Estes new A Helicopter Model Just Announced

[JumpJet]

This new model was just posted on the Estes web site.


https://www.estesrockets.com/coming-soon/007272-mini-a-helitm



John Boren

 

[EXPjawa]

Interesting. Thanks for posting!

 

[markg]

Looks neat, I'll give it a try. I like mini engine models, keeps everything in sight

cheers - mark

 

[neil_w]

That looks fantastic for $15. Definitely one of those in my future.

 

[Scott_650]

From the pictures on Estes website it looks like the hinge mechanism is laser cut fiberboard. But what is that circular yellow gizmo in the center of the parts collection picture - a tube cutting guide maybe? If it really builds out under an ounce you could fly it on even smaller motors than an A10 - an A3 flight in my front yard on a wind-less day maybe? 175 ft up then coptering down while I drink my after dinner coffee

 

[neil_w]

From the pictures on Estes website it looks like the hinge mechanism is laser cut fiberboard. But what is that circular yellow gizmo in the center of the parts collection picture - a tube cutting guide maybe? If it really builds out under an ounce you could fly it on even smaller motors than an A10 - an A3 flight in my front yard on a wind-less day maybe? 175 ft up then coptering down while I drink my after dinner coffee

Gosh golly it does look like a tube cutter, but we'll have to see. The BT does look somewhat longer than it needs to be... what would the extra be for?

 

[JumpJet]

Yes, that yellow thing in the image is in fact a BT-5 tube cutting guide. It was faster and easier to let the modeler cut the tube with the guide then it was to produce the tubes and ship them to China.


John Boren

 

[samb]

Wait a sec,

... let the modeler cut the tube with the guide ...

An airframe slotting template for the Super Big Bertha. https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...uper-Big-Bertha-re-boot&p=1751096#post1751096



What's next, balsa sheet with a paper fin template ?!?

 

[Nytrunner]

Looks like my 13mm selection will get more rounded out.

 

[ksaves2]

Apogee did one of those a long time ago.

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Rocke...its/Heli-Roc?zenid=kif3nuc840d60ai5oh72502b27

Estes a little cheaper.

I still have mine. It was fun. It would spin and then flip upside down and spin then go the other way and always managed to land the right way, tail first. Very entertaining. Kurt

 

[Oldschool77]

I have been waiting for AC-Supply to add the Astron Explorer to ''In Stock''. Now I'm going to wait for this one as well.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

Those wings look interesting. From the picture, I assume they're made from two pieces. Edge glued? Sand common edge to give some "airfoil" to the wings? I wonder how the wings are held down during boost. Looking forward to seeing it in stores; might need a serious up-scaling.

 

[neil_w]

John has posted a couple of interesting pictures on YORF regarding this model.

 

[neil_w]

And more: photos of the actual hinge mechanism. Me like.Closed:

Open:

 

[JumpJet]

Why I was just about to post these pictures here myself but you beat me to it.


John Boren

 

[neil_w]

Sorry hope I didn’t overstep...

 

[samb]

Sorry hope I didn’t overstep...

During the Space Race, overstepping The Chief Designer got you a one-way ticket on the trans-Siberian railroad. :wink:

 

[JumpJet]

No problem at all.

 

[RomCat]

Just thinking out loud... I wonder if there are any insurmountable obstacles to scaling this thing up. It'd be neat to see something 3 or 4 ft tall using this mechanism. It would have to be lightly built of course. Okay, now I think I'm going to be a bit restless tonight with this on my mind.

 

[JumpJet]

You mean like my F Helicopter model I flew at NSL last year. It uses the EXACT same hub\hinge except it's made out of 3mm plywood.



John Boren

 

[ksaves2]

You mean like my F Helicopter model I flew at NSL last year. It uses the EXACT same hub\hinge except it's made out of 3mm plywood.
John Boren

Freaking impressive John.

Apogee did the Heli-Roc over 10 years ago as I have a really beat up one and there
was a fellow who had a website called competition models that had a variety of
"meant to kill" heli rockets on it. Here is the apogee link: https://www.apogeerockets.com/Rocke...its/Heli-Roc?zenid=oekrlc2sdj08jclgkqkqi16ih1

I built mine as close to spec as possible as I has about 50 hours flying a Concept 30 R/C helicopter as best I could. (Lost interest for a variety of reasons)

I think the hinge design has been out there for awhile and the Chinese "Estes Guns" lined up their lasers and "fired away".......... But others have done it first. Kurt

 

[BEC]

I put five flights on a dead-stock Mini A Heli this past weekend - my first helicopter recovery flights ever (not counting several Gyrocs over the years). This thing "just works"! On Saturday I put it up for its first flight on the recommended A10-3T in the presence of several very experienced rocketeers and we were all impressed with its straight boost, how the blades just bloomed out at apogee and the very slow descent, just as intended. Big smiles (and conversations about getting the model) all around.

On Sunday I put four more flights on it after a Cub Scout launch wound down and I had the field to myself under essentially dead calm conditions. I also managed to time these flights. The best one was a little over 70 seconds (on an A3-4T) and the next was 61 seconds on an A10-3T. I also had one 20-ish second flight - on which I forgot to attach the rubber bands to the blades before launch but in which the blades partially deployed anyway. It fell softly and with no damage. The other flight was in the 30s - that one it started rotating nose-down and came down that way all the way to the ground. I've seen this before occasionally at launches were others have flown helis.

All in all - I am very pleased and glad I bought three when I did. I have a couple of minor tweaks in mind for my NARAM builds, but I'm not going to mess with the very reliable mechanical arrangement. I would much rather get a good score every flight than maybe get a great one.

Thanks to JumpJet for a great design and to Estes for a good execution of the design and for making it available at a nice price.