Dale_G

I wanted to start a thread for this particular heli which doesn't seen to be represented. I started another thread on this heli [link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_6245390/tm.htm[/link], bought one, and though it may be of benefit for all of us considering or flying this heli.

Xheli.com and raidentech.com sell this heli as the Vulcan 450SE, but I have not seen specific parts for this heli on their websites. Himodel.com sells it as the GL450 and they have parts. Bananahobby.com sells it as the Pigeon 450. The GL450 and Pigeon 450 have slightly different frames from the Vulcan 450, but you can see a family resemblance in all of them, and all of them are clones of the Trex and share many parts.

Anyway.....after accumulating all the necessary parts and pieces, mine took it's maiden flight from our deck late Friday evening with a 3-foot hover. Saturday afternoon, my son flew it around the front yard for a few minutes beginning the process of getting it dialed in. I plan to continue the thread and blog our discoveries and hope others with these helis will contribute too. Photos forthcoming.

Here's what we've discovered so far:
-My Vulcan 450SE came with no documentation or instructions whatsoever. You are on your own. For some good help, go to Trextuning.com. Download all of "Finless Bob's" videos on the HDX450, Trex450, and general videos like soldering bullet and Dean's connectors, ball links 101, thread lock 101 etc etc etc on Helifreak.com.
-It helps greatly to have someone with Trex450 experience who can help you.
-Go over the entire heli and loctite all screws that go into metal.
-Most of the fasteners are phillips-head screws. You'll need good phillips screwdrivers in sizes #00, #0 and #1. You'll also need hex drivers in 1.5 and 2 mm and a nut driver of 5.5mm for the blade nuts.
-I bought a set of fasteners for the helidirect.com HDX450 (which is very similar to this heli and another Trex copy) I'm gradually replacing the silver phillilps-head screws with the black socket-head screws. The hardware package only costs a few bucks - do it! Now I have plenty of spares and am getting rid of those darn phillips-heads.
-The links are marked with a "J" which is hard to see. My son says they're not very good. Replace with Align links.
-The blades absolutely, positively suck. Mine were warped and took a LOT of tape to get in balance. I'm not using them. Get the Align 325mm pro wood blades.
-You can get a spare belt from helidirect.com. Look for the one with "453MXL" in the description. Lube the belt with silicone oil or grease. Grease will cling better.
-The fins are metal. I'm replacing them with Helidirect.com's CF fins when they are back in stock. I want the blue or silver fins.
-You'll need to resize all the ball links as the head is pretty stiff. I had to file a little metal off the flybar control set on the inside bushings where it contacts the seesaw holder.
There was some binding there. You'll want to go over everything, and I mean everything, to loctite screws, add lube, and loosen things up.
-On the Vulcan 450SE you can mount the motor on the top frame, pinion down, or from underneath, pinion up. The Pigeon 450 only has the top mount option and I haven't seen a good enough picture of a GL450 to see the frame details.

Here are some pics: