Small Scale Military Headquarters

Howdy! I was wondering if anyone has ever motorized a 1/18 Huey. Any advice, instructions, etc would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!

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.

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.

Thanks for the replies. I am interested in any photos you may have!! Thanks!!

So: 1 detail of the battery housing. Sorry, no pick from the engine mount (it is completely hidden in the fuselage)

Static probe:

And how it does appear in scenaries:

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).

The nylon wire has been later erased from the pic, with MS paint, pixel by pixel (I don't have photoshop).

Wow love the pics granch. Well Done.

Cheers
Studly

That's awesome Granch!

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.

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...

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!

Very nicely done. I wish they would release these again.