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I have this Bell 205 scale static bird in a kit.

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  • Member since
    February 2016
I have this Bell 205 scale static bird in a kit.
Posted by JonBailey on Tuesday, April 12, 2022 12:05 AM

I plan to paint this 1/48 model as photoshopped in the photo. It's a private helicopter in custom paint. I have a fantasy about owning a 1/10th r/c version of this model with on-board cameras and with such flying precision to function as a drone. I bet such a fine scale drone heli would cost what, $5,000?  By the way, does anybody here build fine scale RC models? 

 

 

Current Model Worked On; 1/25 AMT Kenworth W-925 Tractor Kit, Future Models; 1/25 AMT Wilson Cattle Trailer, 1/96 Atlantis Boeing 727, 1/48 AMT Bell 205 Helicopter

  • Member since
    August 2021
Posted by lurch on Tuesday, April 12, 2022 10:06 AM

They do make that kit. Not sure of the scale tho. I build mostly cars , buggy's and trucks. Never done a helo or airplane. I am sure someone does.I plan on doing one with floats in the future but not at the moment. 

  • Member since
    February 2016
Posted by JonBailey on Tuesday, April 12, 2022 5:56 PM

Have you ever done SCALE R/C vehicles? 

Current Model Worked On; 1/25 AMT Kenworth W-925 Tractor Kit, Future Models; 1/25 AMT Wilson Cattle Trailer, 1/96 Atlantis Boeing 727, 1/48 AMT Bell 205 Helicopter

  • Member since
    August 2021
Posted by lurch on Tuesday, April 12, 2022 7:01 PM

I have. Almost have 100 of them . I collect and restore them and at one point raced them . Startred in 1985 onboard an aircraft carrier.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Tuesday, April 12, 2022 9:03 PM

I've got 5 or so gas/electric planes and a couple of electric helo's but they are all ARF kits that required minimal assembly.  I have seen the scale stuff and was thinking maybe some day merging my RC world with the scale world.  Sure looks like fun.  I watched some video a bit back where they had a meet and points were scored for scale appearance and required flight manuvers.  Very, very cool.  Do you do that stuff?

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    February 2016
Posted by JonBailey on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 12:56 AM

I have a couple cheap R/C toys. Two cars that are rather close to scale in body lines. A BMW police car and a Toyota Celica racer.

No 'hobby-grade' R/C models yet. I think you have to be a master machinist to do that. I know of no hobby-grade Bell 205 helicopter R/C kits in any degree of "scale". Some master machinists make each and every scale part by hand. Here is a beautiful Kenworth logging truck fabricated by hand at home. This man has a video series on his truck. Hand-built from scratch-made aluminum parts and custom painted to look like the real deal. Many detailed scale R/C models have to be scratch-built. There are some who scratch-build static models as well, I believe. There doesn't seem to be a lot of true-scale R/C model kits on the market. There are a bunch of R/C "models" that are not scaled on any real-world boat, plane or vehicle. Fine scale R/C is a rich man's exclusive club. 

(19) RC Kenworth Logging truck - YouTube

 

Current Model Worked On; 1/25 AMT Kenworth W-925 Tractor Kit, Future Models; 1/25 AMT Wilson Cattle Trailer, 1/96 Atlantis Boeing 727, 1/48 AMT Bell 205 Helicopter

  • Member since
    February 2016
Posted by JonBailey on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 2:10 PM

My first R/C toy was a RTR Radio Shack/Tandy Corp. BMW racer back in 1983. The car retailed $40 back then and it did have such gee-whizz advanced features as DIGITAL PROPORTION steering AND throttle control as well as reverse. The car could be controlled precisely and variably, not merely "all or nothing" at the gas pedal or steering wheel. I don't recall the car's having operational lights, however. These cheap cars nowadyas often have operational lights but no DP controls. To get DP control these days, one more or less has to go with a "hobby grade" R/C vehicle with its attendant high price tag, many of them not "real-world scale" but racing buggy type things. 

Current Model Worked On; 1/25 AMT Kenworth W-925 Tractor Kit, Future Models; 1/25 AMT Wilson Cattle Trailer, 1/96 Atlantis Boeing 727, 1/48 AMT Bell 205 Helicopter

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 2:22 PM

I was at an airshow recently, over watching the R/C demo.

One guy had a pretty large scale helicopter. After he flew it around a bit, he landed it, unfortunately on an airfield several feet lower in altitude than we were.

"Oh well, there goes $ 5,000", he said.

I've always wanted an R/C ship. Maybe some day.

 

Bill

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    July 2014
Posted by modelcrazy on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 2:41 PM

There a a lot of RC'ers here. I myself was pretty heavly into it and sratchbuilding in the 90's. I still have many many plans and a few planes. I have'nt held a radio in a while though.

Steve

Building a kit from your stash is like cutting a head off a Hydra, two more take it's place.

 

 

http://www.spamodeler.com/forum/

  • Member since
    August 2021
Posted by lurch on Thursday, April 14, 2022 10:06 AM

I collect and restore thetamiya ones. Also raced and competed the traxxas trucks . Just the small time stuff. I love building them they are not hard to do. Tried the helos a few times and learned the laws of gravity very quickly. All mine are electric except the big one that has a weed wacker motor in it.  I will bebuilding a display this summer hopefully if all goes well and will post pics of them.I am planing to start a club in this area soon that will have all types of RC venues along with model building. 

  • Member since
    February 2016
Posted by JonBailey on Thursday, April 14, 2022 4:56 PM

Here is a big scale Bell 205 that is gas powered. My ideal Bell 205 would be 1/10 scale, lithium battery powered, have scale crew figures and a scale German shepherd dog figure in the cabin. The bird would be called AMERICAN ORIGINAL and be painted Grape purple. My helicopter would have precise collective/cyclic/torque/throttle control and all the correct working navigation lights. The bird might also feature auto-hover and a camera for areial photography in drone fashion. I'm experienced piloting virtual aircraft in Microsoft Flight Simulator X Deluxe. 

I doubt if this man's model came from any off-the-shelf kit: 

(21) STUNNING RC BELL-205 UH-1D SCALE MODEL TURBINE HELICOPTER FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION BY BERND PÖTING - YouTube

Current Model Worked On; 1/25 AMT Kenworth W-925 Tractor Kit, Future Models; 1/25 AMT Wilson Cattle Trailer, 1/96 Atlantis Boeing 727, 1/48 AMT Bell 205 Helicopter

  • Member since
    August 2021
Posted by lurch on Thursday, April 14, 2022 8:06 PM

That most likely will be something you will have to build yourself. Its not hard. You will have to search for all the stuff that you will need but its all out there. The best and rewarding part of it is that you will be able to fly it when your done. building it is alot of the fun and the learning along the way is very rewarding to. I suggest checking out a local club in your area and ask alot of questions .I bet they will be more than happy to help you out.

  • Member since
    August 2019
  • From: Central Oregon
Posted by HooYah Deep Sea on Thursday, April 14, 2022 10:48 PM

Getting in with a local club can be very rewarding and informational. My local RC flying club even kicked in to help me with a boat model. There were a number of definite differences in how things are done, but none-the-less, they were very helpful.

It is a 1/12 scale Vietnam era "Tango' boat  (that's a queen sized bed it's sitting on)

"Why do I do this? Because the money's good, the scenery changes and they let me use explosives, okay?"

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Friday, April 15, 2022 12:53 AM

Once a year we have what we we call the Helicopter Scale Masters at our R/C field near Sacramento.  Here is a link to some photos form last year.

 

http://goldeneramodel.com/WDA/20190511HSM/2019hsm.html

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    February 2016
Posted by JonBailey on Friday, April 15, 2022 6:15 AM

(22) RC SIKORSKY MH-60T JAYHAWK 6010 SCALE RESCUE HELICOPTER MISSION OVERSEAS - YouTube

A Sikorsky USCG model. The landing gear isn't retracting, I don't think. All battery powered. 

 

I have done some Google searches and there is stuff at websites outside of America. There are scale heli kits available in the world. There is an outfit called VARIO. This particular kit is 1:8. It can be fully battery powered. No IC engines. How does one attach a drone camera to a scale model heli for aerials? How about auto-hover control? In theroy, the heli would just automatically hover in place with no control input. These r/c drones you buy with cameras don't look like "real world" helicopters at all. It would be kind of special to have a scale heli with drone camera capabilty. 

 

I like the notion of all-electrc model helicopters. Clean and quiet. Lower maintenance. Probably less expensive. 

 

 Bell 205 UH-1D 1:8 - Fuselage kit Motorization Electric Skyfox (vario-helicopter.com)

Current Model Worked On; 1/25 AMT Kenworth W-925 Tractor Kit, Future Models; 1/25 AMT Wilson Cattle Trailer, 1/96 Atlantis Boeing 727, 1/48 AMT Bell 205 Helicopter

  • Member since
    August 2021
Posted by lurch on Friday, April 15, 2022 8:35 AM

Local clubs are the best. They can help with any problems and doing updated work or parts. Thats why I always recomend them. They helped my out emensely with all kinds of stuff. I even started 2of them in the twin cities. After 20 years they are still going strong. I have moved from there and planing on starting 2 more. One for RC and another for models. Thats why I recomend them .

