last

I bought this kit back in February as a project for something to do. The person I bought it from did the same thing except never built the kit so he decided to sell it to me. I have built and sold several 250's. This heli is in like new condition. It has been test hovered a dozen or so times.

The stock plastic main shaft bearing blocks have been replaced by metal bearing blocks (H25077T). The stock tail blades have been replaced by 42mm Align tail blades (HQ0423AT). A Spektrum DSM2 remote receiver was added. It comes with a new Align battery.

The Align instruction manual recommends gluing the pinion gear to the motor shaft with R48 glue. I have not had good success with just gluing the pinion. I flattened the motor shaft very slightly on three sides. I also roughed up the mating surface of the pinion. I used a small amount of JB KwikWeld to glue the pinion to the motor shaft. JB Kwik Weld tensile strength is rated at 2424 PSI. I am relatively certain the pinion is permanently fixed to the motor shaft. I have had no problems after eight flights. JB KwikWeld is rated at 300 degrees so motor heat shouldn't be a problem.

The 250 tail section is known for it's sloppy tail. I have reduced that problem by carefully winding a small amount of Teflon plumbing tape around each spindle shaft. The tail blade grips are much more stable with the Teflon tape.

The 3GX has been upgraded to V5.0.

The DX8 .SPM file is available upon request.
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I wanted to get this post in first position.

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=2232222

THIS ITEM SOLD 2/22/15. I AM LEAVING THIS UP FOR A SHORT TIME.

For sale is a complete expertly assembled Align Trex 250PRO Super Combo (KX019011T). Please refer to my build log for a detailed description, pictures, and flight test video. This heli comes with extras and upgrades. The 3GX has been upgraded to version 5. My DX8 transmitter settings are included in the build log. The buyer will receive an instruction manual and 3GX flybarless manual with notes. The 250 is probably the most difficult Align kit to build due to its small size requiring precision location of receiver, controller, and ESC. This heli uses a remote receiver which requires a seven channel transmitter. Please view the pictures below for a list of all included items.

Build Log:
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=2226308...Continue Reading

Align Gpro Interface Software V1.1 Setup Screen 4 and 5


This blog entry is a spin off of my 450 refurb build log. I spent a couple of days trying to set up the Gpro. I watched all the videos on the subject I could find several times. I couldn't really find anything that explained in detail what is going on with screen 4 and 5 of the software. So, I decided to share what I have learned. I strongly recommend watching Jeff Fassbinder's setup video and any other videos on the subject.

Basically, what we are trying to accomplish in the next several steps is 100% level swashplate from -12 degrees of pitch (minimum throttle stick position) to 12 degrees of pitch (full throttle). If the swashplate isn't level vibration happens. Imagine the spinning blades forming a "rotor disc." We are trying to get that thing flat and level under control of the Gpro.

First, the swashplate must be level thus, the title of screen four is "Swashplate." In preparation for this screen, the servo arms should be set to 90 degrees. Servo links must be the correct length. The transmitter pitch curve must be linear. Blades should be tightened so they will not move and they should be positioned straight across from each other so they form one continuous straight line from tip to tip. It might also help to mark one of the blades somehow so we can keep up with which blade is in use. I put a small piece of scotch tape on one blade. The throttle stick must be centered at zero. The...Continue Reading

I hope some or all of my experience assembling this kit will help others who might be looking for answers.
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8/14/14
I saw this kit (KX019011A) in the classifieds and just couldn't pass it up. List price of this kit is $486.99. Most hobby stores usually give about a $97 discount which yields a price of $389.99. So much for that. The transaction was completed and I received the kit 8/11/14. I immediately began to do inventory as soon as I opened the box. I upgraded the 3GX to version 5.

The kit was about 98 percent complete which was advertised in advance. It appeared all it was missing was the canopy and its mounting bolts. We theorized the hobby store was robbing Peter to pay Paul so to speak. I suspect that included trading good parts out of this kit for bad parts so the kit gave the appearance of being complete. The owner had to order a tail boom w/torque tube, feathering shaft, and main shaft which were missing from the kit. There was also a small bag of parts that do not go with this kit.

About six or eight of the plastic bags had been opened and the frame had been assembled. Two screw locations on the bottom plate were stripped (bottom plate $8). The front umbrella gears were stripped (torque tube front drive gear set $13 and torque tube rear drive gear set $11). One servo was bad right out of the sealed plastic bag. I replaced its gears and made it all better.

I now have it about 60 per cent assembled. I...Continue Reading

7/12/14
I received a crashed T-rex 450PRO DFC today. It took me about an hour to disassemble and go through it. Here is the first picture. It will receive Hitec cyclic servos and a new Gpro controller in addition to some other odds and ends.
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7/13/14
It's been a while since I spent five or six hours working on a heli. I removed all the screws and bearings from the heli. It was completely covered in a fine powder of dust. All surfaces were wiped down. Bearings were cleaned, lubricated, and tested for excessive wear. The boom was bent and torque tube compressed slightly so those got replaced. Front umbrella gears and drive gear were replaced. Installed metal tube type skids.

Now, moving on to the tail section.
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7/14/14
It is amazing what 30 minutes in a sonic cleaner will do for a grimy, gritty, dirty tail section. There was greasy dirt all over and the gears had a lot of black deposits. I almost missed the bent control arm. I have parts on order to rebuild the tail section.
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7/15/14
I've spent about three or four hours completely disassembling the tail section. I have removed all bearings and soaked them in bearing soak oil. I straightened the control arm. Wasn't sure I could get away with that without breaking it off. I have found thread lock in...Continue Reading

WARNING: this is a blog so I make almost no attempt at brevity. If you have patience to read this in depth, you might pick up some ideas for your project, whatever it might be. At least, that is my hope and intention.

I have been working on my MD500 fuselage for about a year now. I admit, I am taking my time and throughout this process it has been pretty much one step forward with two steps back learning the hard way. I have the fuselage built and helicopter mechanics installed. The big hold up for the past six months or so has been the vertical fin. The vertical fin which comes with the kit would probably be good enough but in my opinion, somewhat risky due to the fact that it is too flexible. This flexibility allows the fin to oscillate which causes the helicopter to become unstable. I have spent the past six months building my own version of the vertical fin. It is much more rigid and therefore stable than the stock version. Next, I will describe the process I went through building the fin and things I had to learn the hard way to get where I am. I hope this write up will help someone else find an easier way to build their own whatever it might be.

First things first. Soon after I received my MD500E fuselage from RC Aerodyne, I GOOGLed G-JIVE and came up with this picture. I would use this as a comparison while I was assembling the kit. Of course, there are a lot of small details which have been left undone. Some of the major details was to get the...Continue Reading

600 size five blade rotor head pictures.

Specifically, Align part number KX0190010T. Not a modern FBL, 3GX, DFC (etc., etc.) kit but a nice Little economical winter project all the same. That's one of the reasons I like this hobby, building helicopters.

I picked the kit up from an e-bay vendor less electronics for $170. I needed a project and this seemed like a good sized little CP heli which needed me. All my other heli's this size are FP so this would be a good addition to my collection.

It has a flybar which makes it a bit cheaper. Believe it or not, all the CP model helicopters I've owned to date have been FBL. This is my first flybar heli so it should be interesting. Actually, it has already proven to be interesting.

After getting the heli completely assembled and wires all secured in place, I took it out for a test spool up. It didn't take long to realize something was askew. Right aileron was left and left was right - not good. But I got lucky. I thought I was going to have to remove all the tie wraps so I could slide the receiver out to swap pitch and aileron plugs. All I had to do was remove the tie wraps securing those two sets of wires, pry both plugs out with a screw driver, swap them, then plug them back in. It turned out to be really simple. Now I am ready to take two more steps forward.

