Whiplash G2 production build...

[rcnut]

The swashplate is you normal build. I used red loctite instead of the blue, I've had one of the balls come part way out in the past.

The next pic is the rotor head. The blade grips are assembled. I pulled the thrust bearings out to see if they were greased. They have minimal grease, so I repacked them.

The head block has the "Whiplash" logo etched into it, and the washout arms have "X-Cell" etched which is a nice touch! The dampners are clear, the softer dampners.

The tail bag is impressive, the tail fin is painted to match the canopy. The tail case comes pre-assembled. As you will see, there are several step that are pre-assemble for you.

[rcnut]

As you can see the tail gears are beefy. The gear mesh is perfect! And they are very smooth. The control arm has been redesigned to be stronger. There is a lock-nut that holds the arm on. This is one of the problems the original design had, the screw backing out in flight. The tail blade grips have thrust bearings also! Nice...

The boom comes pre-assembled, so no need to setup the torque tube...measure and glue the bearings in place, lube the boom to slide the cups in place. Plus the torque tube ends are installed. The boom comes drilled for the tail case and front boom clamp assembly.

[rcnut]

Next up is the fuel tank. A nice touch here, the "X-Cell" logo is molded into the tank. I set the tubing length to 4-1/2". This allows the clunk to move freely inside the tank. The radio and battery tray is a a normal build.

The frame is nice and beefy! The first thing I noticed is the edges...they are smooth! No sanding needed, a welcomed touch! Usually the first thing I do with most builds, after reading through the manual, I gather up all the carbon fiber and start sanding the edges with 320 grit sandpaper. Well, not with this kit! The carbon fiber quality is better than most I have worked with.

[rcnut]

So now it is time to build the center section. The top bearing block is normal, but the center and lower bearing blocks are new. The one way bearing is now back to it belongs, on the mainshaft! The clutch bell is all metal and pre-assembled...ok, mostly assembled. I've checked the screws to see if they have been loctite, and they are, so no worries.

The pinion gear is 17 tooth, and the main gear is 117 tooth, which makes the gear ratio 6.88:1.

[rcnut]

As you will notice, the clutch stack is closer to the bearing blocks, and this center section builds up very strong. There is a thin strip of carbon fiber that is sandwiched between the top and middle bearing block and servo mounting rail. This adjusts the geometry (vertical) of the front cyclic servos to the swashplate.

I am using all BK servos on this build. The tail servo in installed prior to mounting the other side frame. It makes it much easier to install. So now you can add the left side frame.

Another note I forgot to mention...this kit comes with anodized blue washers, BLING!

At this point, the body doesn't look that strong or like much, but it will very shortly!

[rcnut]

So now it's time for the motor. I am using the Hanson 300 3D Max motor. This motor is well broke-in...and tuned to the Whiplash V1, so install and go fly! The motor mount is anodized! Not that dull gray color, but blue! So cool!

The kit comes with washers for the clutch shoe, for centering purposes. On top of the stack is the start shaft bearing block. I removed the bearing and turned it around so I can add the Jewel generator system, so I won't be using the start shaft to start the motor.

The motor drops right. The manual is a bit wrong as to where the motor mount bolts are placed. It is the front holes and not the rear, no big deal. The kit also comes with blue anodized spacers for the bottom stiffening plate and 4 bolts to compensate for the spacers.

You will notice one of the spacers is a bit longer than the others. This due to the way Zenoah made their motors. One of the mounting tabs (I believe it's the tab by the carb) is lower than the other three. If you don't use the longer spacer, it will warp the bottom plate and it will eventually crack.

[rcnut]

The landing gear is the Tuff Strut II. It is way better than the original design. The original landing gear was too stiff and would break the frame at the corners. This landing gear comes with the parts needed to make the conversion from the original. The skid tubes are anodized blue...nice touch!

[Rahulgaba]

Doing a great job with this rcnut!! Keep it up!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rcnut]

In the first picture, I am using the mini BK servo for throttle. That servo plate was a leftover from another kit. I drilled two holes next to the full size mounting holes on the frame. I inserted 2 MA PEM-nuts (I have a bunch of those in stock) on the back side and bolted the servo in place.

