Contributed by: Eric Balay | Published: May 2006 | Views: 119121 | Email this Article
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JR Vibe
Photos by: Eric & Melissa Balay, Matt Poeschl
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JR Vibe
Distributed by:
Horizon Hobby
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign, IL 61822
Support Phone:
(877) 504-0233
Sales Phone: (800) 338-4639
Website
Email
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World
Class 3D Action
Precision 140° CCPM
Excellent Manual
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Washout pins bind
Boom support design
Lofty Price
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Model
helicopter aerobatic maneuvers have evolved over the years to
include breathtaking stunts and moves that seemingly defy gravity,
known as 3D flying. Curtis Youngblood is one of the pioneers of
the 3D style of flying, and is widely regarded as one of the best
helicopter pilots in the world. His quest for perfection, attention
to detail, engineering skills and jedi-like control over model
copters have lead him and JR helicopter team members Len Sabato
and Marty Kuhns to develop and refine the fantastic JR Vigor CS,
culminating in the new JR Vibe.
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Kit
Name:
JR Vibe
Kit Price: $1099.99 USD
Rotor Span: 62.6" (1590 mm)
Length: 54" (1370 mm)
Height: 17.5" (445 mm)
Weight (as tested): 10.8 pounds, dry (4.91 kg)
Engine: YS .91 ST-4 with CY Muscle Pipe 2
Radio Used: JR XP9303 w/ 649S PCM receiver
Gyro Used: JR G7000T with JR 8700G tail servo
Servos Used: JR DS8311 Digital (3) & JR 8700G (throttle)
Price
(as tested): $3,125.87 USD
Also
available for the JR Vibe:
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NHP
710mm Carbon Main Blades ($119.99)
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V-Blades
105mm Carbon Tail Blades ($29.95)
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CSM
Rev-Lock Engine Governor ($89.99)
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JR
4500mah Ni-mh Receiver Battery ($54.99)
- JR
Hex Start Shaft Adapter ($29.99)
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Kit Box
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This is one Big Box |
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More Boxes inside |
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Chock full of info |
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Fantastic JR 9303 |
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JR G7000T Gyro Set |
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My
Vibe kit arrived in a large, colorful box, which quickly became
a playhouse for my son Nick. Fortunately, Nick wanted only the
box and left the heli goodies behind for me to drool over. The
kit is extremely well packaged, with all parts organized in numbered,
plastic bags corresponding with the assembly steps in the detailed
and illustrated building manual. Several components are pre-assembled,
saving me valuable time in my race to get this 3D monster to the
flying field.
Resisting
the urge to slice open all of the neatly organized plastic bags
and begin bolting parts together like a caffeinated monkey, I
focused my attention on the instruction manual. Although this
was my first experience building a JR helicopter, I can attest
that the black and white Vibe manual is the BEST that I've ever
read. The CAD drawings are clear, descriptions are complete, and
the assembly flow is logical. Also included are radio programming
guidelines and settings for JR equipment, control linkage drawings
printed in actual lengths, and exploded drawings with part numbers
detailing every part.
The
Vibe kit includes the complete aircraft mechanics, with the exception
of main rotor blades. JR wisely lets the modeler (likely a finicky
expert heli jock) choose their own rotor blades. I chose to use
NHP 710mm carbon fiber main rotor blades, and to replace the stock
plastic tail rotor blades with 105mm carbon tail rotors by V-Blades.
Power is supplied from the super-reliable YS .91 ST-4, quieted
by a Curtis Youngblood Muscle Pipe 2 muffler. A JR helicopter
is perfectly matched with JR electronics - I used a JR XP9303
transmitter with R649-S PCM receiver, JR 8311 digital servos on
the swashplate, and super fast 8700G servos on the throttle and
tail rotor. Tail control is handled by the state-of-the-art JR
G7000T heading hold gyro. Wow, it doesn't get any better than
this! Let's get started!
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Bagged for Each Step |
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Pre-built Rotor Head |
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Clear Drawings |
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Painted Canopy |
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Tail Rotor Gear Box |
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Clutch Bell & Bearings |
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The
Vibe swashplate control can be configured as 140 degree CCPM,
or the more common 120 degree CCPM setup. I chose to try the 140
degree setup, which was pioneered by JR and Curtis Youngblood
in an effort to eliminate unwanted CCPM control interactions.
With a standard 120 degree setup, the stationary swashplate balls
are evenly spaced, with the radius of each ball center to the
center of the main shaft being equal. Fore/aft cyclic inputs result
in the two side mounted servo linkages moving less than the inline
servo linkage.
