Syma T-23 Thunderbird RC Helicopter

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semigeek

1606 posts

Uber Geek

#93403 20-Nov-2011 20:34

Noel Leeming currently has these for $159 down from $179.
If you have one, are they quite durable, and what is the flying time like?

Or if you have another model of RC Helicopter, what is it, how much was it and flying time etc?

TheUngeek

924 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#547712 21-Nov-2011 09:35

I have a Esky Honeybee which is sooooo hard to fly!
However that one you are looking at looks like a contra rotating blade design so will be a heck of a lot more stable.
First thing you need to check is is how easy is it to get parts for. 2nd thing is how cheap are the parts? Because you WILL break things. So check out model shops and online model shops for parts.

If that doesn't stack up, I recommend looking at Esky models. They are an establised brand and parts are easy and cheap to get hold of.

Jaxson

8041 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#547747 21-Nov-2011 10:35

I just got one of these as a gift a few days ago.
Would be similar to the T-23 you are looking at.

Incredibly stable, I've never seen anything like it. Great fun.

It's in pieces a day later after an unfortunate collision and I'm off to the model shop soon to hunt down a spare plastic gear part that's stripped itself....

Actually, looking around, I'd say my one is this one:
From Jaycar

semigeek

1606 posts

Uber Geek

#547915 21-Nov-2011 15:58

I have the S105G, but would like something bigger and outdoors now, with an easily swapped battery.
I like the look of this one, but can't find much about BLITZrc.
http://www.bananahobby.com/2146.html

sleemanj

1490 posts

Uber Geek

#547934 21-Nov-2011 16:23

I was given an Ozone last Xmas, like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R6JVBwY6Pg

great fun. I crashed it many, MANY MANY MANY times into ceilings, walls, floors, chairs, tables, etc, a few times from 10ft or so smack onto the ground. The only thing I had to replace was the tail rotor motor, which is a tiny little thing and burned out (probably all the crashing didn't help), turned easier and not much more to just buy a whole tail boom with feathers, rotor and motor, was only a few bucks.

The counter rotating blades make it really really easy to get going but it does take a LOT of practice to get good. Eventually I got to where I could reliably control it into pretty tight "landing pads" around the place.

Really an indoor toy though, ANY breeze, even the slightest little bit, and she's all over the place, it just doesn't have the pitch authority or response to work outside.

Clipping a ballpoint pen or something out the front to give some nose-weight results in a significantly increased forward speed and allows you to back off on using the tail rotor, saving that tiny motor from working too hard. The Ozone does have a bit of thrust up it's sleeve so you can have fun sling-loading little things :-)

Eventually took a chunk out of one blade and it's a bit unbalanced now, I'll get around to patching it up sometime.

---
James Sleeman
I sell lots of stuff for electronic enthusiasts...

TheUngeek

924 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#547941 21-Nov-2011 16:32

Some need balancing out of the box. Holding it loosely by the rotor head it should hang level. If not add weight to balance it

semigeek

1606 posts

Uber Geek

#547968 21-Nov-2011 17:17

TheUngeek: I have a Esky Honeybee which is sooooo hard to fly!
However that one you are looking at looks like a contra rotating blade design so will be a heck of a lot more stable.
First thing you need to check is is how easy is it to get parts for. 2nd thing is how cheap are the parts? Because you WILL break things. So check out model shops and online model shops for parts.

If that doesn't stack up, I recommend looking at Esky models. They are an establised brand and parts are easy and cheap to get hold of.

What sort of flying time do you get from your Honeybee and where did you purchase it from?

TheUngeek

924 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#547970 21-Nov-2011 17:22

Roughly ten minutes I think (been a while since I flew it!) Thats also tens minutes of intense concentration!
I got it off trademe

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Jaxson

8041 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#548228 22-Nov-2011 08:38

Jaxson: It's in pieces a day later after an unfortunate collision and I'm off to the model shop soon to hunt down a spare plastic gear part that's stripped itself....

Actually, looking around, I'd say my one is this one:
From Jaycar

Got parts from Jaycar last night so I'm up and running again. They had limited parts which was quite odd (1 type of gear but not the other etc?) but at least there was some comeback. They have a range of tiny to medium options if any one might suit.

As above, they are easy in concept but take a lot of work in practise. Definitely indoor, or only on very still days outside. Mine doesn't bank like you'd kind of expect from computer games, but still a fun challenge.

garvani

1873 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#548269 22-Nov-2011 09:54

On a slightly different economic scale, ive always wanted an ar.drone, and ive just seen its now possible to fly by an Android device (previously you needed an iOS device which was prohibiting my purchase). Might have to have another look!
Heres a preview if you havn't seen these bad boys!

TheUngeek

924 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#548270 22-Nov-2011 09:57

SUPER KEEN!!!

Cynic

28 posts

Geek

#548275 22-Nov-2011 10:06

I have two RC helis

Syma S105 - great fun indoors

Walkera HM4F200LM - 3D (flies upside down) really stable but not cheap !

Excellent fun and a great way to pass the time.

semigeek

1606 posts

Uber Geek

#548291 22-Nov-2011 10:22

Cynic: I have two RC helis

Syma S105 - great fun indoors

Walkera HM4F200LM - 3D (flies upside down) really stable but not cheap !

Excellent fun and a great way to pass the time.

Did you buy the heli's from the sites linked to? I have been wondering about disconnecting the flashing red and blue LED on the 105 to see if I can get longer flying time from the battery.

Also, thinking about the Honeybee CP3 or V2. If I got the CP3 I would have to put the training kit on it. Have you had any experience with the CP3?

Jaxson

8041 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#548308 22-Nov-2011 10:42

Cynic: I have two RC helis

Syma S105 - great fun indoors

Yep that's my one and the same they have at Jaycar. (currently running a 2 for $75 deal I think it is).
Small but deceptively controllable, though still a fun challenge.

sleemanj

1490 posts

Uber Geek

#548318 22-Nov-2011 10:52

semigeek: I have been wondering about disconnecting the flashing red and blue LED on the 105 to see if I can get longer flying time from the battery.

If they are LED's, I expect you might get a few milliseconds longer run time :)

---
James Sleeman
I sell lots of stuff for electronic enthusiasts...

Cynic

28 posts

Geek

#548648 22-Nov-2011 20:47

semigeek:
Cynic: I have two RC helis

Syma S105 - great fun indoors

Walkera HM4F200LM - 3D (flies upside down) really stable but not cheap !

Excellent fun and a great way to pass the time.

Did you buy the heli's from the sites linked to? I have been wondering about disconnecting the flashing red and blue LED on the 105 to see if I can get longer flying time from the battery.

Also, thinking about the Honeybee CP3 or V2. If I got the CP3 I would have to put the training kit on it. Have you had any experience with the CP3?

Got both of them from the Walkera site link

Had no experience of RC helis before I bought these, so got the 105 as a "trainer". The 4200LM still scares me !! Training kit is a "must buy" accessory for any large chopper IMHO.