Welcome to my RC Heli Blog

I hope to chronicle my build of a super affordable TRex 450 clone helicopter, complete and ready to fly for less than $200 USD! including a decent charger, transmitter, battery etc.
I intend to use cost effective parts to create something on par with its Align heritage!
I then plan on upgrading parts as they wear out or break (crash!).
At some stage in the future I intend to do similar with a TRex 600 Clone.
I used to fly a TRex 450 SA, which I had many dollars invested in. It flew well and it taught me to how to fly and setup rc helis.  I used a JR X2610 computer radio and had expensive align servos and esc. Gyro was a Telebee which never worked that well.

Upgrades II

Well i've been doing a few more things to the heli.
Firstly I have bought a Corona DSSS 2.4Ghz module and receivers, this gives a better signal and improved reception over the stock Turnigy module/receiver.
I managed to pick up the module with both an 8 channel and a micro 4 channel receiver which I intend to put in a small flying wing or similar.
This module/rx combo along with the digital servo's has bought a new kind of smoothness to the heli and is definately to be recommended.
My Hobbyking order has arrived and I have fitted the DIY backlight kit to my Turnigy 9x transmitter. Makes it a lot nice to use/program in low light conditions etc.
The carbon flybar paddles look really good, can't really notice a difference in handling but they do look the business :)
Recently I've put in another order with Hobbyking for a few items:
Assan MEMS Gyro
XT60 Connectors (for spares)
HXT900 gear sets (for my old damaged servos, probably put these into a plane)
The MEMS Gyro has the best type of sensor that Gyro's can come with, this should make the Heli even better. Hopefully I will be using this in a 600 sized electric heli at some stage!

Upgrades

Done a few mods to the heli since the last post.
Have upgraded a few bits as below:
Align V3 headblock - Stronger and better than HK one
Align V3 Tail boom and Tail drive support - enables me to also fit the one piece Align tail drive gear as you need to have split bearing holders.
Corona DS-919MG Digital Servos on Cyclic, super fast and strong metal gears. Make a huge difference to the smoothness of control.
A couple of sets of Fibreglass blades as spares.

Have a few things on order from Hobbyking specifically:
11 & 13 Tooth Pinions
Carbon Flybar Paddles (look really well made)
Turnigy 9x LCD Backlight Kit (this will be awesome! and only $5 USD, just waiting for stock)
New Gyro tape (as it was cheap)

Crash

Had a bit of a mishap.
Was doing some fast flight out the back of my house and somehow managed to misjudge a low turn, I smacked the heli in the side of my shed, only just caught the edge of the roof.
Broke both blades and bent the flybar, cracked the main rotor hub and broke two servo's.  The main shaft is badly bent too but thats about it. Not too major and its amazing how long the HXT900 servos have lasted given a couple of ground strikes and nearly 100 or so flights!
New parts on the way as well as a full re-setup of the swash etc.  Should be up and running in the next week or so.

New Canopy

I found an old airbrush while tidying up my garage, so I made an adapter for my compressor and tried to think of something to paint.
So I bought a new white fibreglass Align canopy and did a bit of masking and painted it up in an Orange pearl with chequers.  All painted details no vinyl.
Pic to come.

Flying

I've been flying a lot recently, doing a lot of big sky flying mainly.
Lots of fast circuits and just flying around.
Looking at doing a few minor jobs on the heli such as replacing the swash as it has a fair bit of play now.
Also looking at getting a screw pack as a few screws have been stripping there hex heads from being screwed/unscrewed.
Would also like to re-mount the gyro on some decent foam or gel type tape just for the sake of it.
Have replaced the skids with the 450 Pro skids after cutting the old ones down to use as a spacer. Pro skids have a different fixing.

Parts

I bought some Align one piece links for the head, these are called V3 parts as they are an upgrade for the 450SEV2.
Simplifies setup, just needed to resize them a little as they were a bit tight. Well worth the $7!