Has anyone changed their mind after fitting a scale body?

[Mike SVOR]

Has anyone changed their mind after fitting a scale body because it was too heavy, didn't fly well, wouldn't perform simple stunts?
I'm really lovin the thnder tiger MD530 kit and don't know if I'll hate it after installing it.
I KNOW i'll love the fact that it'll be higher off the ground than currently (raptor titan). Love the scale looks... etc.

Just not sure if i'll be switching back and forth if I wana go out and do some flips and rolls and other stuff.

Need some input from people who have done this so I don't make a mistake I'll regret.

thanks for listening.

[Rodan]

Having just installed mine, hopefully I can provide some insight... :wink:

Scale and 3D are really two very different pursuits. Scale is not just about the look of the heli, but the building (making it accurate, down to the rivets for many), and the flying. That is to make it fly like a real heli, so if the background that shows the size were gone, you would think you were watching a real 1:1 heli flying. I can tell you that flying 'scale' is sometimes as challenging as the 3D stuff (not that I'm a good 3D pilot, more of a 2.5D pilot really...). Being smooth and precise in flight is not as easy as you might think.

That said, the mechanical setup for the two is different (in fact, nearly opposite) as well. You want stability for the scale ship to dampen things down, and you want responsiveness in the 3D ship. The additional weight of the scale fuselage and accessories only contribute to the disparity.

You really can't have your cake, and eat it too...

My real reason for getting into RC helis was to do scale. In the process of learning to fly them, I found that I enjoy the acrobatics as well. For the moment, I'm fulfilling that need with a TRex 450 while I get my MD530 sorted. Once I finish the MD, I'll likely start working on a second Raptor 50 (or maybe an electric if battery costs for the bigger ships come down) for 3D.... and then a gasser scaler...then... :mrgreen: It really IS an addiction...

Really, you need to decide what YOU want most, first, then work on what comes next. Anyway, hope this helps...

[flying 442]

When I set my scale up I did it in a way that I could remove the body when I wanted to get more out of it. Now after flying my scale I find I really love flying it, like everytime I go out to fly. But this has slowed my learning curve as I fly it with care. For this reason I have ordered a second 600 that I can fly and have fun with.

So you could say that in a way I set-up a scaler and then changed my mind about only putting the body on every now and then.

[copterdoctor]

usually when i build a scale ship, it is to fly it scale. it willhave the power for it so thats not a problem. something like the tt 530 wont be a problem unless you want to load it up with scale stuff like a cockpit, lights, the works. while it would still fly, dont expect it to be a rocket ship. i keep one machine in my collection pod n boom for when i want to get stupid :? . i rather break that than a scaler

[DebianDog]

I have never seen a scale do Mad 3dz!

[copterdoctor]

me neither. i have seen one looped, rolled, hovered inverted and such but it was basically a fuse hung on a raptor so no real weight issues. you probably wont see a nicely decked out scaler flown that way because the money and time put in.

[JASO']

Hey Mike,
In answer to your original question, I to bought the MD530 after much deliberation and information seeking on this product. I am however a little dissapointed in the way in which it handles due to its colour and size/weight. I really thought this was the one for me being of military background but after having hands on with it I am really starting to miss my pod and boom style and occasional 3d. Some of the things that I am not keen on is the colour, as it can disappear very quickly when you get it down to the tree line. The excess weight from what I was used to as it drinks a fair bit more fuel for standard hovering etc. The ability to see the fuel tank easily as its all covered in the fuse. But apart from that it looks really cool sitting on the shelf.
So at the moment I am still undecided as to whether or not I will be keeping this fuse. This is just my opinion, and I know that some guys love their scale machines.

[BarracudaHockey]

I had to buy another Raptor and not put all the metal ya ya on it. I would have never tollerated converting my 3d machine to scale.

[daniel reese]

I put a Darthdrk MD500E on my TRex 450 SE V1. The body looks really neat and it still flies....but...
Its not at all like it was before-

I only get about 5-8 minutes from a pack when I used to get 12-15. If I could get the same flight times out of a fused body as I do from pod & boom, id keep the fuse on all the time.

My ESC and 430L motor get alot hotter too. Probably not much more than those mad 3D pilots get, but I wasnt flying like that before putting on the new fuse.

Its ALOT heavier- mostly cause I had to balance the CG with a scale "ton" of lead in the nose!

Its as stable as it ever was, maybe even more so but definately NO 3D anything. Piro rate is bout the same but climb, accelleration and decelleration are much slower.

I painted the body in metalic blue and pearl white so visibility is actually improved.

I pretty much expected all this though and so I made it easily removeable. Just 5 screws and its back to its old self. I have a strobe/landing/lipo alarm lightset from TRTJ and those pretty much stay in the same positions regardless of weather the fuse is on or not- converting between the two is very easy.

Im on the fence too.