600 I Want To Build A 600 Size Heli But Cant Find Any Info

scotmurie

New Member
Hi,
I would like to build a 600 size electric heli but I cant find any info about what componants to use ; what may be better value for money or even where to start. Can someone point me in the right direction even to some info please.

Thanks
 

Smoggie

Well-Known Member
Hi Scot,

Do you have a brand in mind? The true 600 class of heli is very quiet at the moment so there isnt a lot of choice available. The only 600 that I can think of that is readily available in the UK is the Mikado Logo 600SX V2. This is a nice heli though like most Logos has a plastic frame which you either love or hate.

Just slightly larger there is the SAB Goblin 650 Black Thunder which is a very nice heli but is basically a compact 700, it shares almost all parts with the 700 size Goblins

Slightly smaller there is the SAB Goblin 570

The previously popular Trex 600L Dominator seems to have been discontinued, no one has them in stock.

Components depend on budget and personal choice. All 600 helis use standard size servos of which there is a vast choice. You would want a 100-130A HV ESC and a decent flybarless controller, my favourite is the Spirit Pro. Motor choice depends on which brand of heli you went for as they can have quite different Kv rating requirements.

FWIW there is a much wider choice of helis if you drop to 550 size or scale up to 700 size. If you want to see some 600 and 700 helis flying just give me a shout as I have both in my fleet.
 
Last edited:

Smoggie

Well-Known Member
PS.. I know of a guy in the UK selling a brand new Logo 600SX (the 'V1' version) with 'Rolls Royce' top spec equipment (Kontronik ESC and motor, Vbar neo pro, JR servos etc). He also has a new Spektrum DX8 G2 and several unused batteries for the Logo and even a top spec Powerlab PL8 charger (he's selling up). I can put you in touch if you wanted.
 

fran11784

Goblin 380 Supporter
Word is Align will releasing a 600X kit soon. If you have time to wait. Best bang for the buck...
 

Smoggie

Well-Known Member
Word is Align will releasing a 600X kit soon. If you have time to wait. Best bang for the buck...

Where did you hear that? It might have been me that started the rumour to be honest as I speculated on it in another forum a while back, but it was pure speculation. Other than the 600L being out of stock there is no evidence at all of a 600X that I've seen. There is nothing on the Align Facebook page which is where new models usually show up first.

It would be great if Align did release an all new 600X that addressed the various weaknesses of the older 600 Pro/L.. As you say, you cant beat Align for value for money.
 

scotmurie

New Member
Hi there,
I was thinking along this lines :
HK-600GT 3D Electric Helicopter Kit w/o blades
I think this is a clone so I could use Trex parts and eventually have a half decent Heli. I'm not stuck on the size of the heli but wanted to try my hand at building a decent spec of a heli and taking my time to do so (although I may not be able to wait to fly it!) .
Assault 700 DFC Electric Flybarless 3D Helicopter Kit (w/upgrade swashplate and tail slider)
I'm not sure of the quality of both of these kits maybe you could comment. I'm grateful for the chance to buy the Logo but I would like to try and build.

Thanks.
 

Smoggie

Well-Known Member
+1 on what Tony says.
I know these hobbyking airframes seem like amazing value but bear in mind that the cost of the airframe is actually only something like 1/3rd or less of the total cost of a heli, so it really doesnt make a lot of sense to 'cheap out' on the airframe.
The quality of clone helis varies enormously, some are as good as the originals they are copied from, some are absolute rubbish. The hobbyking 600GT is by most accounts toward the lower end of the clone spectrum, it's also of a VERY old version of the Trex 600 that you might struggle to get genuine Trex parts for even if you wanted to upgrade. The Assault 700 is I think a little better quality but still has issues that you would need to address. A guy i used to fly with had one and it was fine after he changed the head, the tail and a few other bits, but by that point for what he spent he might as well of just bought an original Align. I found the exact same thing with a Hobbyking 450 Pro I bought when i started out.
Helis are very unforgiving beasts, the failure of even the smallest part is often catastrophic. An airframe or parts that seems cheap on the face of it can quickly end up costing you a lot of money when they fail in flight.
 

Tony

Staff member
The HK600GT I have personally owned and I can say for a fact that you will spend more money upgrading it (head, tail, converting to TT, main bearing blocks, tail block, main gear, one way, motor mount, pretty much everything except the frame sides) over purchasing a used Align 600 which are all over the place out there. Then we get into electronics as Steve stated. That is where the real money is considering just a servo can cost you $75 each. I would definitely go used before I purchased anything from hobbyking.
 

fran11784

Goblin 380 Supporter
Smoggie, that's from the Aligntrexstore. I actually called and spoke to them. He said the old model is gone but they should have the X series soon. I asked how long but he had no date...
T
 

Smoggie

Well-Known Member
Smoggie, that's from the Aligntrexstore. I actually called and spoke to them. He said the old model is gone but they should have the X series soon. I asked how long but he had no date...
T
That's really interesting I hope they release it soon. I'm really surprised that when they designed the 550x they didn't do a 600 version. The 550 already runs the 600 tail boom, all that would be needed to make it a 600 is a slight mod to the frame and battery tray so it can take 12S tandem battery packs.
 

Smoggie

Well-Known Member
Scot,
I hope the 'less than glowing' feedback on the Hobbyking 600 does not put you off. There are some great helis around the 600 size and a big heli like a 600 is an awesome beast to own and fly. The offer to show you some helis an action is a genuine one.
 

scotmurie

New Member
Ok I hear you both and also trust your judgement and thanks for the offer as I may take you up on it at a later date. And no Steve you've not put me off
 

Tony

Staff member
I'm not sure how it is over there, but here I don't hear much about the old thunder tigers anymore.
 

scotmurie

New Member
Believe it or not I got offered a brand new raptor 30 from the local model shop for £350 not including the servos.
 

Smoggie

Well-Known Member
Believe it or not I got offered a brand new raptor 30 from the local model shop for £350 not including the servos.

Would that 'Models unlimited' in Inverurie?

I used to visit there quite regularly but they dont have much heli related stuff so as i've got more into helis I go there less. They must have had that Raptor in for years, I recall seeing it on the shelf ever since I started going there. Thunder Tiger stopped making that model several years ago. Last time I checked Thunder Tiger no longer have a UK importer for any of their helis.

As you will realise the Raptor 30 is a glow (nitro) powered heli, nothing wrong with that but the noise does tend to limit where you can fly. I checked on eBay and 'new old stock' ones do come up occasionally and they typically sell in the £200-£250 range.
 

Smoggie

Well-Known Member
PS.. if interested in Thunder tiger the E550 electric heli is still in production and despite there currently being no UK importer they can be found on eBay, the price is very good for an 'almost ready to fly' 550: Thunder Tigre Raptor E 550 Helicopter | eBay All you need to get it in the air is a flybarless controller, a receiver and a battery.

A very old school design but they seem to fly well so could make a good heli to learn on..
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom