First scale... UH-60 Blackhawk

[GoFastMike]

I've been at these rc heli's for a little over a year. Accumulated my fair share of everything from a 4g6s to an hk500gt with a fbl 250 and a couple 450's in between. The 500 has been sitting in a closet while I learned to fly on with other birds, especially the sweet little 4g6. At the same time I've been learning to fly the real deal... Robinson R22's just down the road a bit, have almost 10 hours... can actually hover a real f'ing heli. Man, talk about constant attention... the full size experience is just something else.

So I picked up a 500 class UH-60 Blackhawk from RC Aerodyne on sale. Very nice package, arrived very quickly albeit without assembly instructions. Thanks to this forum and others I've been able to figure it out basically. I'm running an HK500GT for frame, Align servos, turnigy motor and esc, and walkera receiver. The pod and boom 500 had a 780 gyro but I'm installing a beastx, just finished bolting one to the trex250... and after a couple three passes at setup, it flies really nicely.

I've got a 4 blade rotor head enroute. The tail is going to be a other whole ball of wax. The kit comes with a tail drive cable that replaces the torque tube. Right now I'm just barely able to line the main frame up so the tail fits in the fuse and the cyclic links fit within the cutouts. The frame needs to move back a bit to clear the top magnet mount pieces but the cable is just that much too long and pushes the angled tail mechanism back. I've heard the cable is a possible failure point... some have migrated to a true torque tube... we'll see, for now I"m going with the cable.

This scale business is another whole dimension. The correct setup on rotorhead, tail, gyro, etc still applies... but now you have to package it up into a framework that's not necessarily pod and boom friendly. Making things fit, getting fasteners tight, feeding stuff through small holes with fat fingers... then to get it right. Wow. What a nice feeling.

Here's a few snaps. Making progress.

[Capsilus]

Looks very nice. I'm just getting into heli's, i have nice scale warbirds but flying PhoenicRC has got me the scale heli fever.

I really like the AH-64D 600/50 size kit for the Trex 600. Trying to get advise right now to see where i should go for the raised tail mechanic parts.

After the AH i'm going for the Blackhawk for sure.

Cheers and happy flying

[JoseReyes]

Originally Posted by GoFastMike

I've been at these rc heli's for a little over a year. Accumulated my fair share of everything from a 4g6s to an hk500gt with a fbl 250 and a couple 450's in between. The 500 has been sitting in a closet while I learned to fly on with other birds, especially the sweet little 4g6. At the same time I've been learning to fly the real deal... Robinson R22's just down the road a bit, have almost 10 hours... can actually hover a real f'ing heli. Man, talk about constant attention... the full size experience is just something else.

So I picked up a 500 class UH-60 Blackhawk from RC Aerodyne on sale. Very nice package, arrived very quickly albeit without assembly instructions. Thanks to this forum and others I've been able to figure it out basically. I'm running an HK500GT for frame, Align servos, turnigy motor and esc, and walkera receiver. The pod and boom 500 had a 780 gyro but I'm installing a beastx, just finished bolting one to the trex250... and after a couple three passes at setup, it flies really nicely.

I've got a 4 blade rotor head enroute. The tail is going to be a other whole ball of wax. The kit comes with a tail drive cable that replaces the torque tube. Right now I'm just barely able to line the main frame up so the tail fits in the fuse and the cyclic links fit within the cutouts. The frame needs to move back a bit to clear the top magnet mount pieces but the cable is just that much too long and pushes the angled tail mechanism back. I've heard the cable is a possible failure point... some have migrated to a true torque tube... we'll see, for now I"m going with the cable.

This scale business is another whole dimension. The correct setup on rotorhead, tail, gyro, etc still applies... but now you have to package it up into a framework that's not necessarily pod and boom friendly. Making things fit, getting fasteners tight, feeding stuff through small holes with fat fingers... then to get it right. Wow. What a nice feeling.

Here's a few snaps. Making progress.

Try this site

https://picasaweb.google.com/m/viewe...71410308672753
I used it to put my HH-60J Jayhawk together...

[GoFastMike]

Well... nixed the cable drive, reading about several failures kind of makes it pointless if everyone ends up with torque tube. So I've got the scale frames enroute to lower the tail drive along with the rest of the required tt angle drive bits. So it's hurry up and wait...

[JoseReyes]

Originally Posted by GoFastMike

Well... nixed the cable drive, reading about several failures kind of makes it pointless if everyone ends up with torque tube. So I've got the scale frames enroute to lower the tail drive along with the rest of the required tt angle drive bits. So it's hurry up and wait...

