going nitro
 

Hello everyone, i have owned a belt cp for a while now and have just about mastered it and just starting to do some 3d moves. In a few months time i am looking to buy a nitro model helicopter. I know that there a lots of models out there but i have no idea which one is good or bad. I live in Australia and at local hobby shops they sell raptors so i was thinking they must be pretty popular. I dont know whether to go for a size 30 or what. Can anybody tell me a good nitro helicopter and a round about price? Also what are the differences between all the raptors?
thank you

RE: going nitro
 

The raptors are the work horse of the nitro world, very popular and very durable. The next most popular is probably the Trex 600N but the new JR Vibe 50 looks pretty good too.

I'd suggest that you go for a .50, quite a bit larger and the electronics cost is pretty much the same so you're only paying the small bit more for the kit and motor.

RE: going nitro
 

So 50 is the way to go, sounds good to me. So can u get a raptor 50, trex 600 sounds very nice but is that a 50? I also like teh idea of the JR vibe 50 (not the pro one). So should i buy a kit with a motor or should i get a kit then get a motor to suit it. Lots of ppl gor for OS by the looks of things.

RE: going nitro
 

Get a raptor :D http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93DB1icoAnw :D.

RE: going nitro
 

The Trex600N is a nitro size .50 and the best of the three. However you should consider what ever your local shop supports and the local flyers fly before any others so you can get parts and help.

RE: going nitro
 

I dunno about that....lots of positive comments starting to filter in on that vibe 50.

I've got a 600n and raptor titan, out of the box on both similarly equipped, the 600n feels sportier in the air. The setup and design of the 600n is no more or less difficult IMO and actually ends up looking a hell of a lot more clean than the raptor. The 600n is just a newer design while the raptor is a bit old and dated.

If I had it to do over, I would have saved the cash I spent on that titan for something better. It is a good flying heli no doubt just side by side thinking about the build and the performance out of the box the raptor is in serious need of an update.

I can't justify a third .50 right now nor could I justify selling the raptor at the loss I would take so it has become my test bird, I'd love to put a vibe together though.

If you find some support at the field and are fairly confident (maybe throw a sim in) you should be able to pick one of the more advanced 50s without much trouble and that way at least when you meet someone with a nicely equipped 600n and get to fly it, you won't say Damn!! this thing feels much better than my raptor!

RE: going nitro
 

There are still a lot of raptors out there so support is typically very good. The 600N is newer and quite a bit lighter. The O.S. 50 Hyper is probably the most popular .50 engine out there but you can also get the Align .50 hyper (which is just a rebadged OS 50).

I also hear good things about the Vibe which a buddy of mine has. I also hear very good things about the RJX nitros.

RE: going nitro
 

OS.50 has junk bearing.I did alot of reading and theres quite a few people that have posted about them going with in 1-2 gallons.

RE: going nitro
 

Same bearing in all of the 50s.

Its no big deal to change it. Some times they chew them up, some times they last forever.

YS has a better fuel delivery method and they run a bit smoother but the power is about the same and they are more expensive and harder to get and get parts for.

The TT 53 hasn't been out long, some carb sticking problems but some good reports as well, we'll see in a year how they hold up. Very nice castings and machine work on it though.

RE: going nitro
 

I have a OS .50 in a EVO that's been in that helo when it was just a Sceadu when they first came out what 7 years ago.. Then the OS .50 was new too, way before the hypers came out. It has maybe a half dozen cases of fuel through it and still starts and runs perfect.

RE: going nitro
 

I just dont see myself changing my 30 over to a 50 and buying a new OS.50 for $250.00-$300.00 knowing the motor could take a crap out in a gallon or so.Thats one of the reason I got turned off from them and stayed with my 30.I would love to get a trex 600E but the batterys cost too much.I guess I really love my Rappy 30 with the OS.37 :D,all around good motor and heli and parts are everywhere ;) .

RE: going nitro
 

ok well so far i have found a really good deal on a raptor 50 v2 se with an OS 50 hyper for about $652 + $50 postage Then i need servos and a gyro plus field equipment.

This raptor seems a bit better than a 30 or the titan as is comes with metal head parts. The vibe sounds very good from what i have been readying.... nothing but positive comments just not how much extra it will be and if i can get parts easily.

RE: going nitro
 

Hyper is 185 bucks.

Evan, the hyper has a 10mm carb throat and makes more power than the 50, I just dont think the bearing design on the current large bore carb 50's has kept up with the power output.

FH, it also depends on what fuel you run and how lean you run it. They aren't perfect but I run hypers in all my 50s. Replacing a set of bearings once a year is just a cost of doing business.

RE: going nitro
 

185 is a really good deal, from where? I've been happy with the old .50 and my EVO so I've never moved up to a hyper, too many other toys to buy.. In fact I need to sell some stuff, my Corvette and my Yamaha R1 for starters...

RE: going nitro
 

Rons HP South or Heliproz. You have to call them for a quote because of MAP pricing or just order it, thats what they charge you. It might be 189 with free shipping now that Rons falls under heliproz shipping policies.

RE: going nitro
 

I did the same thing. Belt CP for a year and picked up a Hawk Sport, Mint with 02.32 and servos for $215 to my door. It even had some upgrades and a load of spare parts. Strickly a lumbering scale flier so it works for me, and is plenty affordable. Ole reliableOS .32s run forever.;)

RE: going nitro
 

BH,

>>Replacing a set of bearings once a year is just a cost of doing business. <<

Do you get the bearings from OS?

RE: going nitro
 

i also have a belt cp and was looking for a nitro and i went with the raptor 50. because there are so many of them out there you can usually find a pretty good deal on a used one on ebay since now the trex 600n and vibe 50 have come out and are a slightly newer desing. thats how i just got mine. it looks to be in real nice shape too.

its the SE so it has a mostly metal head, hyper 50, gy 401, (4) s9252, (1) s9253, mp5 pipe, electric starter, (2) nimh packs 1 for rx 1 for tx, pitch gauge, and a ball link pliers. all for $580 shipped. i just used my jr 9303 and had to buy 10 a ch. rx that could handle the digital servos and i was up and flying for less than half what it would have coast me new. once i get into a little more 3d i will probably need a gov. to.

RE: going nitro
 

http://www.rc-bearings.com the cheap ones last as long as any others including the 70 dollar ceramics that boca sells.

RE: going nitro
 

Take a look at the Pantera 50 from Audacity. [link=http://www.audacitymodels.com/]Audacity Helicopters - Tiger 50 and Pantera 50[/link].

You can also find Hyper 50's for sale used in the $130-150 range (check the helicopter specific sites, like HЄliFrЄak or RunR¥dЄr)

The Audacity machines are robust, nimble, and cost effective. John Beach (The owner and Janitor) is very friendly and open with his customers, and the prices of the machines and repair parts are great.

Take a look, it can't hurt, and you might just like what you see.

Jon

RE: going nitro
 

Depending on your budget, here are a number of heli/engine combos that can take you from mild training to some pretty hard 3D...The important part of any of this is the radio/servos and gyros that you mate to them....these items, I beleive, are even more important then the heli and engine, as they will be with you through many helis etc.

Century Hawk Pro with OS 37 or Toki 40 (light enough, that it has a good enough power to weight ratio with these two engines, to perform as well as some of the heavier 50's on a 50 engine)
Century Raven 50 w/OS Hyper 50 or YS 50
Hirobo Evo 50 (the 30 is a bit too heavy to have a good power to weight ratio for good 3D training) with either the OS or YS 50 engine
TT Raptor 50 (either the Titan or SE) with either 50 engine
Align T600N and either 50 engine

They can all do what you want and do it well - so it depends on what you want to spend and if you would rather spend it on the more important electronics or the heli airframe & engine.

Any of the above, when set-up properly, will outfly and out last any of the others that may be improperly set-up.

RE: going nitro
 

good points from syclic

I'd second the suggestion of the Pantera 50. I think they're a great value. I like the idea of a heli that's not too expensive for parts. However, it's a truism that the real investment is in the electronics.