I am quite disappointed with the raptor 50

The instructions are ridiculous. Lucky for me that I built plenty of helis. If this would have been my first, no way! One explode view for the entire rotorhead?

ALL ballinks are way too tight! So tight that my 4735 will not center correctly.

Two ballinks broke (I know they are one-sided)

The control rods are not standard (not 2mm and not 2.5mm) or am I going insane? (See blade balance as well )

The swashplate has play (in the wrong places)

The washout unit does not slide freely (way to tight!)

Well I had to vent, but I wanted to fly this beast this weekend...

Regardless, this is the best non-CCPM mechanism I have seen.
And for this price I guess you can't really expect more...

Bless graupner (sorry I had to do this plug...), built it, fly it out of the box, rocksteady... (But pay up-front...)

Anybody else kinda feed up with rappy? Or help me gain my confidence in TT back?

Give it to me

But out of the box. No.
I must say Fury 50 out of the box kicks ass.
Out of the Box a buddy of mine has a caliber 30.
Out of the Box sweet, little ccpm heli.
Rappy will never be ccpm, did you try to hone out the ball links to make them smoother?

I think buy the time your done upgrading and changing things ,you could of bought a Fury or somthing diffrent.
This is my 2 cents.
This is not to affend.

My kit was great all parts fit like they should, I did replace the TT links with Rocket City 77e links and used a JR ball link sizing tool to get the proper fit, but I would do that on any kit. The blades in my kit were out of balance too, I don't consider that a problem more like the standard for wood blades shipped with kit's. I balance all of my blades even expensive Carbon blades can some times be out of balance. As far as the control rods go they are 2mm and that's pretty standard, and yes they will do 3D out the box! I was very happy with my Raptor 30 so much so I bought the Raptor 60 to keep it company.


While the directions are a little short on verbiage I thought the pictures were very detailed, it really helps to read through the entire manual before starting construction.

Thunder Tiger does need to add some supplemental instructions with the R50 & R30, they now use a set screw in the end of the tail rotor shaft to hold the pin in the pulley, most people have been able to figure it out, some have not and lost the tail in flight.

P.S. How does a swash plate have play in the wrong place's? it's either sloppy or it isn't.

Osmax2, no offence taken just wondering where you got your info on the R50? The only upgrade I would consider a must have is a good set of composite blades.

I agree with out a doubt that the Fury 50 Expert is a higher quality machine than the Raptor, but then at $624.99 w/o blades and no muffler compared to the Raptor at $284.99 with blades and a muffler ($340 difference) what do you expect.

I hope I have not offended anyone with this post, I just felt compelled to clear up some of this upgrade nonsense out there.

Well when I had my 30,
And my buddy has a rappy 50.
I upgraded the swash plate , a arms ,this that .
And the list goes on.
I understand what you are saying.Yes there is a big diffrents in price, but you get what you payed for.
I like the Rappy. When it came out.
But JR and the Calibra ,might put the Rappy to rest.
Both of them are ccpm and are both arf's for the same price.

Minair is coming out with a Minny Fury 30 . From what I heard it will be out next year.
So Rappy need to become ccpm real quick...

I'm not sure CCPM is a major selling point for me. As for the Caliber30 and JR Venture, I've heard some good reports and some bad, to say they will put the Raptor to rest is a bit ostentatious. You're right about getting what you pay for, I feel like you do with the Raptor, I'm not sure you do with the Fury50 for $50 more you could have the Fury60.

$ 80 plus engine hehe so about 300 somthing,,,
:greedy: :bananahea

I agree, I could care less about CCPM, I have a raptor 30 and love it, its stock, put a HD clutch, shim, and tail hub, only for safety sake, other than that its stock, Sure you can buy a more expensive one and enjoy it just as much. IMO

clear up:

ballinks: do i have to spend an other $30 bucks on links, becasue the one in the kit don't work. it's like selling a (new) car and then saying, "well you gotta first buy new tires before you can drive it !"

swashplate is sloppy (inner ring has play to outer ring)

set screw in tail. i have "not figured it out" i am glad you mention that...
that is just unacceptable to not have that in instructions, i'd rather pay $20.- more and have good instructions wich will avoid crashes.

CCPM IS a selling point for me, and rappy50 will be my only non-CCPM heli

i do not like upgrades, i will get the slipper drive for the tail, but that should be it, but if i have to resize the ballinks to make them work? what's up with that?

and my 2mm ballinks do NOT fit on the rods of the rappy.

CCPM is the way to go.
Not saying the rappy is bad NO I had one.
But CCPM there are less moving parts less to worry about.

I feel , like you do you need to do this that and the other thing.
But again the rappy is a nice heli for its price, But it has a uncertin future at this time.
JR CCPM ARF. And Kosha Caliber 30.
Wow really nice .