Which angle drive did you get? Hopefully, not the Align one...it will not hold, the gears are too small. I ended up custom-building my own. However, there's another thread here talking about the heliartist one, which could be a winer.
https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=387148

[GoFastMike]

Originally Posted by JoseReyes

Which angle drive did you get? Hopefully, not the Align one...it will not hold, the gears are too small. I ended up custom-building my own. However, there's another thread here talking about the heliartist one, which could be a winer.
https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=387148

Yeah, I got the align gearbox... have to start somewhere. There's always a weak link. I'm still working on the basics like how to mount the frame to the fuse, the silly little screws they supply seem woefully inadequate. The tail rudder servo mount... where and how best to do that. I think I like the flex cable for tail pitch, I've seen a couple examples that make it look much easier than the hard rods. It also looks like I need to rethink where the other electronics mount up so I have access once it's all in the fuse.

[JoseReyes]

Originally Posted by GoFastMike

Yeah, I got the align gearbox... have to start somewhere. There's always a weak link. I'm still working on the basics like how to mount the frame to the fuse, the silly little screws they supply seem woefully inadequate. The tail rudder servo mount... where and how best to do that. I think I like the flex cable for tail pitch, I've seen a couple examples that make it look much easier than the hard rods. It also looks like I need to rethink where the other electronics mount up so I have access once it's all in the fuse.

I put a link on one of my post to you that details how to make an aluminum mount to mount on the fuselage. Have you taken a look at the site?

I mounted the rudder servo on the side frame of the heli.. you will also see that on Marcel's build thread below

I guess when I posted the link from my cell phone is doesn't work.. so below is the correct link...

Here is the correct link: https://plus.google.com/photos/10036...753?banner=pwa

[GoFastMike]

Originally Posted by JoseReyes

I put a link on one of my post to you that details how to make an aluminum mount to mount on the fuselage. Have you taken a look at the site?

I mounted the rudder servo on the side frame of the heli.. you will also see that on Marcel's build thread below

I guess when I posted the link from my cell phone is doesn't work.. so below is the correct link...

Here is the correct link: https://plus.google.com/photos/10036...753?banner=pwa

Oh sure, I've been through all those pics. Great build. It looks like you're running a cable in those pics, have you changed over to torque tube since then? I do like the servo in the frame with a cable, looks stable and easily serviceable.

[JoseReyes]

Originally Posted by GoFastMike

Oh sure, I've been through all those pics. Great build. It looks like you're running a cable in those pics, have you changed over to torque tube since then? I do like the servo in the frame with a cable, looks stable and easily serviceable.

That site belongs to Marcel from Europe... I started with a flex cable, but it gave up on me on my 10th flight and it snapped on my way to land. Then after that ended up converting to torque tube... that was a challenge but I got it done...

There are several guys on this forum doing the same torque tube conversion to their HH-60 Black Hawk, Jayhawk, Seahawk....

Looks like some are trying the Heliartist elevated angle tail.. you may want to wait and see what they report... I custom built mine with the help of Vale71 from this forum.

[GoFastMike]

Been reading all the threads on this tail... cables,tt's,custom gears and fittings... pita just to get a reliable tail. Hope I can get it right without shredding a fuse.

Got the align 4 bladed head and angled tt drive components. Of course, the short shaft is too long and it's not the pinned version. The rotorhead is very nice. The tail is gonna be a chore. I have the scale frames enroute to lower the boom, so to speak. Pretty sure I can make up a drive rod the right length, get the mechanics all fitted right, then sort out where that puts the frame inside the fuse.

[JoseReyes]

Originally Posted by GoFastMike

Been reading all the threads on this tail... cables,tt's,custom gears and fittings... pita just to get a reliable tail. Hope I can get it right without shredding a fuse.

Got the align 4 bladed head and angled tt drive components. Of course, the short shaft is too long and it's not the pinned version. The rotorhead is very nice. The tail is gonna be a chore. I have the scale frames enroute to lower the boom, so to speak. Pretty sure I can make up a drive rod the right length, get the mechanics all fitted right, then sort out where that puts the frame inside the fuse.

Since you're going torque tube, I would put it together as a pod and boom and test it that way first, so if you run into problems you don't waist a nice fuselage. If you're going to use the Align angle tail, I can tell you from experience, it will strip... it can barely can handle two blades. The angle of the HH-60 or all the blackhawk counterparts in the 500 size from RCA have a slightly different angle on the tail from the Align counterpart... and yes, when you use the torque tube version, you will have to shorten the short boom and torque tube to make fit perfect, I have done this for both of my 500 size fuselages BO-105 and HH-60J Jayhawk. It takes some doing but you can get it done...the end on the torque tube is left hand thread. What I did was cut the torque to to size, then carefully pilled the outer metal shell of the torque tube from the end, then as evenly as possible grinded the end until it fits on the shorten version, then with a very tiny drill beat go through it and use a small pin to go thought. Make sure the measurements are correct or it will strip...

[GoFastMike]

Yeah, I figured I'd fly it without the fuse once I get the tail fitted as straight and true as possible. Plan to use a beastx so setup will be easier if done outside the fuse anyway, then I can tune if necessary once mounted.