Because the inline servo travel is different than the other two
servo movements, interaction can occur. CCPM interaction means
that a cyclic or collective control input results in a different
control reaction than expected due to software, electrical or
mechanical inaccuracies. For example, you increase the collective
stick to make your helicopter ascend, but because of differences
in servo speed and/or torque, the swashplate fails to raise in
a perfectly level manner. This adds a cyclic component to the
collective move, causing your helicopter to veer off line, instead
of rising vertically. At best, CCPM interactions are annoying,
and at worst, will render your heli unflyable.
Enter the 140 degree CCPM technique, which extends the two side
mounted swashplate input balls forwards, so that their longitudinal
distance from the main shaft equals that of the inline swash ball
on the rear. Thus, in fore/aft cyclic moves, the two side mounted
servo linkages now move the same distance as the rear servo linkage.
The angle between the inline ball and each side mounted ball is
140 degrees, hence the new moniker.
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Ground the Carbon
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CCPM Linkages
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Frameset
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An
important assembly step is grounding the carbon frame. To eliminate
the possibility of errant RF noise, the carbon frame members are
electrically connected. By grinding through a small area of the
clear epoxy coating to exposed the raw carbon strands, the aluminum
cross member will be able to electrically conduct between the
side frames. If you neglect this step, you will likely experience
radio glitches that could wreck your shiny new Vibe.
The
CCPM linkages are assembled, and prepared for installation. Don't
forget the lock-tite! JR ball links are directional, so pay attention
when attaching the aft swashplate link to the A-arm.
JR
cautions against fully tightening the frame screws until the major
frame is assembled. Then, using a flat surface as a guide, tighten
the cross bolts in the order recommended to ensure that the chassis
is straight. The gear mesh is also set in this step. Remember,
the gears need a tiny bit of play to work smoothly - not tight
and not too loose. The manual describes an easy way to set this
mesh.
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Large Cooling Fan
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CSM Rev-Lock Governor
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Bolt on the Engine
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Tail Drive Fittings |
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Torque Tube Bearings |
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Tail Assembly |
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The
engine cooling fan on the Vibe is larger in diameter than most.
This affords greater airflow due to the faster velocity of the
fan blades. The fan attaches to the engine crankshaft with dual
collets that ensure proper centering of the fan. The clutch bolts
to the top of the fan hub through two of the four cross holes.
If you experience clutch runout, rotate the assembly 90 degrees
to the other two cross holes and check it again. If you're planning
on using an engine speed governor, now is a good time to mount
the magnet or optical strip to the fan before it's obscured by
the fan shroud. I also added a Bru-Line air filter to protect
the engine from debris.
The
split main gear is assembled, which is driven by the clutch bell
pinion. Dual bearing assemblies support this pinion. The engine
to main rotor gear ratio is 8:1, while the engine to tail rotor
gear ratio is 4.83:1. The auto hub spins smoothly. Pay attention
to the orientation of the washer stack on the hex bolt at the
base of the main shaft (beveled side upwards). Once you've added
the main gear and main shaft to the heli, it's time to add the
swashplate, washout base and arms, and the pre-assembled rotor
head.
The
tail transmission assembly starts with preparation of the tail
drive shaft and the torque tube bearings. Pay close attention
to parts that need green lock-tite, and those that require red
lock-tite. JR thoughtfully includes a small tube of each in the
kit. The tail drive pinion and shaft is a unique, one-piece forged
item, secured to the front tail drive joint by four set screws.
Many
of the small machine screws used on the Vibe are Japanese style
cross-point screws, such as the screws that attach the control
balls. Most modelers would overlook this detail and reach for
a common Philips head screwdriver. Don't! Philips screwdrivers
will damage the head of a cross-point machine screw. Invest in
a set of JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) screwdrivers for this
task.
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Access for Grease
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Tail Assembly Complete
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Stressed Fittings
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Sticky Washout Base |
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Grease the Bearings |
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Stickered Canopy |
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Gyro Platform |
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Cutting the Decals |
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Stickered Fin |
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A
unique feature of the pre-assembled tail rotor gear box is a removable
hatch to allow greasing and inspection of the drive gears. All
that's left to do is attach the tail hub, four radial and two
thrust bearings, and the tail grips. Attach the torque tube drive
shaft (don't forget that red lock-tite) and insert the whole assembly
into the aluminum tail boom. Precision tail control is excellent
due to the ball bearing supported dual point tail slider mechanism.
The
beautiful fiberglass canopy is supplied painted in a yellow/white
fade with a black window, and the mounting hole pre-drilled. I
added the multi-color decals to the canopy, and the carbon fins.
I found it easier to apply the fin stickers a bit oversize, and
then cut the excess from the edges and the 3D cutout areas with
the fin upside-down on a cutting surface.
