Motorized Huey

Love to tweak toys and models? Add features and small details? This forum is for you!
Post Reply
batmex1
Corporal
Corporal
Posts: 75
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:42 pm
Location: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

Motorized Huey

Post by batmex1 » Mon Jul 20, 2015 12:25 am

Howdy! I was wondering if anyone has ever motorized a 1/18 Huey. Any advice, instructions, etc would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!
"Thats how we dooz it, man"

The_Helicopter_Pilot
Officer - Major
Officer - Major
Posts: 975
Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2012 3:27 am
Location: Cordell, Oklahoma
Contact:

Re: Motorized Huey

Post by The_Helicopter_Pilot » Mon Jul 20, 2015 2:16 am

I can't remember what company it was, but they took some BBI Blackhawks, and AH-64, and made them R/C, I do believe they had some Huey's done too.
A helicopter does not want to fly, it just vibrates so much that the ground rejects it

granch
Officer - Major
Officer - Major
Posts: 853
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 4:21 pm
Location: Switzerland

Re: Motorized Huey

Post by granch » Mon Jul 20, 2015 4:25 pm

Not a Huey, but a BBI Little Bird. Long job...
I wanted to make the same with my Huey, but gave up: still have an UH-60 on the bench, started it 2 years ago... will try to give light and motion to my Kiowa, should be much easier, there is anough place in the cabin (which does'nt have any windshield) for a powerpack and engine, . Problem is to move the heavy main propeller of the Huey, it needs a powerfull e-motor, so a consequent battery, but where can you house it? behind the cabin will move the center of gravity too aft, so you'll have to put a heavy conterbalance in the nose. Or you can make an amo/battery case to be put under the passenger seat. Less power would be needed if you replace the main prop blades with home made wooden blades, its the way I took for my OH-6 and it works well. At the time I made my Little Bird (with 4 weak AAA batteries under the cabin floor), I had no idea about LED lights, so when all lights are on, the main rotor slows down very quickly. But the global impression is nice... for the rear rotor, I used the very thin e-motor taken out of the wreck of a cheap RC toy plane (Silverlit 2 channel) of my children. I think you could make the same with your Huey. Can show some picks of my MH-6, if you're interested.

batmex1
Corporal
Corporal
Posts: 75
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:42 pm
Location: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

Re: Motorized Huey

Post by batmex1 » Mon Jul 20, 2015 5:43 pm

Thanks for the replies. I am interested in any photos you may have!! Thanks!!
"Thats how we dooz it, man"

granch
Officer - Major
Officer - Major
Posts: 853
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 4:21 pm
Location: Switzerland

Re: Motorized Huey

Post by granch » Wed Jul 22, 2015 1:14 am

So: 1 detail of the battery housing. Sorry, no pick from the engine mount (it is completely hidden in the fuselage)
Image
Static probe:
Image
And how it does appear in scenaries:
Image
Note that it is not a RC custom. When it seems to fly, it's just hanging to a fisherline with a bamboo scaffholding (or one of my children hold it with a fishing rod).
Image
The nylon wire has been later erased from the pic, with MS paint, pixel by pixel (I don't have photoshop).
Image

User avatar
Studly
Officer - Lt. Colonel
Officer - Lt. Colonel
Posts: 1192
Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 5:17 pm
Location: Bundaberg Queensland Australia

Re: Motorized Huey

Post by Studly » Thu Aug 13, 2015 3:30 pm

Wow love the pics granch. Well Done.

Cheers
Studly

User avatar
YT
Officer - Brigadier General
Officer - Brigadier General
Posts: 2129
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2009 2:40 pm
Location: Central IL

Re: Motorized Huey

Post by YT » Thu Aug 13, 2015 6:18 pm

That's awesome Granch!
"There are some people who disagree with me, they are wrong." --Gen George S. Patton

granch
Officer - Major
Officer - Major
Posts: 853
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 4:21 pm
Location: Switzerland

Re: Motorized Huey

Post by granch » Fri Aug 14, 2015 3:21 pm

Thank you guys. I wish I could see once somebody else's motorized bbi or 21st helicopter done... If somebody has an idea how to simply make the Blackhawks main (and heavy) rotor moves so I could finish mine, it would be great.

granch
Officer - Major
Officer - Major
Posts: 853
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 4:21 pm
Location: Switzerland

Re: Motorized Huey

Post by granch » Tue Aug 25, 2015 4:25 am

The_Helicopter_Pilot, To tweek a BBI or 21st elicopter to a RC flying machine, you have to sand it a lot inside to make it light anough. it seems that it would not be possible to keep the cockpit/cabin, as you would have to house engine, battery pack and remote control... The flying models I saw on YouTube were mainly made with PET fuselage, some are pretty well detailled, but 250$ for just the Blackhawk fuselage...

The_Helicopter_Pilot
Officer - Major
Officer - Major
Posts: 975
Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2012 3:27 am
Location: Cordell, Oklahoma
Contact:

Re: Motorized Huey

Post by The_Helicopter_Pilot » Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:09 pm

Granch, I just remember they were titled as Bbi birds, I didn't look to much into it, whatever the case the, they were pretty nice!
A helicopter does not want to fly, it just vibrates so much that the ground rejects it

slogan
Officer - 2nd Lieutenant
Officer - 2nd Lieutenant
Posts: 261
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:25 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV.

Re: Motorized Huey

Post by slogan » Sat Sep 12, 2015 6:34 pm

Very nicely done. I wish they would release these again.
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity

Post Reply