In the second pic, and on the left of the pic, is the new bottom bearing block, also pre-assembled. It is beefy and very smooth turning. The hub for the one-way-bearing is pre-assembled. The main gear has two sets of mounting holes...not sure why. The top of the main gear is the flat side, and the bottom is concaved (large taper). The main gear and one-way hub is a very tight fit, at least in my kit. So make sure you have the right holes (tapered on top) lined up. The crown gear assembly has a metal plat that sits on top, a spacer/shield. The hub for the crown gear is a snug fit.

And this is what it looks like installed into the heli. Sweet!

[rcnut]

And now the rotor head is installed...time to start programming! Pic 2-4 is what the bottom bearing block looks like installed, along with my BK tail servo. Those spacers (plastic blocks) come with the kit to place the servo close to the center of the boom.

The second to last pic shows the starter cup, which is temporary (until I install the Jewel generator system), but behind that cup is the main shaft. You will notice there are two main shaft collars holding the main shaft in place. This is additional support for the lower bearing block...preventing gouging in the carbon fiber, and the possible need to keep adjusting the block. I seriously doubt that block will move much as there is 3 blots per side holding the lower block in place. Pull up on the rotor head and slide the lower bearing block up against the one-way hub, hold the bearing block in place and tighten all 6 blots.

The last pic is a look at the pinion and main gear...before I install the Spartan Vortex controller.

Next up...laying out the servo wires, connecting the VX1n, GV-1, REX 7R receiver, and LiPo.

[rcnut]

So now the tail assembly in installed! The tail gears look great. The second to last pic, is the new filter assembly with back plate and the 3 stand-offs anodized blue. The cover plate has "X-Cell" painted on, and then clear coated. The cover screws are counter sunk, nice touch!

The last pic shows the electronics I've installed...soon the Jewel generator!

[rcnut]

I like using the RC Booya pins and needed to opened the canopy holes to accommodate the pins. I'm using magnets up front, so no thumb screws. However, and as an added touch, I used the supplied thumb screws as a cover for the outside of the canopy, so it appears that I am using the thumb screws. I forget where I purchased the magnets, but they have a counter sunk taper on one side, and I bought a bunch of 2.5mm counter sunk screws.

This new color scheme looks really good, and in the air! More on that later...


Coming up next, the maiden flight!

[Rahulgaba]

Looking forward to the flight vids now! Nice build!

[Yooper42]

Looks fantastic! Going to order one soon here...

[Hovergirl01]

My kit arrived today, I was super excited beautiful packaging and beautifully packed.

Unfortunately mine has no manual in the box. I emailed Scott at Cajun,
hopefully he can get one out to me.

Kandace

[rcnut]

Yea, I kind of got a manual. It was hacked up with hand written notes. However, I've built several Whiplash gas helis, so I am familiar with the build. Josef is in the process of finishing the manual. He is doing his best to get the manual out. Hang tight if you can, the manual will be posted very soon. MA was going to hold off sending out the kits for the manual, but the demand for this heli has been overwhelming!

MA has put together 300 kits for the first batch, and those are gone! They have orders somewhere around 900 kits!They are working 12-14 hour days to get these kits out. So give them just a bit more time.

In the meantime, you can study and start building with this manual http://www.hubschrauber.de/docs/ma10...hgmanuallo.pdf This is the original assembly manual, and it includes the flybar head, but it will help you get started...and I can help with the rest.

[rcnut]

The new production Whiplash G2, the first day out! Mark is having fun putting his finger prints all over my new Whippy! He was inspecting the tail gears...and everything else. Kind of like double checking my build and verifying it is ready to go!

I am so excited, but a bit nervous!

[rcnut]

So here is the last of the pics! ...for now! LoL! This heli really looks great as a static display, but I need to fly it!

First flight...

I went through the final check with Mark looking over as well. I powered up the radio and heli, and did a final check of the electronics and controls. Did the servo/swashplate movement verify and the tail...everything is good to go! I filled the tank and started the motor.

The motor was purring like a kitten. I had my cell phone in hand to have Mark record a video, but he decided to use his. I carried my new heli out to the landing pad (an area of grass) and spooled up the rotors. My new heli is beginning to "sing" with RPM and began to rise up into the air. It's airborne! And what a beauty it is in the air!

Very smooth, solid hover, and quiet. That day, it was very windy (around 20 mph) and cold (57 degrees), with the wind right in our face! Burr, I had wished I brought my radio glove, however, the excitement over rode the cold and I didn't even notice my fingers were getting cold!

