In this latest series of blogs where I repair, rejuvenate and otherwise re-fly some older models, I decided to do something to which I alluded in my previous entry.

That's where I mentioned that I had "two and a half" Twister Police Helicam coaxial helicopters. One was for an official RCGroups review and the other was given to me and subsequently repaired.

Ah, but there's that niggling "half." That was the nearly complete "parts" model in the box I'd purchased and later cannibalized a bit. I'd removed the receiver from the 3-in-1 mixer and put it in another plane. Flew it all of once. I'm glad I didn't do any more flight testing since the radio is not a full range unit!

The mostly complete frame plus a few spare parts had been stored in a freezer bag and boxed up when my wife and I moved. I'd forgotten about them until I dug out the model in the previous blog and I started going through some boxes. In that freezer bag along with the frame were one set of new blades, one set of used blades, the flybar, zip ties and double-stick tape, hardware and even the original Phillips screwdriver. The transmitter had been stored separately and I knew where to find it. Missing were the battery tray, camera and landing skids, but I know where the camera is. Not gonna use it.

As far as the battery tray is concerned, please read on.

I don't recall ever powering up that incomplete model before yesterday, but with everything connected, it...Continue Reading

A bit of an introduction is in order.

First of all, the Police Helicam has been discontinued in the US for quite some time and so has its cousin, the Blade CX4. Second, the model and radio in the photograph are not the items I used for the review, although I still have them in the original box and the model remains in perfectly good, nearly new and flyable condition.

After a quick online search, I found that British hobby company J Perkins Distribution, Ltd. in Lenham, Kent still carries the model! J Perkins was the original worldwide distributor and the model may now be found here.

My original review published February 22, 2011 can be viewed here.

What this is is the totally rebuilt damaged model given to me by Eddie Tucker at the now-defunct Ground Control Hobbies in Yucca Valley, California. Eddie took it back in as a warranty claim (read: pilot error) and he later gave it to me, radio and all. The story - and some photos of its original condition - are in the review.

What isn't in the review is what came a short time later. Just before I moved from the area, I'd paid Eddie a visit and I noticed yet another Police Helicam box just inside the door of the storage room. This had all of the parts I needed to complete the damaged model including two fuselages, a third radio system and the all-important battery! Forty bucks later, it was mine.

Now came the task of reassembling what I knew to be a working machine. Per the review, I'd test flown...Continue Reading