RADIO CONTROL HELICOPTERS
By Eric Hawkinson
319 Yellowstone Ave., Billings MT 59101 E-mail: [email protected]
It's another great month to be enjoying the sport of radio control (RC) helicopters! I'll delay the flying-site discussion I started in the last issue as it applies to helicopters because I have one new product category and a new version of an old product to write about, and that will no doubt use up my allotted space.
Thunder Tiger Raptor 50 V2
Last month I wrote that Thunder Tiger's U.S. distributor—Ace Hobby Distributors—had announced that the Raptor 50 V2 (Version 2) was due to arrive soon. Well, it has. The 50 V2 should be a good choice for 3-D performance at a lower price than the 60-size machines. As did the Raptor 30 V2s, the new Raptor 50 V2 has many improvements and a higher price tag.
Improvements and features:
- All the V2-format changes found on the Raptor 30 V2: new clutch and bell, improved frame set, one added bearing in the start-shaft system, a larger start shaft, and head changes that make the 30 and 50 V2s fly more smoothly with a wider range of blades.
- The 50 already had a metal swashplate, a carbon lower frame brace, a full set of 49 bearings, and the "60-style" tail hub; these remain in the new version.
- Mount, fan, and gearing for the Thunder Tiger or O.S. .50 engines.
- Longer tailboom and belt that allow blades as large as 600 millimeters (mm) in diameter to take advantage of the 50's power.
- New, firmer blue dampeners in the head block and the improved canopy used on the 30 V2.
Packaging and accessories:
- V2 kits include a nice-running rugged muffler that fits the Thunder Tiger .50 or O.S. .50, and a header tank with a plastic bracket.
- I don't care for the Thunder Tiger tank; it slips in the bracket.
- Including a muffler in every kit seems unnecessary for many buyers upgrading from a Raptor 50 V1 (or other 50 machine); it should be an option to allow a lower kit price.
- A nice standard upgrade in the kit is the split-gear constant-drive arrangement (this part can be added to the Raptor 30 V2 as an option). This provides full tail authority during autorotations.
- At press time I was informed that a set of 600mm carbon-fiber blades will be included in kits sold by dealers who buy from the U.S. distributor. This is a great value, and kit pricing appears to be affected by only approximately $10–$15 for this upgrade. (People who bought their kits early and did not get the carbon blades should contact their dealers.)
Price and performance:
- The Raptor 50 V2 should be popular with the 3-D crowd. Street price should be in the $370–$390 range.
- This price puts it on par with the bladeless Hirobo Sceadu 50 kit and nearly $100 less than the JR Voyager 50.
- For that price you get much higher performance than a 30-size machine, moderate parts costs, and easier autorotations. Engine, muffler, fuel, and repair costs will be a bit more than for a 30-size machine but significantly less than for 60- to 90-size helicopters.
Engine choices and shop experience
My Raptor 50 V2 will be flying shortly. I chose the O.S. .50 for power because it is almost perfect in every way: powerful, smooth, and consistent. I have several helicopters flying with the O.S. .50. Although the Thunder Tiger .50 is a legitimate choice and offers a bit of savings, I wanted the small amount of extra power and user-friendliness that the O.S. offers. That's the same reason I have an O.S. .70 in my Raptor 60.
All three of the new series of Thunder Tiger helicopter engines have been working well. In the case of the .50 and .70, you have other choices and may prefer to spend a bit more on the O.S. versions. However, my shop has many customers who are using those Thunder Tiger engines and are pleased with the performance and the lower price. This is a notable improvement from the first-generation Thunder Tiger helicopter engines (the .36, .46, and .61); Thunder Tiger has obviously learned a great deal since those first engines were designed.
A number of pilots are buying the Thunder Tiger .39 to replace the venerable O.S. .32 SX-H in their favorite helicopters to gain a significant power boost. I am making the same swap in my Kyosho Caliber 30. The Thunder Tiger .39 is not nearly as user-friendly, and I still advise beginners to buy the O.S. .32 (which sells for nearly the same price). Until O.S. makes a 40-size helicopter engine, it is going to lose a lot of market share to the more powerful offering from China.
Altech XRB — tethered double-rotor trainer
For something completely different, Altech has released a new category item: the double-rotor XRB machine. The XRB is a sub-$300 package that includes a tethered helicopter with a Lama-ish body and dual-stacked counter-rotating main blades, a power supply, and an RC-style controller.
Key characteristics:
- Counter-rotating main blades mean no tail rotor is required; yaw is achieved by changing the speed of one or the other set of main blades and is quite effective.
- Power for the controller and the helicopter is provided by the same AC adapter and cords—no battery packs to charge, and no battery-pack weight or duration limits.
- The tether provides power and control inputs, which limits range and maneuver types.
What the XRB is good for:
- Positioned as a "toy" for those who want an RC helicopter but can't afford one, or as a training and practice aid for those who have an RC helicopter and/or simulator.
- Especially useful if you don't own a computer or if you use a Macintosh (where some simulators may not be available). The XRB is the least expensive and most effective training aid available for those users.
- It can't do all of the maneuvers that a simulator can, but it has one big advantage: it is real. It really can fly, and it really can crash—which helps train real-world nerves and stick-and-rudder feel.
Flight characteristics and safety:
- The XRB is stable enough to fly hands-off if you have any simulator or helicopter time, but you can still practice hovering, slow flight, and various side-on and nose-in attitudes in the real world.
- Vertical response is brisk—more than you would expect from a fixed-pitch machine.
- Its light weight and tethered nature make it practical primarily for indoor use. Maintain good clearance between the helicopter and any obstacles, pets, or people, even though the foam blades present minimal risk.
Package contents and maintenance:
- The package from Altech includes three sets of spare blades, training gear, and some other parts. We expect that any other repair parts will be readily available if needed.
Until next time, fly safely and happy rotoring!
— Eric Hawkinson
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
