn't fly 1/2 as good as the Pro. Probably would have saved myself a bunch of headache just starting with the Pro in the first place. Then again... I wouldn't have learned all that wrenching experience either, LOL.

[nwmtech]

Originally Posted by McKrackin

I agree.
I love my 500's.
I have a ball with the 250's too but never quite got the 450 for some reason.
Maybe because it was so grossly under-powered.

You had the wrong 450 then. 450 Pro with a Scorpion -8 motor, TP 2200mah 45c battery, Castle Ice50, and TP 325 blades turning at 3300rpm. That thing was a freakin' rocket!

[sansone]

you freaks talked me into spending hundreds moments ago, and I'm not the OP.. tried to get an Align500 barebones & you know the answer, none.. so as much as I've been suggesting the Align or Blade, I went with EXI500 carbon/cnc .. I made the 450 right over a short time so I'll just do it again with this 500.. At least I know what to look for this time

[Flyextreme]

Originally Posted by sansone

you freaks talked me into spending hundreds moments ago, and I'm not the OP.. tried to get an Align500 barebones & you know the answer, none.. so as much as I've been suggesting the Align or Blade, I went with EXI500 carbon/cnc .. I made the 450 right over a short time so I'll just do it again with this 500.. At least I know what to look for this time

For "some" people that want "barebones", the clones are just about the only game in town. And all clones are not created (copied) equal. I suppose they have there place with the right person.

[sansone]

yeah the 500 is coming tuesday, can't wait.. just flew my 450 to get the jitters cured sorry to hijack this thread, but this thread caused me to spend $200 moments ago, I gotta stop reading or I"ll buy something else

[sansone]

please forgive this pick (and pic)