The
tail boom supports are comprised of an aluminum tube with a plastic
fitting on either end. They went together well, but when I attached
them to the helicopter, the fittings were forced to bend at the
landing gear attachment points. This sub-optimal design causes
stress in the plastic fittings and also in the aluminum support
tubes. I expected a better solution given the pedigree (and cost)
of the Vibe.
An
inspection of the thrust bearings in the pre-assembled rotor head
revealed that they are shipped without grease. Remove the bearings
and apply a liberal amount of grease to the bearings and both
races. Make sure that you re-assemble the thrust bearings correctly
- the race with the larger ID is placed inboard. Again, always
remember to lock-tite the hardware.
To
allow full travel of the washout arms, the Vibe main rotor hub
and swashplate feature machined cutouts to clear the arms.
I
had difficulty in adjusting the tension of the two clamp bolts
that secure the base of the main rotor hub to the main shaft.
If I left the bolts loose, the washout base would slide smoothly
on the guide pins that protrude from the bottom of the hub. If
the pinch bolts were tightened moderately, the alignment of the
pins would slightly change, resulting in sticky movement of the
washout base due to the pins binding up in the washout slots.
I carefully filed the washout base slot and mating pins just a
bit, and with the security of red lock-tite was able to tighten
the clamp bolts a moderate amount without restricting the movement
of the washout base. Left as-is, this friction may improve as
the pins and washout slots break-in, but I felt that it needed
attention to operate smoothly.
Speaking
of smooth operators, with any helicopter it's critical to fit
the ball links to the control balls to achieve precision control.
The Vibe is no exception. JR recommends use of their ball link
tool, part #JRP960219, to fine-tune the fit of each link. You
should be able to twist each linkage with a slight pressure, yet
there should be minimal slop. If you prefer the use of pliers
to slightly squeeze the sides of each link, work carefully. The
grey plastic of the directional JR links is soft, and it's easy
to apply too much force and ruin the link. There are no spare
links included in the kit, so use caution.
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Rotor Head |
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Mounting Electronics |
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Ready for the Muffler |
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Don't Forget the Brass |
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Swashplate Servos |
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As Easy As Your VCR |
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Narrow Body |
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Sleek & Sinister |
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Let's Go Fly! |
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Our
review Vibe uses electronic CCPM mixing to control the swashplate,
so it's very important to use three matching servos and identical
servo arms. I used three JR DS8311 digital servos and large JR
servo wheels. The instructions show how to modify a large JR servo
horn wheel for the proper fit, spacing the each ball 13.5mm from
the center of the servo arm.
I
mounted the state-of-the-art JR G7000T gyro on the dedicated gyro
platform mount, using the supplied RF shield plate and double
stick foam tape. After making the necessary endpoint adjustments
to the 8700G tail servo travel with the gyro module potentiometer,
I added a few wraps of electrical tape to the unit to further
secure it to the helicopter should the foam tape fail. The electrical
tape is lightweight and cheap insurance against a possible crash
should the foam tape deteriorate and fail (due to age or exposure
to exhaust residue).
Install
the receiver, battery and switch, using the supplied rubber grommets
to isolate the switch from vibration. I chose to encase the R649-S
receiver in a receiver box, manufactured by Quick UK. This simple
plastic box is an inexpensive way to protect pricey (and delicate)
receivers. Route the servo leads through the chassis, making sure
that they don't rub against any sharp edges on the carbon frames
or contact any moving linkages. In problem areas, I glued sections
of fuel tubing split lengthwise to the carbon frame edges to prevent
any wires from being cut. With five digital servos working overtime,
I needed a high capacity receiver battery (a JR 4500mah pack)
to handle the load.
The
JR XP-9303 radio contains software specifically designed for the
140 degree CCPM setup that the Vibe uses. I made a few adjustments
to these settings as needed to resolve any control interaction.
Programming the 9303 is simple and logical; menu items are easy
to access and JR's exclusive "Rolling Selector" makes
adjustments quick. The Vibe manual includes recommended collective
pitch settings for typical flight modes.
Flight
Mode
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Low
Stick |
Half
Stick |
High
Stick |
Normal
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-10
degrees
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5
degrees
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10
degrees
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3D
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-10
degrees
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5
degrees
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11
degrees
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Autorotation
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-10
degrees
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5
degrees
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11.5
degrees
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I
chose to modify these settings to suit my flying preferences as
follows:
Flight
Mode
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Low
Stick |
Half
Stick |
High
Stick |
Normal
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-5.5
degrees
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2.5
degrees
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11
degrees
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3D
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-11
degrees
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0
degrees
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11
degrees
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Autorotation
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-5.5
degrees
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2.5
degrees
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11
degrees
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The
CSM Rev-Lock engine governor is a feather-weight unit, that is
packed full of features. Included is a handy flowchart that details
the setup procedure, and is conveniently laminated for use in
the field. Once programmed, our governor held the engine rpm constant
without a problem. In 3D mode, I set the governor to maintain
1900 rpm. The Rev-Lock works flawlessly with the ultra-high speed
digital 8700G throttle servo on the RCU Vibe.