Getting back to cost, I had a set of Align DS410M cyclic servos, a RCE-BL15X Brushless ESC, and GP780 Gyro just sitting around waiting to be used. That's over $300 worth of heli electronics...Continue Reading

Here are some pictures of my MD500D Fuselage the day it was received.
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8/24/2014
Unfortunately, I bit off more than I could chew with this project. What you see is as far as it got in addition to the five blade rotor head mentioned above. Eventually, I boxed up the fuselage, rotor head, and blades and sent them to Kevin Dean (kdean) in the Bahamas. He is quite talented and immediately installed a 600 size helicopter and got this flying in short order....Continue Reading

This is the original ad I posted in the Aircraft - Electric - Helis (FS/W) classified section 1/18/2013
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I am asking $165 which includes CONUS shipping and I accept PayPal.

I need money for projects and make space for other heli’s. I am currently working on a Trex 250 PRO.

I fly this heli with a Walkera WK-2801 PRO transmitter. The last time I flew it in October, it flew as smooth as glass. It was amazingly stable. This would be a great heli to learn CP without having to overcome bugs like insufficient servos. I will include my transmitter settings.

I bought this heli as an inexpensive graduation from 200 size FP to larger 400 size CP. I have now moved on from the V400 to other heli’s.

Modifications include (3) Hitec HS-65MG cyclic servos and a upper/lower frame vertical stabilizer. Included is the rare V400eVERFRAME by COCO2010 ($31).

Included Items:
(1) Walkera V400D02 w/Stock CF Blades
(1) Original Box
(1) WK-2603 Transmitter
(2) User’s Manual V400 & WK-2603
(2) Main Motor New In Bag
(1) Tail Motor NIB
(1) Tail Rotor Blade NIB
(1) Tail Gear NIB
(2) Main Gear NIB
(1) Main Gear
(1) Ball Linkage Set NIB
(1) Ball Linkage Set
(2) Sets Landing Struts
(1) Set Landing Rails
(1) Complete Upper Frame
(1) V400eVERFRAME Lower Frame
(1) Set CF Stock Blades

Required Items:
Battery http://www.wowhobbies.com/HM-V400D02-Z-30.aspx
Charger http://www.wowhobbies.com/hm-cb180-z...eiver-1-1.aspx

More pictures:
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=1811731

Pictures of Walkera V400D02 For Sale 1/18/2013, sold 1/18/2013 for $165, and shipped out same day via UPS second day delivery....Continue Reading

HK(mostly Align)600-GT DFC (Scorpion motor, AR6110 Rx)
Align Trex 450 3GX DFC PRO (Walkera RX2801) [AUG 2013 four blade head, updated 3GX from v1.2 o v3.1, will mount in MD500E fuselage soon]
4f200SD5 (five blades CP)
4f180 (four blades FP)
Align Trex 250 PRO purchased 1/2013 (Walkera RX2801)
HM53QD
V200D01 #1 (worn out retired for parts)
V200D01 #2
mQX, mCX2, mSR, mCPX (retired).


V400D02 (stock)(sold 1/18/2013 see post this blog)

Day 1 Part 3 - Blade Grip Torque (3 min 38 sec)

Scroll down about half way to "Blade Grip Tightness."
http://www.rchelicopterfun.com/how-t...ters-day1.html

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...postcount=3615

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...postcount=3778

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...postcount=1528

Greetings all and thanks for stopping by

I'm not a heavy duty blogger but I would like to make a comment or two from time to time. I just finished reading nese's blog which sounds real familiar.

I have always been fascinated with helicopters - doesn't matter how big or small. I was sort of remotely interested in model RC helicopters but never really gave it much thought until my daughter bought me a coaxial micro heli as a Christmas peasant last Christmas. Of course, it didn't take me long to break it but long enough to get bit by the bug so to speak.

My first real model heli experience began with a Syma S107G. Those were the days of real fun, real cheap hobby. Little did I know this was the proverbial tip of the ice berg. I was beginning to wake up to an ocean of possibilities.

In the brief period I have been involved with the RC helicopter hobby, I have spent way too much money, learned as much (maybe more) as I would in a semester college class, and had more fun than a barrel of monkeys

more later...