  • Member since
    February 2016
Posted by JonBailey on Friday, April 15, 2022 2:58 PM

Oh, by the way, this scale R/C hobby is not for the poor. It might not be feasible for many to try to get into. Still, it seems to have a much less following in America. Americans want cheap, fast and ready to go. There are these toy grade things and these drones which don't even look like a real-world helicopter at all. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiB0c_mgpOQ

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9V2Gp4N_NA

Current Model Worked On; 1/25 AMT Kenworth W-925 Tractor Kit, Future Models; 1/25 AMT Wilson Cattle Trailer, 1/96 Atlantis Boeing 727, 1/48 AMT Bell 205 Helicopter

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Friday, April 15, 2022 3:14 PM

Fine scale modeling ... not cheap, not fast and not ready to go and lots of Americans Stick out tongue

Maybe look into some of the scale body kits.  I have a couple Align TREX 450s and there are some pretty nice body kits that are reasonably priced.  I've been considering doing an MD500 if I get back into flying.  

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    August 2021
Posted by lurch on Friday, April 15, 2022 8:07 PM

Hoo Ya I totaly agree with you. It can be extremely rewarding and very informational. Not only that you can make some friends and learn other things as well. Also why I like to recomend local clubs. 

  • Member since
    February 2016
Posted by JonBailey on Friday, April 15, 2022 8:17 PM

I don't think many Americans especially young Americans have the patience for fine-scale R/C modelling. Some of them are quite well-to-do too. I think gaming and tech-geek stuff has derailed traditional modelling, either R/C or static. 

 

I actually play the Auran/NV3 Trainz railroad simulator and have a 1/10 scale outdoor layout that is virtual. It has autonoumous trains, boats, automobiles and trucks running as well as autonomous horse-drawn wagons. Autonomous airplanes are also available but not on this virtual layout of mine. I can drive the trains by hand as well. I do have an Army Huey helicopter flying on this layout with a door that opens to reveal a machine gunner when hovering down to the helipad. My virtual outdoor layout covers about 422 virtual acres, 2/3 of a section (square mile) of land. The landscape is a rural American Pacific Northwest theme and heavilly forested. My fantasy is that this might actually be a billionaire's PHYSICAL layout with autonomous operating scale vehicles that would be cost-prohibitive in the real world. 

 

Current Model Worked On; 1/25 AMT Kenworth W-925 Tractor Kit, Future Models; 1/25 AMT Wilson Cattle Trailer, 1/96 Atlantis Boeing 727, 1/48 AMT Bell 205 Helicopter

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Friday, April 15, 2022 8:23 PM

Curious why you continue to call out Americans.  Gaming is a world wide phenomenon and I agree that youth in general (at least in 1st world countries) are distracted by the digital world.  

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    February 2016
Posted by JonBailey on Friday, April 15, 2022 8:39 PM

Well, I've watched a bunch of scale R/C videos on YouTube. All of the posted ones I've seen have people speaking German or with Brit or Aussie accents or Asians. I have yet to see a scale jet airplane, truck, car, boat or helicopter R/C model video by somebody speaking American. Scale model trains have also died in America too. Poorer American youth can still often afford a PC with games. Hobbies have become less physical than they used to be. In 1978, some boys flew an R/C model airplane at my high school campus in Califonia. There were no PC's with flight sims then. Not on those Radio Shack TRS-80's. Space Invaders was a big deal on those ROM/Cassette BASIC machines. 

 

Guns, hunting, archery, mountain bikes and fly-fishing has been on the upswing in recent decades. This also has taken from the model hobbies. 

 

Do you know an American who pilots a scale jumbo jet like this?

 

That scale Boeing 747 offends my fine-scale eyes still. The intake fan blades on the engines don't look real. There are (visible) external control horns mounted onthe tail section. The controlling surfaces move much too rapidly. At least the landing gear is operational but I don't know if the gear is true scale. I don't see any working aircraft navigation lights. The plane should take-off from a glass-smooth paved runway. The lawn makes it look rough-running on the ground. 

