This thread is to review the Hobby-Lobby Revo CP Helicopter from a box to flight approach.

Here's a link to the Revo CP:

http://www.hobby-lobby.com/revo.htm


In addition to reviewing the Revo CP, I will also be reviewing the additional components received:

* ETH3500 Cool Red Brushless Motor
* Jeti Advance Plus 15 amp ESC with Program Card
* Electron 6 FM Receiver
* Ikarus Profi Micro Headinglock Gyro
* ThunderPower TP 11.1V 2100mAh 15C Li-Poly Pack for this application
* Hitec HS-56 and HS-55 servos.

The FedEx truck delivered everything and the package made the trip without issue or damage. The Revo CP comes with Wood Blades and 3 brass pinions - 9T, 10T, and 11T, a Blade Pitch Gauge, Instruction Manual, and a Rx Antennae Tube. The box is heavy walled with formed styrofoam to securely hold the Revo in place during shipping and should do well in preventing damage to the heli during shipping and/or transit.

Todd

Its a shogun variant...

Looks ok except for the look of the canopy.. That can probably be changed with a Darth one (;

Originally Posted by darthdrk

Its a shogun variant...

*sigh* bummer.

landing gear to skinny, i thought they did away with that on the shogun?.

looks like the black hawk 400 to me..

more, please more. Now that the heli arrived I want to see how this turns out after the " free review but you have to pay" thread.

Cheaper parts for my Shogun?

Will the new pitch lever ssetup be better than the pitch wire setup? *muses...

Cooler frame?->G10 fibre frame?

At least give the poor guy a chance to do his review, I hope this means lot cheaper parts for my shogun and will they already be 1/2 off at xmas?

You got 2 HS 55's, and 2 HS56's?

I saw one (along with a MX400, the Ark/Trex clone) of these at my LHS last week, looks interesting. The head is different from the shogun (CCPM) and it has a shaft drive tail. Also looked to be a little longer than the shogun.
MX400 also looked interesting... lot's of cool cheap helis arriving lately

Todd:

Please continue. Anxious to hear more. I'm debating between this, the TREX or the HB King. I like the fact that Hobby-Lobby is here and reputable, but am concerned that this is somewhat a proprietary heli and there won't be many options or support over the long haul.

Same with the HB King, but it's cheaper. TREX has good support, but cost a bit more and is really the next size up.

Thanks for the info.

Regards,
Lee

This is ridiculous! Guys give the man a chance to do the review. GEEESH. He isn't Hobby Lobby so show some respect. Show some manners. It was ok in the HL thread but not ok here.

I also have a question Todd about the servos. 2 55s and 2 56s? How do they want you to use them? I would think 3 56s for cyclic.

Greybird,
Correct about the servos - that was how the review package was setup to review. The only thing that was deviated was the gyro. Originally, it was supposed to be a standard Piezo, Hobby-Lobby had gotten the HH version in since the initial thread and they opted to send that instead. I imagine that they would have sent whatever servos I would have wanted upon request, but I felt that it was best to stick with the original offer and no deviate. For me, I would go with 3 HS-56 for the head - Elev, Ail, and Pitch and a HS-50 for the tail. The 50's can be finiky at times - centering issues, etc., but they are light and quick. I just make a point to cycle them through and check them out before installation and keep an eye on them when doing pre or post flight checks.

PARTS: Parts for the Revo CP are listed at Hobby-Lobby with pricing - You can judge for yourself with the math.

To give a little background so those of you coming in later in the game after the old Shogun days so that you can understand some of the guy's beefs here --- and they have VERY LEGITIMATE reasons for those grievances..........

