Decided to take some pics while building my Whiplash Electric and will posts any notes, tips, etc. If you have any questions or comments feel free to post. Hopefully either I or another MA rep can help.

Note: I cleared this thread with Mark Ryder. He stated as long as I tag as "Docs" I'll be OK to post this build thread.

Well here it is, the production box ready to open

Nothing to comment here, everything in the manual, fit and finish great out of the box.

So once again nothing to comment here, everything in the manual, fit and finish great out of the box.

Again no notes or comments...

...ditto

Nothing to note here.

Well this could be boring

Enjoy the pics. I'll comment if needed

More to come.

Nice pictures.
What motor do you have there?

arhennie

Nice pictures.
What motor do you have there?

Thanks.

It's a Scorpion 4035-500

Electronics almost done:

What gear ratios are available for this thing I have one coming and cant find a motor for it?

What gear ratios are available for this thing I have one coming and cant find a motor for it?

Main Gear: 124T

Standard Pinion: 14T (8.857 Gear Ratio)
Optional Pinions: 13T (9.538 Gear Ratio), 15T (8.267 Gear Ratio)

is optional pinions included in the kit, or it is spare part?

flying without padles is better , but be sure to get electronic ones

Looks sharp, can you please comment on what numbers you got to acheive pitch and cyclic values in vbar with the stock balls etc? Have heard some are running stratus longer balls, have you done this as well?

Also when you have time could you please post your all up ready to fly weight?

...Once upon a time there were Nitros, flybars and frequency pins...

is optional pinions included in the kit, or it is spare part?

14T included. The 13T & 15T optional to be purchased separate.

Looks sharp, can you please comment on what numbers you got to acheive pitch and cyclic values in vbar with the stock balls etc? Have heard some are running stratus longer balls, have you done this as well?
Also when you have time could you please post your all up ready to fly weight?

Here are my findings:

While the stock Whiplash geometry will work with a Vbar, a few minor changes to the stock setup will allow the vbar to work within the optimum values.

IMPORTANT NOTE on tail setup with Vbar: Use MA recommended 14mm from center on the servo arm. Traditional Vbar setup would have the tail setup to have maximum throw. In the Whiplash this would require a longer servo horn and/or ball further away from center. Mounting a ball further from center to provide maximun throw will cause the Vbar to overshoot the tail because of too much pitch (blade stall) causing wag and/or inconsistent non holding tail. Again use the recommended 14mm from center on the tail servo horn.

Mikado Recommended Vbar Geometry Values (measured in points):

Cyclic Ring: 80 – 100 points
Collective Travel: 80-100 points @ 12 – 14 degrees collective pitch
Cyclic Throw: 80 – 110 points @ 8 degrees Cyclic Pitch

………………….
Option 1: (13 degrees MAXIMUM collective pitch, links from servo arms to swash @ 90)

Replace the stock outer swash ring balls to part # MA0109 (comes in a pack of 3) and mount balls on servo horns 17.5mm from center.

Vbar settings:

Cyclic Ring: 81
Collective Travel*: 100 (13 degrees collective pitch @ 100 pts. Reduce pts to reduce the amount of collective pitch
Cyclic Throw: 100

*In order to compensate for the differential between +/- collective pitch, the end point / ATV within the TX will need to be increased on the lower side

………………..
Option 2: (13+ collective pitch, links from servo arms to swash will be slightly off from 90)

Replace the stock outer swash ring balls to part # MA0112 (comes in a pack of 3) and mount balls on servo horns 18mm from center.

Vbar settings:

Cyclic Ring: 81
Collective Travel*: 98 (13 degrees collective pitch @ 91 pts. Increase or reduce pts for more or less collective pitch)
Cyclic Throw: 94

*In order to compensate for the differential between +/- collective pitch, the end point / ATV within the TX will need to be increased on the lower side

Setup:
-Whiplash FBL Electric
-Vbar Fullsize Blueline ver 5.2 pro
-Hobbywing Platinum 120A HW ESC (with Hyperion phase sensor)
-Western Robotics SuperBEC HV
-Scorpion 4035-500
-BLS252 Cyclic
-BLS251 Tail
-Mavrikk 690mm FBL main blades
-Mavrikk 105mm tail blade

Puma, man that is awesome DETAILS thanks so much man, great job!!!

