Readers of Rotory Modeler already know that the Nuremberg Toy Fair is the largest hobby and toy fair in the world, and it is always held in Nuremberg, Germany around the end of January. This fair is only open to buyers and journalists. The purpose of this show is for toy and hobby companies from around the world to showcase their new products that will be released later in the year. This year every major RC manufacturer displayed at least one electric helicopter at their booth. Now let's start the tour. We must keep the text short because we have a lot of photos to show you.
MS Composit, a company from the Czech Republic, displayed the only tandem electric RC helicopter at the fair. Last year they displaced a prototype. Throughout 2003, MS Composit has been very busy finalizing the mechanical design and the microprocessor inside the model that controls the two main rotors. The final version will be ready for shipment this summer. A brushless motor manufactured by MS Composit powers the tandem helicopter. Power is transferred to the front and rear rotors through torque tubes. Two collective equipped rotor heads from the MS Hornet are used. This model qualifies as a collector's item not to be missed.
MS Composit released their new Hornet II, which has many improvements over the old Hornet CP. The biggest difference is a larger main rotor diameter to improve aerodynamic efficiency. A long awaited optional item is a Bell-Hiller conversion for the collective Hornet. The stock Hornet I and Hornet II only have Hiller control, hence the cyclic response is not as fast as it can be. With the added Bell-Hiller mixing arms, the little Hornet rolls like a high-powered 60-size glow helicopter. Check out Mr. Carbon's ad for more details on the new Hornet II. Mr. Carbon is the US distributor for MS Composit.
A big surprise this year was that Graupner also displayed a micro electric helicopter in their 2004 lineup. The model weighs under 400 grams and is powered by a Speed 400 motor and three 1500 mAh Lithium-Polymer cells in series. This collective model can do some mean 3-D. In another booth, I saw some video of this little model flipping and tumbling inside a gymnasium. Although it was originally designed in Asia the designer and producer has offered the distribution rights to Graupner. This cute model will be available in summer 2004.

The Hirobo Freya X-Spec is a 60-90 size upgraded version of the popular Freya 60. The original Freya 60 was introduced in 2000 as a sport 3-D helicopter. Prior to the Freya 60, Hirobo's 60-size helicopter product line was focused mainly on F3C competition models and scale models. The Freya 60 has kept many design traits that have proven successful for 20 years on the Hirobo SST Eagles. For example, Freya borrowed from the Eagles their cooling shroud, push-pull control layout, octagonal cross-section tail boom, center pivoting SSZ teetering main rotor design, tail rotor hub, and tail blade grips.
To reduce cost, some metal components have been replaced by injection-molded units. For example, Freya 60 features molded sideframes, molded bellcranks, molded mixing arms, molded blade grips with metal bearing housing, and molded main rotor yoke with a metal insert for the spindle. By using numerous injection-molded parts, Hirobo is able to offer the Freya 60 at a price lower than their least expensive Eagle 60. The Eagle fiberglass canopy is replaced by a polypropylene material canopy that is more streamlined and less fragile. Combined with a proven belt-drive tail rotor system, the Freya 60 is made for abuse from 3-D pilots. Rotory Modeler reviewed the original Freya 60 in detail in the November/December 2000 issue.

With the advent of heading lock gyros, which need no transmitter mixing, combined with governors, which need no throttle curve, and finally "3 Point" (Mas Tech) pitch mixing, today's radios need not be as complex as systems of just a few years ago. JR's most recent introduction to low priced systems is the XP-6102. The 6102 is a hi-bred computer system aimed at new and sport pilots, yet it has numerous high-end features such as digital trims, ten model memory, and a high-end graphic display, to name a few.
While the XP-6102 may have a low rice of only $269 or $289, for a PCM version, it has most all features needed to exploit sport and 3D (aerobatic) flying. The first mentionable feature is the introduction of digital trims, a feature normally not found on "low-end" radio systems. For those of you who are new to digital trims, trim positions are stored in the computer for each flight mode, model, and idle-up position. This means you can trim your model upstairs, and then when you flip back to "normal" mode, your trims were exactly as you left them. This feature is normally found in more expensive 8-10-channel systems.
Another first, for six channel systems, is the addition of PCM modulation at a moderate price. For just an additional $20.00 ($289) the XP-6102 may be purchased in a PCM configuration. This allows you to take advantage of some fail safe options, such as programming a preset "Low-Throttle" failsafe in the event of outside interference. For safer heli operation, new JR PCM systems are factory preset to command low throttle in response to signal interruption when modulating in PCM. A handy bar graph indicates each channel's servo position, and you may re-program failsafe responses as you see fit. The XP-6102 uses the FM R700 receiver. If you opt for the PCM version, a SPCM R770 receiver is supplied.

In the past, electric helicopters were considered a bit of a novelty; something fun, but not a very good performer. This has changed lately with the advancements in brushless motors and battery technology. With today's brushless motors and new NiMH battery technology, it's not uncommon to see 7-8 minute flight times for a helicopter this size. For maximum performance, users still prefer NiCd batteries because they can deliver more power without as much voltage drop, resulting in better performance. The drawback of using NiCd cells is the slightly shorter flight time. However, today's top NiMH cells, like the GP3300, will rival the performance of NiCd cells and at the same time give you the longest flight times.
Something else worth mentioning is the recent development of Li-Po batteries; they contain about three times the energy for a given weight, compared to NiMH. The problem with Li-Po and Li-Ion type batteries has been their ability to perform during high load; but technology has overcome even this barrier, and today's Li-Po cells can handle very high power surges. This means that they now perform well in an R/C environment, even in helicopters, which is one of the most power hungry R/C applications. With the latest Li-Po technology it's not uncommon to see around 20 minute flight times.
The HHI Quick EP 10 is a 10-12 cell Electric helicopter of the latest design. It utilizes a 120º CCPM swash plate that gives you very precise and responsive control; but at the same time saves weight, which is important in an electric helicopter. