Using the ole reliable E-Sky 0704A HHG for a gyro and standard E-Sky 8G servos. After flying the HBKII for nearly a year, I've found these items to be one of the strong points. Motor is a Danlion 3500kv with Rhino 11T steel pinion, ESC is the ole reliable Copter-X 30 amper. Everything I use is battle tested and mother approved (LMAO).

Vic ~

I'll go ahead and give ya my address, so you can go ahead and just forward that nice ol' EXI-450 my way some.............

Jim / Wnuk,

I would recommend shims, reason being! If don't shim the blades, when tightening down the grips to make them the appropriate tightness. One grip compared to the other may bend more in one direction, than the other, top or bottom of the grip, up or down. This could throw off the tracking and cause major headaches.. Been down that street.. Take the time to find something around the house to make your own shims. Plastic, metal or what ever.. Only takes a few extra minutes to do this.. I use plastic and works very well.. Just look around the kitchen for something to take apart..

Dave / Choppersrule

I agree with Dave......

Jim ~

I have to use 'shims' or in this case small thick washers that came with my Microheli head.... For all my blades, I must or the result would be exactly what Dave just said... It works great and the bird still tracks to the tee, with no vibration issues or anything...Like I said, these washers came with the Microheli gear. Maybe you can figure something out that is similiar to this also........

~ Jeff

Yep, spooled it up and tracking was out. You called another one right Dave! I have some shims to use so I will set it up in the AM.

Thanks for the advice, I should have known better.

Jim, I'd shim it as well

Vic... What you have there is a generic T-Rex. We all have to take prescriptions so you know that in the medical field the generics are just as good as the name brand. I held my T-RexSA in my hand while staring at the pictures Crash uploaded and I found 3 things different. One being that Vic's tail fin is slightly rounded and mine is straight. Second is I have a plastic block that is embossed, "ALIGN" right underneath where the gyro is usually placed. Last is the plastic under the battery tray, different cut outs. All screws look to be in the exact location.

Vic, take a picture with just the frame assembly and head and then one of the tail. I'll post the same. Let everyone compare. I swear it's the same bird as my SA.

Pictures of my SA

God Bless,

Jay

Jay, I can tell you that some items have been "shorted" in quality. The align skids are WAY better than whats supplied with this. The control bracket for the flybar is not as good as the align....I know this by getting Align parts for the MX-400. When the weak crap breaks, I replace it with Align stuff.

I'll tell ya right now what I'm buying if I ever stuff the Rex in.... Oh yeah, I bet I paid for the serial # to be engraved as wellLMAO

LMFAO......

Vic ~

Ya gettin' dizzy jumpin' back and forth .................?!

I thought that about you.....you beat me to the punch (LMAO).

Lol... My computer can hardly keep up.... I prefer stealth mode...I think Dave does too.... As I'am constantly jumping around all over RCU, Like a rat in a grocery store...........!

Jay ~

I happened to watch your video again of your XPD-8, and I'll tell ya........ I think I would last 2 minutes flying that thing...Lol.. Pure crazy ! But awesome....

~ Jeff

Guys,

If I just order this one am I ok, or is there something else I should do to get into the HBKII properly? If this is ok, then what, if any, upgrades from this should I order?

http://www.jaghobbies.com/rc_planes/16a_3900.htm

Thanks so much,

Scott

Hey scott..........
That is a great base for the HBK2 and will get you going. Eventually you will want a HH gyro and some Trex tail blades. My 2 biggest problems with mine out of the box was the belt slipping off the front guides (I used a couple of washers and shimmed the guides down to keep the belt from slipping off) and tail authority. Now I left mine on the shelf for about 3 months because I could not figure out why the tail would not hold. It boiled down to loosening the screws that hold the tail blade pitch links. They are the ones that go to the balls on the tail blade holders. I had tightened them up thinking that all screws and doodads must be snug, tight or broken to work properly. However, the tail pitch links don't quite allow the tail slider to move freely across the tail rotor shaft when snugged up. I loosened them until I had free movement across the entire tail shaft, then CA'd the screws in place. Tail authority was my largest complaint with the HBK2 until I had a buddy show me what the issue was.