Current Model Worked On; 1/25 AMT Kenworth W-925 Tractor Kit, Future Models; 1/25 AMT Wilson Cattle Trailer, 1/96 Atlantis Boeing 727, 1/48 AMT Bell 205 Helicopter

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Friday, April 15, 2022 9:13 PM

Here you go:  something I'd like to get into!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCaI2hcY5vM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHLykk4J1qk&t=10s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDSxlaSot1k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nyd_RqVX1es

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPShZaQVQH0

US Scale Master Championships videos are awe inspiring.

Googling a bit I do agree that the super large scale stuff seems to be a european thing.

 

 

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    August 2021
Posted by lurch on Friday, April 15, 2022 10:46 PM

Jon , in rc sometimes you cant get what you want in exact scale for a multitude of resons. The fans you pointed out might be the way they are so the plane can fly. the control horns are exposed so they can opperate the control serfaces better. Sometimes you only have limited choices and you do the best with what is available on the market at the time. The RC world has made some huge advances in just the last 10 years in all areas. They still have a long way to go but atleast they are making the improvements as time goes on.

  • Member since
    February 2016
Posted by JonBailey on Friday, April 15, 2022 11:14 PM

For that reason, it seems that model helicopters can be feasibly made more true to scale than jets and perhaps even prop airplanes. No exposed control horns needed. In the case of skid helis, no retractable landing gear needed. No I/C engines needed either. Can fly super slow and hover. Can fly indoors. Can attach a camera for aerial snooping in drone fashion. 

 

I think that jumbo jet has ducted fan power. Here is a video with an experimental true gas turbine turbofan engine for scale model aircraft:

 

 

That prototype engine whines like the real deal!! If they could only get rid of that ugly external control linkage. 

This Boeing 727 tri-engine T-tail seems to have real gas turbine engines and no exposed control linkages. The landing gear seems to operate too fast. Sounds awesome. Beautiful slow controlled landing. Doesn't seem to have scale gear or main gear doors. 

Boeing 727 = my favorite jetliner, T-tail fanatic here

 

Current Model Worked On; 1/25 AMT Kenworth W-925 Tractor Kit, Future Models; 1/25 AMT Wilson Cattle Trailer, 1/96 Atlantis Boeing 727, 1/48 AMT Bell 205 Helicopter

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Saturday, April 16, 2022 1:35 AM

Me and my sons back in the day.  The Airmadillo is in front  - probably the least scale plane ever, but very crash worthy.

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    August 2021
Posted by lurch on Saturday, April 16, 2022 7:50 AM

RC boats are pretty realistic in all forms. The technology has gotten better over the years for all types of vehicles and still getting better. I started in 1985 and seen this. But like I said check out the local clubs in your area. I bet you will understand better and be totaly impressed in what you see.If you look hard enough you will find exactly what you want.

  • Member since
    April 2020
Posted by Eaglecash867 on Saturday, April 16, 2022 9:30 AM

keavdog

Googling a bit I do agree that the super large scale stuff seems to be a european thing.

Beyond a certain scale, that might be because there is a much larger percentage of people in the US who have the hobby of flying 1:1 aircraft.  That's good for me...made a pretty lucrative career out of it for the last 29 years.  Cool

"You can have my illegal fireworks when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers...which are...over there somewhere."

  • Member since
    February 2016
Posted by JonBailey on Saturday, April 16, 2022 1:39 PM

Yes, the super rich would rather own a "real airplane". 

Current Model Worked On; 1/25 AMT Kenworth W-925 Tractor Kit, Future Models; 1/25 AMT Wilson Cattle Trailer, 1/96 Atlantis Boeing 727, 1/48 AMT Bell 205 Helicopter

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Sunday, April 17, 2022 12:22 AM

Most all of us in the US belong to AMA and that organization provides our liability insurance.  There are many jet flyers in the US, but you don't see the very large models because of both the cost and the problem of having insurance coverage.  The basic limit for model airplanes is 55 pounds, if you go above that special inspections and rules for flight apply.  I have several 1/4 scale R/C airplanes and though they fly well they are a logistical pain in the butt.  Also, in the US there are limited airfields where such large aircaft can be flown.  Europe seems to have better venues, but though you see videos of those large aircraft, it takes a pretty well heeled operator to do them.  When they go down they can do a lot of damage.

Turbine powered models are not at all uncommon in the US, a number of the members of my model club fly them.

We have yearly jet meets at our field, here is a link to photos of one of them, taken by myself.

http://yolo.net/%7Ejeaton/WDA/20190427jetfly/2019jetfly.html

 

As for me, although I fly all types of R/C models, the ones I really enjoy the most are "old timers", free flight designs from the 30's and 40's converted to R/C.

 

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

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