I have had Shoguns and got rid of all of them with a bunch of upgrades $$$$$ - took a serious pounding (loss on the deal) with the exception of one that I kept which is a V1 that is stock except for the landing gear - guess I kept it a reminder when buying things in question or when I become impatient and drop into that "I got to have it mode" without really thinking things through. So I can empathize for those that got burned on the Shoguns/Protechs.............I was one of them. Dont' know anything about the V2 Shoguns - never had one, never seen one other than web pics. The original Shoguns where over-priced and parts cost an arm and a leg (if you could get them). The bird had many flaws and weak points and the industry, more or less, chose to ignore the issues and it was the pilots here and at RunRyder that came up with all the fixes and mods in order to get it to fly and hold up like it should. The original input and output gears would strip easily and I didn't like the pitch control or the whole tail setup - period. Was garbage/junk from day one and remained so until we did our own fixes and mods. Manufacturers kept shoving them out and refused at the time to address or acknowlege the issues (or at least someone in the scheme of things chose to ignore them). So, there's a bit of history for those of you that missed out on all the fun with the Shogun/Protech - there were a few other names too - all the same heli with different decals , that's all. The reason I decided to take a swat at this one was - figured, what the hell - it's their dollar and I like the word FREE. In the Orginal post for the REVO, many were pissed about the fact that for the 2 free birds that all those wishing to be involved would have to be willing to pay for the goods first, review it here at RCGroups, and then get reimbursed once the review thread was up and running. Yep, I paid my almost $600 on my Visa for what is sitting here. There is another, but haven't seen or heard from him here yet. Don't know the guy and only know from what I saw in the postings here at RCGroups.
Here's another spin too and might as well address it and deal with it. Many feel that initial payment is like a ransom. They don't like what you say and then you loose your $$$$ (not get reimbursed) and that will/would cause for biased reviews in favor of the Revo. The reason Hobby-Lobby did it this way is (to my understanding) that apparently in the past they've given a lot of products out for free for testing/reviews with the understanding that the reciever of the free-bee would review/test the product/s and post/write reviews where ever that may be. The problem was that no reviews/test were ever done and nothing was said about the products - the reciever of the free-bee(s) did nothing and said nothing. That point I can understand as I used to have a business and gave out free-bees - I only asked that THEY GIVE ME BACK INFO good/bad/or otherwise so that I would know how the general public would use/abuse my stuff. Figured if they liked it, they would pass the word - plain ole' fashion PR and some real field testing courtesy of the "John Public". Didn't care about "Thank you's" or any of that crap. Just wanted feedback and see what others' thought of my stuff - give me a feel for my **** in the field................Well, I can tell you that out of all the folks that I ever gave stuff too I only got 2 or 3 that came back (like they should) and gave me the run down - like, hate, ****, good, junk, too expensive, works like a charm - anything. Yeah, I would call the others - their line was, "Well, haven't had time to try it out yet", or some other bull**** lame excuse. What I should have done was go get the **** back off of them and tell them they blew it...............Bad part was that some were friends and others were well known in the industry so that would make me look like a no good SOB..........that can kill business too. Needless to say I took it up the backside with those situations. Tell ya what, I don't give freebies for anything anymore - well, I make exceptions to my 68 year old dad and my 7 year old son..............

Next, I figured that being Hobby-Lobby is very well known with a good reputation that they wouldn't be so stupid as too rip off anyone or **** on them - especially in a public forum as such - That can damage a company quicker than anything profit wise. Never heard anyone having problems with them or complaints. I've bought from them and didn't have problems and/or complaints..........ssssooooooo. Last, but least - it's called Visa.............I think you can do the math on that one. Don't have time to sugar coat a piece of crap, nor am I going to waste my time trying my damnest to find fault in something if there isn't any. Will tell ya (you can take it for what it's worth) that Hobby-Lobby told me to just call it the way I see it - good, bad, or otherwise - was going to do that anyhow. Can tell you right now that I see thinks I like and things I don't at this point. Will call it as I see it as I'm going through the paces up to and including flight. I like posting here and at RunRyder and being a part of it - not worth blowing it over lying or BS'ing to folks. Well, there you have it. Will gladly answer any questions you have will proceed on with this review. I like using pics to show stuff, some pics are better than others. The digital camera I have right now doesn't do well with extreme close ups and lighting issues come to play as some pics will look darker than others - which I don't like. If there's something you want specific pics of or shots of - ask. I do have a handful of pics that are ready for uploading with narratives so wait to see what's put up and we can go with it from there. I will be updating here and there due to time restraints so bear with me. Thanks.

Todd