heli_headcase
Key Veteran
Location: Hovering around Atlanta
My Posts This: Topic Forum | The model's name is very appropriate...I own two Whoppers and back in 1990 helped some friends get on in the air. Robbe knew there was a problem with the performance of the earlier versions of this aircraft and offered an improved set of blades to produce better lift. Takeoff requires good prerotating head speed and the built-in prerotator system is very difficult to use safely. Ground loops are all too easy to do.
My suggestion to get the Whopper into the air was to loop a string around the tail wheel while leaving the string in an open (not tied) shape. A volenteer would hold the two ends of the string (about 20ft long total) and run behind the model while allowing the head to spin up and gather ground speed. When all looked fast enough the runner would reliece one end of the string and let the remaining string slide past the tail wheel. It works!
Anyone remembering the Whopper article in a 1990 Flying Models magazine written by James Wang will see his Whopper in the air trailing a bright red streamer. That streamer was the string used for the ground roll stabilizer and it stayed with the Whopper by accident. Looked cool though...
Landings are critical as the main blades love to "whop" the tail pieces. The head speed must stay high and if you over-flair the touchdown be prepaired to watch for the tail parts left on the ground. Best to give a touch of forward cyclic (elevator) just prior to ground contact.
You need a very strong running engine. OS 61 SF (long stroke) on a MACS tuned pipe was okay but there was not much reserve power and this was a big surprise.
Will I ever fly one of my Whoppers? Probably not any time soon. I wasn't very impressed with the few I've seen fly. Chance of damage is too high.
Good luck!
Steve
HHC
So many heli's - too little time... |
