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CANOMOD . Experience RC . Heli-Max

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Main Discussion > First commercially available model helicopter???
 
 
Chugga-bug
Veteran
Location: London UK

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Who made the first commercially marketed model helicopter???

Any ideas?

"Up in smoke... that's where my money goes.."
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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TMoore
rrProfessor
Location: Cookeville, TN

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Schluter came out with the Cobra made by Hegi imported by Aristo Craft back in the early 70's.

TM

I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted the paychecks.
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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greg
Key Veteran
Location: Yorkville, IL

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		And Terry flew it....
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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Markerbeacon
Key Veteran
Location: N.E. Iowa

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Du-Bro was in there with the Whirlybird 505, 72-73 I think.....

-Mark
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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cudaboy_71
Elite Veteran
Location: sacramento, ca, u.s.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum
Quote 
Du-Bro was in there with the Whirlybird 505, 72-73 I think.....

was that the one with two cylinder heads on the main shaft? never saw one fly.

if it ain't broke…break it.
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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Butch
Veteran
Location: New York

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		The 505 sported a .40 engine (One of the cylinders you see) with an aluminum fuel tank/cylinder head "look-alike" mounted opposed which was adjustable for balance (the second cylinder head you see). Standard plank prop mounted on the engine. You start the engine, and the torque rotated the whole shabang...engine, tank & main rotors (If my memory is correct)

I dont know which model was out there first.

The Whirlybug Bit Me!
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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cricket
Senior Heliman
Location: scottsdale az

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		dubro whirlybird with a K&B 40 on top of the rotor head.
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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TMoore
rrProfessor
Location: Cookeville, TN

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		The DuBro came after the Schluter Hegi Cobra. Ask Horace Hagen. He flew the first Hegi Cobra that Dieter Schluter kitted and sent to the US. The Whirlybird was not even conceived then.

TM

I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted the paychecks.
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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Furious Predator
rrProfessor
Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		they have come a long way havn't they? consider what was good then. and look at what we got now. high speed digital servoes, lithiums, 90 engines, tuned pipes, carbon blades, carbon everything else, high head speeds, heading lock gyros, governors, ect ect.

what will it be like in another 30 years?

Shawn
Team Leisure-Tech
Team HelixRC
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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alvinrc
Veteran
Location: Mobile, AL, USA

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		DuBro Whirley Bird 505 - May 1972 - Got Mine

The second engine cylinder looking thing was counter weight for the engine as has been stated.

The fuel tank was metal and was just below the main rotor hub.

12-20-2006 Over year old.
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dkshema
rrMaster
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		DuBro Whirlybird 505. K&B 40 engine turning a 10 x 6 prop provided lift. The torque drove the main rotors which were nothing more than flat pieces of 1/4 inch thick balsa. No airfoil in the blades whatsoever. The "other cylinder" was simply a turned piece of aluminum used as a counter weight to offset the weight of the K&B 40. The big round cup that the motor sits on is the fuel tank.

Tail rotor blades were flat pieces of 1/16th inch plywood.

A very crude machine by today's standards, but indeed, was the first commercially available and successful RC Helicopter.

I still own the assembly manual and flight instructions written by Dave Gray, it's inventor. And, even this button that was included in each kit:



There are two on display at the AMA museum in Muncie, and here is a picture from Helicopter John's gallery of a 505 in the air:



The caption says it belongs to Steve Poretz.

Dave
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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Furious Predator
rrProfessor
Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		wonder if you can still get parts for it.

Shawn
Team Leisure-Tech
Team HelixRC
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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flipped2left
Key Veteran
Location: indianapolis,in.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		The 505 was my very first heli. I was 15 yrs. old at the time. compared to todays heli it was a piece of crap but back then it was the best since there was nothing else out there.

Smile! people will wonder what you're up to!!
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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cudaboy_71
Elite Veteran
Location: sacramento, ca, u.s.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum
Quote 
I still own the assembly manual and flight instructions written by Dave Gray, it's inventor.

dkshema: if you're ever bored, it'd be great if you could scan those and post nice high-res images. i'd love to look through that. i can't even find any decent photos of the mechanics online.

and, what about the schluter cobra? anyone have any pictures of that?

if it ain't broke…break it.
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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dkshema
rrMaster
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Parts for the 505? The main frame was spruce sticks. The swash was three concentric nylon rings. Rotor blades 1/4 inch balsa, tail rotor 1/16th inch ply, tail boom was a fiberglass shaft. It used a piece of piano wire for the TR drive shaft, and a couple of crown gears for the tail, made of brass. The rest was music wire and a few custom made pieces. The body was a thin shell of ABS plastic, very light, very thin.

I should post the manual. The flight instructions by Dave Gray were interesting, including phrases such as "Once it starts to go you might as well cut the throttle and watch it crash, because it is going to crash and you cannot stop it."

The last two issues of American Aircraft Modeler had a conversion article written by Ed Sweeney that showed you how to convert the 505 to a belt driven heli using a clutch, a new rotor head made from a flat turnbuckle, a nylon nose gear bearing from a plank, and hand-made rotor blades. I did the conversion, used a Supertiger 23 for power. The converted heli actually got airborne and stayed that way for about 15 seconds before the set screw holding the swashplate follower let go and the heli crashed into a million pieces. I learned about loctite that day.

I'll work on scanning the manual and posting it in my gallery. Will let you know when it's up.

Dave
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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jschenck
Elite Veteran
Location: La Vista, NE.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Brraaaaahh!! this make the Cricket sound like a very advanced machine (first heli I owned). I did manage to get that off the ground a few times but the darn wire drive would slip and the tail would start spinning. Never wrecked it amazingly enough - ended up trading for a Ruger .22

I'm at the point now where I'd like to get a hold of a cricket and get it going. It'd be cool at a fun fly.

.. P-gas, T700, V50c/u, R50T, T4/250 and a Cricket ..
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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dkshema
rrMaster
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		505 Manual scanned and posted here:

http://runryder.com/helicopter/gallery/4171/505002.pdf

Not "hi-res", after all this is a 30+ year old document, printed on what is now yellowed paper, using black and white photos that used a sepia toned-printing process. The pics aren't all that clear in the original manual.

But you can see the exploded parts diagram and read the assembly steps, as well as read the flight and trimming commentary.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Dave
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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cudaboy_71
Elite Veteran
Location: sacramento, ca, u.s.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		THANKS! reading now.

i especially like the last sentence of the last paragraph on p.24

if it ain't broke…break it.
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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flipped2left
Key Veteran
Location: indianapolis,in.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		THANK YOU! That sure brings back memories! happy christmas and a merry new year!

Smile! people will wonder what you're up to!!
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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wurthless
Key Veteran
Location: Redding Ca.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		I was going t second the request for the manual to be posted but good Ol Dave has already got it donw ,,,THANYOU FOR THAT Dave,,,always ready to help someone in this hobby,,,Merry Christmass to all

QUICK! ,,,can someone turn the gravity off for just a second,,,,
12-20-2006 Over year old.
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