A
center-of-gravity check showed the model within specification,
with the electronics placed as recommended. The ready-to-fly weight
(minus the fuel) is 10.8 pounds, which puts the Vibe at a competitive
3D weight.
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Once
broken-in, our YS 91 was smooth and powerful, with the exhaust
muffled by the Muscle Pipe II.
Although
the Vibe can be tamed to suit a beginning pilot, it's intended
for those looking to hone their 3D skills. I found the cyclic
response to be immediate, with the flybar weights placed inwards
and the rates set high. After adding 40% expo to the cyclic, reducing
servo travel a bit, and experimenting with the position of the
flybar weights, I found a good balance between responsiveness
and control. The 140 degree CCPM response is instantaneous, and
ultra-precise. Loops are large, and the low drag canopy allows
increased forward speed and taller vertical lines. Rolling maneuvers
are smooth, and invite the pilot to try new tricks. Collective
response is powerful, given the available torque of three DS8311
servos at the helm. Fast pirouettes, asymmetrical loops, tick-tocks,
funnels, hurricanes, piro-flips, backward rolls, and death spirals
are well within the repertoire of the Vibe.
At
low head speeds the Vibe head will tend to wobble a little in
a hover. Bumping up the throttle, I settled on 1900 rpm head speed
for solid 3D flying.
Contrary
to most model helicopter designs, full collective pitch settings
do not compromise the cyclic pitch limits on the Vibe. The linkage
can easily handle a full 22 degrees of pitch range. I prefer to
use a bit more pitch for high altitude flying in Denver.
Autorotation
performance is excellent, with solid tail authority due to the
constant drive tail transmission. With the large rotor disc, the
Vibe definitely feels light in the air.
After
you've put a few flights on any new helicopter, be sure to carefully
inspect the mechanics for any loose hardware or parts that may
have fallen victim to vibration. Check all hardware for tightness,
and also inspect the gear mesh.
See
the JR Vibe in action!

Medium
Res 12.6 MB
High
Res 31.8 MB
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At
$1100 for the airframe without the main rotor blades, the Vibe
is expensive. However, top quality equipment is always at a premium,
and the Vibe delivers world class 3D performance in spades. Assembly
of the kit is straightforward, and the detailed instruction manual
is excellent. I only found two minor issues in building the Vibe
- the sticky washout base and the ill-designed boom support ends.
Overall, the helicopter displays solid engineering design and
should withstand several seasons worth of hard use without concern.
Maneuvers are stunningly crisp, thanks to the revolutionary 140
degree CCPM controls. The sleek and slippery canopy improves airflow
over the mechanics, allowing faster flight. Is there a 3D maneuver
beyond its capability? Not a chance. It's a safe bet that you
won't be able to make any more excuses for not being able to coax
perfect maneuvers out of this bird. Autos are predictable, loops
are huge, and rolls have the pin-point accuracy of a jet fighter.
Add the rock solid tail control of the G7000T Gyro and this is
definitely a point and shoot heli. JR electronics perform flawlessly,
and the 9303 is simple to program. If you want to fly one of the
best 3D copters ever designed, the Vibe should be at the top of
your list.
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JR
Vibe Helicopter, JR Electronics, CSM Rev-Lock Governor & NHP
Rotor Blades
Distributed by:
Horizon Hobby
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign, IL 61822
Support Phone: (877)504-0233
Sales Phone: (800)338-4639
Website: www.horizonhobby.com
email: support@horizonhobby.com
CY
Muscle Pipe II
Manufactured by:
CJ Youngblood
Enterprises, Inc.
Rt 2 box 619
Hearne, Tx 77859
Support Phone: (979) 828-4269
Fax: (979) 828-4269
Website: www.curtisyoungblood.com
email: cy@curtisyoungblood.com
YS
.91 ST-4 Helicopter Engine
Distributed by:
YS Performance
P.O. Box 3146
Gardnerville, NV 89410
Support Phone: (775) 265-7523
Fax: (775) 265-7522
Website: www.ysperformance.com
email: perfspec@charter.net
Quick
UK Receiver Box & Skid Stops
Manufactured by:
Quick
UK
Unit 2, Threshold Way
West Entrance
Fairoaks Airport
Chobham, Woking, Surrey
GU24 8HX, England
Support Phone: (979) 828-4269
Fax: (979) 828-4269
Website: www.quickuk.co.uk/acatalog/r_index.htm
email: quickuk@aol.com
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