My Whippy hovered very nicely, and now it was time to fly it around the field. This heli tracks as if it was on rails, very straight and predictable. Even thou I've flown the version 1 many times, this one feels different, better, more connected. It still has the Whiplash feel from the original design, but better!

So I perform a few loops, rolls, stall turns, noticing I need to make adjustments in the radio to fit my flying style and feel. It feels great so far, so I advance into some 3D maneuvers. This heli performed them very well. About half way into the flight, the motor starts acting a bit funny. So I shoot the first auto with the first problem!

My heli won't go into throttle hold? Come to find out later, the GV-1 had a setting out of place and would only go into throttle hold in normal mode. So I land and shut it down. In the last pic is a section of fuel tubing that was rubbing against the clutch bell...ok? Not sure how that happened...ok, I do. This kit has another cool feature, there are two holes drilled into the carbon fiber to allow for the fuel lines to route through.

The kit comes with grommets for the fuel lines...well, I didn't find those grommets until after I was finished building and ready for the test flight. I said I would fix that later, after the day of testing and flying. Well apparently the return fuel line was longer than I thought and it was rubbing against the clutch bell. It rubbed most of the line and allowed some fuel to splash on the frame.

Mark had a fitting (from his nitro fuel jug) that he let me use to temporally to keep on flying! I cut the bad section out and used the fuel fitting to connect the two lines back together. I topped off the tank and proceeded to get another flight! Everything was going great, I was going through most of the maneuver I know how to do, one step at a time, until the dreaded motor cutting out...sputtering.

Uh oh! I take off and climb as high as I can before I run out completely. I'm about 100-150 high and the motor dies. Spin around and start my decent. Now I'm coming down crosswind, and everything is going good, nice head speed, smooth decent, and then the winds pick up and start pushing my heli sideways.

Hindsight here: I should have turned my heli into the wind and tilted the nose up, but I didn't do that. Instead, I banked (right aileron) my heli into the wind trying to keep the heading I was on, and lost the air from under the disk. The heli started loosing head speed and I reduced the collective pitch to compensate and gain some back before touching down...so now I'm committed here with only 40-50 feet left.

The pitch does nothing to the fast decaying head speed and SMACK! Right into the ground! My heli landed flat and flipped over on it's side. Great! Not what I wanted to do! The damage was minimal...landing gear, snapped a bolt off the boom support clamp, broke a cyclic servo arm and damaged the plastic link, popped off one blade link, cracked the bottom of the canopy, and broke the painted tail fin. : oops:

That pretty much sucked all the fun out for the day. I didn't even want to continue fly for the rest of that day. Mark, on the other hand, had brought his Whiplash gas heli with a bunch of upgrades to almost make it a version 2. He calls it his G1.5 Whippy! LoL! His first flight went way better than mine...landing in one piece.

I pulled out my Agile 7.2 gasser and put up 2 flight on it. I have to say, the Agile doesn't compare to the way the Whiplash flies! The Whiplash flies and feels better! So later that night, I made repairs to my Whippy, having parts for the version 1. New landing gear, new boom clamp, and a stock tail fin, fixed the return fuel line, inserted the rubber grommets, replaced the broken servo arm, and reset the swashplate.

Sunday's test flight went much better! i put up 3 flights on my new Whippy, getting it dialed in to my likings. It flies just as good as it did the first flight, but only "broken-in" now...the first crash out of the way.

This heli can really take a hit! As hard as it hit the ground, we had expected way more damage to occur, but that wasn't the case.

I am heading out later today for some more Whippy flying! Now it's time to tune the motor. I still need to add the Jewel generator system and install the Zimmerman muffler.

Till next time!

[Rahulgaba]

Oh man! Good write up! Glad the damage wasn't bad there ... I agree with you, I have crashed my whiplash V2 myself.

Mine didn't come down on the skids , it came down tail down into the ground.. but it took it like a champ!!! Tail is ofcourse damaged but no gears gone, nothing on the frame!!! It's perfect!!! I'll be up in the air soon myself .

Awesome to hear that after that you were able to get it up again.. and good flights on it!


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[jharkin]

Wow you actually broke the tuff struts???!!

I remember when I was first learning autos I had a gear strip and panicked and did a downwind auto. Hit so hard that it boom stuck with enough force to bend the entire tail boom in half....

But the tuffstruts survived.