Heres your specs: with my differences noted.
Specifications:
- Length: 535 mm
- Height: 225 mm
- Main Blade Diameter: 600 mm 288mm CF blades, better tracking and crisper response
- Tail Blade Diameter: 130 mm - Trex tail blades with roots sanded to fit grips
- Motor Gear: 9T Used a 10 T align gear, much better headspeed (faster = stable)
- Main Gear: 140T I switched to the Blade 400 gear. smoother and better running
- Gear Ratio: 9:140
- Weight: 470 g
- Battery: 11.1v 1500 mAh (Li-Poly) - CSRC 15C 1500mAh ...... 8 minutes of runtime
- Motor: 3900 Brushless Danlion 3800kv (mods to frame to fit)
- Transmitter: 6CH CCPM - DX6 (because i have one)
- Receiver: 6CH AR6000 (because it works with the DX6 )
- Servos: 8g 1.3kg-cm 0.12s/60 degrees (x4)
- ESC: 25A Brushless some report issues with thier Esky 25A's, both mine have worked flawlessly***
- Gyro: Esky Professional Gyro Logitech 2100T HH gyro (nuff said.......heh)
***
I am using the ESC's in a couple of my planes and never have had any issues, some report flameouts for no reason. I am guessing that overpowering an ESC with too many amps or keeping the throttle up after a crash is more likely of a cause. Most complaints are from those unfamiliar with electronics (n00bs) If one keeps the Amp draw to the suggested normal parameters they should work just fine. They are OK ESC's but not to be abused, they will not stand it.

Hope some of those comparisons help out scott. Let us know how it goes!


__________________________________________________ ___________________________________


Of all the things I ever lost....................................... I miss my mind the most!

Hey All with High speed internet! Check out this video! It a pilots view of his airshow act. He must be using Jeff's noggin' cam, I doubt he's wearing a hard hat Cool website lots to see!

http://www.airshowbuzz.com/videos/view.php?v=6ee40fd7

God Bless!

Jay

He kept throwing himself at the ground and kept missing....he did GOOD.

LOL! I guess I'm in the video mood today. I'm sure most of you got the email from RCU on the IRCHA event. Really cool! Some part of my tiny brain just loves to see carnage and crashes so the first video I watched was the crash compilation. It's at the bottom on the page. You guys have to watch it, there's an awesome mid-air at the end! Actually check out all of the videos, the scale is awesome!

http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...rticle_id=1036

Blessings,

Jay

Jay,

Great video, I think he is using Jeff's noggin' cam.. If you look at time frame 3:16 in the video, there is a shadow of his head on the instrument panel. You can freeze it at that time slot. At the top of his head/helmet ,there's a square at the top, and about the size of a camera. Hmmmm, could be he stold Jeff's idea. Also, watched all the videos from the IRCHA. Cool stuff, the auto rotation was pretty neat. The 3d stuff, these guys are VERY good.

Later, gotta work on HBK2 #1.... Had a mishap, ouch!

Dave / Choppersrule

Dave...goes in cycles.....do good for a long time, then.... "ouch". Remember, it's not "if" you're gonna crash...it's "when" you're gonna crash.

Scott,

Arrow gave you, all good advice. IMHO, I'd just leave it stock for awhile and get the feel of the helicopter. Analyze as you go, then decide which upgrade(s) you NEED, not WANT. Keep us updated and if you have questions, just post'em. It'll take some time to get it tweeked in and set-up right. Just go slow and be patient. Get the wallet out.

Dave / Choppersrule
================================================== =========

Vic,

You hit the nail on the head.. It has dawned on me that I go in cycles. Fly great for week after week, month after month. The it's smash-aroo.. I was making a banked left turn, a little(alot). to wide and clipped the neighbors tree limb.. Another foot and I would have be okay fine.. It sounded and looked way worse than the damage really is. It was one of those moments where you just have to smile, shake your head and pick up the pieces. I guess it just doesn't get to me anymore, it use to.

Damage Report: Main blades, major bent tail boom, vertical tail fin and tail slider. I could have it back together tonight, minus blades.. I'm out.. So I'm grounded for a few days.. Oooops! No I'm not, I've got the LAMA V4 to putter with...

Dave / Choppersrule
================================================== ==================================

Jeff,

Stealth mode I am.[8D] Unless I'm gonna post.. Should have the Vapor tomorrow,,, Yaa-Hooo! Well I'm off to order stuff from my last crash.


Dave / Choppersrule

Hey guys somebody engineers a good thing then everybody steals the design look at the russian space shuttle looks alot like ours because it is ours they had spys steal the design only difference is we can afford to fly ours,they flew theres once and it was auto pilot circled the earth a coulple of times and landed now it's sitting in a museum.you know something is good when everybody whats to steal the design.i'm going to buy a cp belt from k9planes n kopters for 189,i here that alot of parts for most 400 size birds will work with this bird.