RE: Colco Thunderbird  
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RE: Colco Thunderbird - 12/27/2004 6:50:31 PM   
crashbandit_ZA


 

Posts: 11
Joined: 12/25/2004
From: Cape Townwp, SOUTH AFRICA
Status: offline 		Are the servo's moving up and down while you are flying. If they are then you are getting glitches or interference. If your tail motor condition was bad it would explain some of the glitching. I have noticed that get a lot of glitching before a motor dies.
Is your radio 72Mhz or 35Mhz? Where do you live?


Make sure all the linkages to the rotor assembly are connected and nothing is loose or broken.
Make sure the flybar is centred and tightened down,( The grubsrews under the rotorhead, Use the allen key you got with the helicopter)

This has nothing do to with your gyro. If it is dificult to keep control of the tail then only look towards the gyro settings.

(in reply to Thunderbirded)
       Post #: 26

RE: Colco Thunderbird - 12/28/2004 3:28:07 AM   
Thunderbirded



Posts: 105
Joined: 12/17/2004
From: Laurel, MD, USA
Status: offline 		I live in Maryland in the USA

i have no i idea if the servos are glitching...after all, the heli is in the air and my eyesight isnt that good...

i have a 72Mhz

so if the flybar isnt centered then that could explain the swaying?
i dont think it is quite centered...im having trouble getting it perfectly centered...and my paddles keep twisting (VERY FRUSTRATING)
is there an easy way to get the flybar centered and the paddles at the exact same tilt???

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"I do not agree with a word that you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
-Voltaire

(in reply to crashbandit_ZA)
       Post #: 27

RE: Colco Thunderbird - 12/28/2004 8:22:47 AM   
indy



Posts: 121
Joined: 9/4/2002
From: Samobor, CROATIA, CROATIA (HRVATSKA)
Status: offline 		Hi guys,

Can anyone post pictures of following:

- mixerboard connections
- receiver connectors wiring
- gyro wiring

Just post pictures of them from bird that is working. Have been messing around and cant get it back to work anymore....
Seems to be that color for color system is not working.

TIA


_____________________________

Indy

(in reply to Thunderbirded)
       Post #: 28

RE: Colco Thunderbird - 12/28/2004 11:59:32 AM   
crashbandit_ZA


 

Posts: 11
Joined: 12/25/2004
From: Cape Townwp, SOUTH AFRICA
Status: offline 		After I broke my flybar the first time and had to replace it with a carbon fibre rod, I used a Mcdonalds straw, cut to 9cm length. I cut a piece of carbon fibre rod, and installed it on the helicopter and tightened the grub screws.
Slid the piece of straw over the one end of the flybar until the straw touched the plastic ball that the flybar goes through. I then marked the flybar at the end of the straw and cut it off a little bit before the mark. I then used a bench grinder to neatly grind away the last bit of rod so that it would have a smooth finish. I did the same on the other side.

Anyway long story but now it is easy to center my flybar, all I need to do is slide over the straw on one side and make sure that the flybar end is level with the straw end.

Then refit the flybar paddles. Try using superglue once the flybar paddle is tightened. You can always use ACETONE or Nail polish remover to remove the superglue later.

(in reply to Thunderbirded)
       Post #: 29

RE: Colco Thunderbird - 3/26/2005 6:41:42 AM   
vo2maxx


 

Posts: 1
Joined: 3/26/2005
From: , AZ, USA
Status: offline 		I just purchased my first rc helicopter from ebay at 110.00 shipped 2005 version, it took me two hours to make adjustsments for it to take off and hover around. I have owned a inexpensive three channel airplane and crashed it within 2 minutes beyond repair. This 2005 colco t-bird has crashed 35 times in a two hour window, never broke a thing, except a bruise on my hand I was flying it in my kitchen and it lost contact with the transmitter and decided to fly against the ceiling and would not power down so I grabbed it and attempted to pull the batteyr cable off and got whacked wiht the plastic blades. I have never flown anything before and this helicopter rocks for only a 100 bucks. Instructions are vague and I love the plastic blades. I am hovering decently and doing thre four feet travelling distance and landing with finesse most of the time of not running away from the blades since i fly it in very close quarters I wear my bike helmet and eye protection and a my goose down pillow in front of me in case I lose control of the tiny munchkin :>:>

I say it's a great firs helicopter - just takes patience, And yes I put the battery all the way forward and have no problems.
I have to say that she does fly to the right and I have to compensate for this on the right joy sitck so it will level out .

Awesome inexpensive rtf heli :>:>


TY

(in reply to Thunderbirded)
       Post #: 30

RE: Colco Thunderbird - 6/18/2005 4:55:56 AM   
vido1977


 

Posts: 5
Joined: 6/17/2005
From: Gary, IN, USA
Status: offline 		I don't know if anyone still is using this forum but aI just bought thunderbird and I am a little confused. When the box came in the mail today it didn's specify thunderbird. It said cyclone. is this right? I was trying to get the initial setup complete and i blew the tail motor. What a bummer. Is there a way to upgrade this motor to a better one that won't blow after less then five minutes....

(in reply to Thunderbirded)
       Post #: 31

RE: Colco Thunderbird - 6/18/2005 5:23:48 AM   
paedbo


 

Posts: 501
Joined: 2/11/2005
From: Bridgeport, CT, USA
Status: offline 		vido thats pot luck with the tail motors, buy plenty of spares, that is a very common problem with all micro heli's that havea a seperate motor driven tail.



and yes mine is actually called a cyclone on the box too, but it is the same thing as a thunderbird 2

(in reply to vido1977)
       Post #: 32

RE: Colco Thunderbird - 6/18/2005 3:35:52 PM   
Thunderbirded



Posts: 105
Joined: 12/17/2004
From: Laurel, MD, USA
Status: offline 		Yep, I HAD a cyclone too. After the tail motor blew I realized this really wasn't the best choice of helicopter. I haven't bought a new one yet, but this summer I am going to take a risk with an advanced heli and buy this one:

http://www.centuryheli.com/products/hummingbird_3d_pro_teaser/index.htm?currentid=300

The price is amazing and it seems like something I should try. Any thoughts?

_____________________________

"I do not agree with a word that you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
-Voltaire

(in reply to paedbo)
       Post #: 33

RE: Colco Thunderbird - 6/18/2005 4:50:24 PM   
crashbandit_ZA


 

Posts: 11
Joined: 12/25/2004
From: Cape Townwp, SOUTH AFRICA
Status: offline 		Thunderbirds are great helicopters and have a very nice feature of having seperate RX, Gyro and speedcontrol.
When setup correctly they fly beautifully. Ditch the CF flybar rod and use a 2mm stainless steel bicycle spoke, it gives you precise and smooth control.

How do you relate the tail motor blowing to the quality of the helicopter??? The tail motor is a consumable item on all electric tail driven helicopter. Just get a lot of them.
If you go to www.rchq.co.za you will see basically a site dedicated to the Thunderbird/cyclone.

Some guys are experimenting with a dual tail motor setup, you can also buy spares online, I should be getting my stock soon and will have around 200 tail motors.

Enjoy flying your TB's guys!!!

(in reply to Thunderbirded)
       Post #: 34

RE: Colco Thunderbird - 6/18/2005 5:53:05 PM   
paedbo


 

Posts: 501
Joined: 2/11/2005
From: Bridgeport, CT, USA
Status: offline 		whats your experience level with flying Thunderbirded?

I'm just wondering because even though the elite pro 3d doesnt have a tail motor, if you crash it you will be paying alot more for parts.

(in reply to crashbandit_ZA)
       Post #: 35

RE: Colco Thunderbird - 6/18/2005 10:39:39 PM   
paedbo


 

Posts: 501
Joined: 2/11/2005
From: Bridgeport, CT, USA
Status: offline 		heres a video of my cyclone/thunderbird II.

Its got a mabuchi 370 motor in it from heli-fever.com ( for the honey bee 2)
a 3 cell lipo 1000mah battery,

and other than that its stock.

http://www.magnut.net/cyclone.wmv

(in reply to crashbandit_ZA)
       Post #: 36

RE: Colco Thunderbird - 6/19/2005 12:25:09 AM   
Thunderbirded



Posts: 105
Joined: 12/17/2004
From: Laurel, MD, USA
Status: offline 		I do not like the idea of constantly replacing tail motors. It just seems illogical. I always wanted a heli with a shaft driven tail rotor. I do not agree with the idea that shaft driven will cost me more if I crash. I mean, a CP heli will always cost more in general, but I think replacing a few gears (which are metal...they won't break) would be a lot cheaper than buying motors. The HB Elite 3D Pro seems very sturdy and I would like to try it out.

_____________________________

"I do not agree with a word that you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
-Voltaire

(in reply to paedbo)
       Post #: 37

RE: Colco Thunderbird - 6/19/2005 5:54:46 AM   
paedbo


 

Posts: 501
Joined: 2/11/2005
From: Bridgeport, CT, USA
Status: offline 		well i meant your overall cost in repairs will be higher, even though the tail motors will cost you for the thunderbird, it can take a serious beating when it comes to damage, i have had a collective pitch honey bee 2, with hummingbird blades on it, and in 2 weeks time i had over $80 worth of damage. The same two weeks with the thunderbird i had about $18 worth of damage and that includes replacing the tail motor and main motor.


i like the collective pitch bird alot better than the fixed pitch, no comparison, but if i had to do it all over again i would of bought a fixed pitch heli that could take a beating until i could hover and do basic forward flight, then when i knew i was confident enough not to crash too often, buy a cp heli. and like you i hate motor driven tails, although on my honey bee i went and put a brushless tail motor on it, It worked pretty well.

(in reply to Thunderbirded)
       Post #: 38

RE: Colco Thunderbird - 6/20/2005 4:22:54 AM   
vido1977


 

Posts: 5
Joined: 6/17/2005
From: Gary, IN, USA
Status: offline 		Guys i'm not saying that the heli is a bad one. I just think that 5 minutes of just setup on the thing then it blowing is crazy. I was wondering if any of you have found a better product then the 'official tail motor' out there.

And about my experince- none. I haven't even got the little heli in the air. I have read this forum and I am trying to follow all your advice so I can fly this thing like a pro, but I can't even get it up without a tail motor.

Did you say 200 TAIL MOTORS???? That sounds crazy. The average price i see is 6 bucks (US) so that is 1200 total?

The only thing that I hope that comes out positive about this is the place I bought it from says 7 day replacement on parts. I hope they come through....

(in reply to Thunderbirded)
       Post #: 39

RE: Colco Thunderbird - 6/20/2005 4:27:29 AM   
Thunderbirded



Posts: 105
Joined: 12/17/2004
From: Laurel, MD, USA
Status: offline 		I think I will get the Walkera Z400. It is a good CP heli with A mode to turn off CP for a beginner mode helicopter. It comes with EVERYTHING you need to fly (radio. motor, etc.) for under $200. That is a great deal. Do some research and tell me what you think.

_____________________________

"I do not agree with a word that you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
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