The Rocket city links are $9.00 for a package of 25, that will replace all the links. No you do not need to replace the links, the TT links work just fine when installed properly I just like the Rocket City links, by the way they fit the Raptor rods just fine. Resizing the links is a very common thing that's why JR makes a ball link resizing tool. As for CCPM you do know that to get the best performance out of a CCPM control system you need high quality matched servo's speed, travel, centering all must be very accurate. To get this you will have to buy expensive digital servo's, you could easly spend $400 on servo's alone. You can use cheap servo's but it will defeat the purpose of having CCPM. That's why I don't consider CCPM a major selling point a hack like me wouldn't know what to do with all that precision. I wish you luck and just have fun with the heli.

HEHH hack, no this is not the case and no you dont need a Dig servo.
I use 9202 on my Fury , the only dig servo on her is the tail.
Just to let you know.
As long as your radio can do ccpm ,that and a good servo no dig is all you need.

Is it me or are we talking about the rappy 50 or the rappy 30 and 50?

TT will not work fine, because they are ALL to tight (and reszing all of them can not be the solution), but maybe i have bad luck. but also two simply broke.

all i am saying: 3D out of the box: NO

i flew ccpm with 3001's with no problem.

and i love graupner, btw three mechanics build recently and not on ball too tight or to0 lose. so it can be done...

b tut i do not want end up in the line of fire, i just needed to vent... feel better already

the raptor 50 is a great heli, i beleive it has one of the highest horsepower/weight ratio. the instructions do suck, but the pouplarity of the raptor is almost like the Ford explorer, for as the explorer has a huge problem but yet it still sells the best in it's call, now i am not saying the raptor has alot of problems but i have the raptor 50 kit great deal and it flies like a dream. nice and stable huge amounts off power and i love it.i have a top of the line 9zhp radio abd a futaba 401 gyro and it run's like a dream.


it's funny you guys compare a regular "weekend basher" to a full blown carbon machine that cost a fortune to get running.

no we do not compare them (at least not me) as in my very first post i said: "Regardless, this is the best non-CCPM mechanism I have seen.
And for this price I guess you can't really expect more... "

thank you

flmgrip, my advice to you is sell it, you will never be happy with it so get rid of it now while it's still worth selling, get your self a Fury60 you and I will both be happier. I'm not trying to be a smart *****, I just think you are suffering from a serious case of buyers remorse and this is the only cure.

Dang, I'm coming from a Concept 30 to a rappy 50. From what I hear the concept 30 was one of the best helis out when it was new, after building my R50 even thought it didn't cost much it sure looks like it is far superior to my concept 30 in every way. Hearing all the bad talk about an R50 makes me wonder if just the bar on helis has been raised a few hundred feet since the Concept 30... Am I close?

Don't worry you'll be very happy with your R50 it's a great little helicopter with ton's of power, and even though it doesn't have CCPM it is still flies very well.

bluto, i have plenty of 60size helis and i am sure i will be happy once the rappy50 flies.
it is planed to be my cheap trainer for new and crazy stuff...

Cheap trainer for new and crazy stuff... hmmm, I think for me that's FF!! :stupid:

I just got thru flying my Raptor 50 today and I must say that I like it very much. As for it being 3D capable I am sure it is. I am still breaking it in but I am geting impressive performance out of it even now.

As for the instructions, they are very weak. There are a lot of supplimental online guides that I used and I made it through. It was my second heli but the first one that I built and setup myself.

As for upgrades I installed the metal washout base, the slipper clutch, and Rocket City links. Sure it is a little tight now, but that will smooth out as I fly it more.

Before you complain too much you have to look at what you got for your money. A great flying heli, a great muffler, and other goodies like a sturdy tail (as opposed to a 30) for $285 is one hell of a deal. My swashplate is fine and if yours is defective you should ask ACE for a replacement.

As for CCPM, everybody told me a year ago that you needed 3 matched, high precision servos to get any real benifit from CCPM. It seems like now that there are more CCPM helis (especially 30s) out that the requirements are getting lower. I'll believe it when I see it.

Jason

I have also heared that about CCPM. About a year or two ago I was told on RCO that CCPM can actually be worse than non CCPM unless you did have digital servos.

i flew non CCPM 10 years ago with s3001. no problems at all. and three rods to the swashplate not 10 (or whatever that # is)

even after squezzing the balls (on the heli of course) for two hours aft control is not loose enough and my servo will not center properly (4735), we'll see...

i will contact ace about the swashplate...

i am not complaining, just venting... and again I said for this money it is a great heli...

BLUTO, what set screw are you talking about in the tail?

thanks

flmgrip, The tail rotor shaft should be drilled and threaded on the end near the pulley, the set screw goes in there. Are you missing the set screw? Or you may have the older style tail shaft in your kit, the old style used a roll pin to hold the pulley on the shaft. Good Luck!