Last thing curious will be weight, as there have been many conflicting reports on what the actual auw weight really is in fact.

...Once upon a time there were Nitros, flybars and frequency pins...

It's a bit disappointing to hear that the stock Whiplash fbl geometry has not been designed to be 'V-bar optimum'. I've been playing with fbl systems (not v-bar btw) for ~4 years now and have always found that they all work best with v-bar recommended optimum geometry.

It will be interesting to see how the Whiplash works with other systems,like the Beast-x.

In all fainess to MA, I'm glad to hear that the stock Whiplash fbl will at least work with V-bar, so it should be ok (but maybe not optimum) with most other fbl systems imho.

I'm not really sure but I think that the Whiplash was originally designed as a flybarred heli. The fbl head was then re-designed around this in order to minimise part(s) differences between them. Sounds like MA have done a pretty good job of doing this.

Cheers,
TomC

Mcpx-BL,300x,450x,500x,550x
Ion-x, 10s ,SS
TT X50E 10s, HC3-Sx
Logo14, 550 blades

@ puma1824
Where do the vbar values (in points) fall with the stock swash balls for the same cyclic and pitch range?

Thank you for sharing.

Furion 450 electric
Mikado Logo 600
MA Whiplash E
SAB Goblin
Logo Xxtreme 800

Last thing curious will be weight, as there have been many conflicting reports on what the actual auw weight really is in fact.

I'll weight it when I get a chance and will report back

It's a bit disappointing to hear...I think that the Whiplash was originally designed...

See my note below about the stock geometry

Where do the vbar values (in points) fall with the stock swash balls for the same cyclic and pitch range?

Actually the Cyclic and Collective using the stock geometry ARE within optimal Vbar specs. It's just the Cyclic Ring that's lower. If I remember correctly Vbar / Stock settings resulted in the mid 80s for Cyclic & Collective and about 67 on Cyclic Ring. That's really not bad but I know how some perfectionist are about their setups (I'm guilty of it at times). So, to get the Cyclic Ring within Vbar optimal settings do the above tweaks. It will cost you $3.30

Nah not a biggie or bad thing, BUT that said...hopefully minair reads this and may just include them in kit as option for those that do require them to obtain optimum geometry with X or YZ FBL controller, seeing how it was supposed designed fbl specific makes sense to? Great report!

...Once upon a time there were Nitros, flybars and frequency pins...

PUMA1824

I note that you used a BEC and will therefore not have a receiver battery on the nose. I plan on using the same arrangment. I am concerned about the CG. How did your CG turn out without a receiver battery on the nose?

Second if I do not use a receiver battery on the nose I presume that I should put the ESC on the nose, rather than in the recommended location between the frames. To ask it the other way around if you put the ESC between the frames just in front of the motor will you have a balance issue if you use a BEC rather than a separate receiver battery?

Also what battery connectors are you using?

Please advise.

Jack

I note that you used a BEC and will therefore not have a receiver battery on the nose. I plan on using the same arrangment. I am concerned about the CG. How did your CG turn out without a receiver battery on the nose?
Second if I do not use a receiver battery on the nose I presume that I should put the ESC on the nose, rather than in the recommended location between the frames. To ask it the other way around if you put the ESC between the frames just in front of the motor will you have a balance issue if you use a BEC rather than a separate receiver battery?
Also what battery connectors are you using?
Please advise.

With my listed setup and having my flight packs (2 x 6s 5300mAH) positioned forward (see pics) my CG is dead on. I measure my CG by using the method depicted below.

As far as placing the ESC on the inside of the frames, I did not check with my current setup how the CG would be. I placed the ESC on the front tray because the Hobbywing ESC is too wide to fit between the frames.

I'm using EC5(s) for my battery connectors.

^^^^^^^^^ Thanks

With your batteries forward and your CG right on it would appear that if you move the ESC and BEC rearward it will make the model slightly tail heavy.

HMMM I hate to hang the ESC out there in harms way. It also makes your battery wiring longer. Nice job on the wiring BTW.

I may try the ESC between the frames and see how much weight I have to add to the nose to balance.

Jack