I'm going to have to do something about headspeed. The turnigy 500 I have is 1800kv and with a 12T pinion I'm still at 2000ish at 75%. I've been reading 1300-1500 for 4 blade scale so looks like a different motor is in order. Bah. It's always something.

[JoseReyes]

Originally Posted by GoFastMike

Yeah, I figured I'd fly it without the fuse once I get the tail fitted as straight and true as possible. Plan to use a beastx so setup will be easier if done outside the fuse anyway, then I can tune if necessary once mounted.

I'm going to have to do something about headspeed. The turnigy 500 I have is 1800kv and with a 12T pinion I'm still at 2000ish at 75%. I've been reading 1300-1500 for 4 blade scale so looks like a different motor is in order. Bah. It's always something.

You will need a motor in the 1200 or below kv for 4blade setup.. I too use the beastx with and additional receiver... And 13T Pinion to get it flying in the 85% throttle range...

[GoFastMike]

Got the scale frames, have the servos installed along with a quick test fit of the scale angled tt drive. I have some extra tt bearings I think I'm going to use, put 2 in the main tail boom, 1 in the short tube, try to remove any and all slop. Next step is to fit this into the fuse, make the short tube even shorter.

[ozflyer]

Hi Mike

I had a look at your pics and the balls on the servo arms are mounted out as far as they will go any reason for that?

If you move them in a bit you will gain more resolution on your sticks and the heli will be smoother that looks more like a 3D setup where you want fast cyclic changes.

[JoseReyes]

Originally Posted by GoFastMike

Got the scale frames, have the servos installed along with a quick test fit of the scale angled tt drive. I have some extra tt bearings I think I'm going to use, put 2 in the main tail boom, 1 in the short tube, try to remove any and all slop. Next step is to fit this into the fuse, make the short tube even shorter.

Do you have the metal gear upgrade on those DS510??s You might want to consider upgrading if not already... the extra weight of the fuse will put undo stress on the plastic gears... extra piece of mind there.. if you know what I mean...

Also, with the Beastx, it recommends to use an external BEC as the demand is greater than usual...

[GoFastMike]

Geez... you know, I had a working 500 when I started this deal. It flew and everything.
Add a simple fuse and the list of required mods just keeps growing.

The servos were setup with the flybar head, just bolted them up to the new 4 blade head with zero setup. I did notice the balls need to come in one hole, on the list.

Stock 510's. I've read about the strain and metal gears... and I'm sure I'll get there at some point. Just not a priority right now, the tail has my attention for the most part.

Thanks for the input gents...

[FerretMaster]

Thought I would jump in here with a "heads-up" for an alternative for the flex cable and weak Align TT drive needed for the elevated tail/bent tail/cranked tail....whatever people are calling them.

SmartModel has just released a 500 size bent tail, torque tube drive based on their successfull 600-700 size offering. I have one on order and will be posting my findings as soon as it comes in and I get it set up in a test frame for pod and boom flight. It is supposed to be about mid-March when Kin gets the first example out. I understand he is waiting on the bevel gears.

At any rate....stay tuned for test results!

[GoFastMike]

Originally Posted by FerretMaster

Thought I would jump in here with a "heads-up" for an alternative for the flex cable and weak Align TT drive needed for the elevated tail/bent tail/cranked tail....whatever people are calling them.

SmartModel has just released a 500 size bent tail, torque tube drive based on their successfull 600-700 size offering. I have one on order and will be posting my findings as soon as it comes in and I get it set up in a test frame for pod and boom flight. It is supposed to be about mid-March when Kin gets the first example out. I understand he is waiting on the bevel gears.

At any rate....stay tuned for test results!

Hey, that's good news. Keep us posted.

Meanwhile, I made progress on getting the align hardware to fit better. Took the 4-spline collars off the end of the cable and sourced some 3/16" rod, made it 1" shorter than stock. It fits really close now, the fuse is in the best location to date, it's just a hair off still. I need to file the formers in the tail some to get that last bit then I think I can mount the frame.

[FerretMaster]

Great to hear GFM!!

I gather that you are using the stock Align high/normal tail drive gear located frames?

You can make a straight TT from the frame work with the HH/UH/SH-60 fuselage?

Please help the rest of us out with whatever fix you found. My fuse is still in the box waiting parts from China, and you know about the HK shipping issues!! In particular I am waiting on the new 500 size drop tube TT tail drive from SmartModel. I started out looking for the replacement frame sides for the lowered tail drive as offered by SmartModel and HeliArtist. Probably both the same. Kin at SmartModel was the only one to answer back and he offered the first test model of their new 500 bent tube drive to try and I jumped on it. I will post that evaluation here when the parts arrive! I still think the low drive frames will work, even for the belt drive with the addition of the TT upgrade available all over the place. Can't get anyone to sell just the frames!!

Oops....just looked back on the thread and saw the low frame drive location.....Crow tastes fine with enough tequila!!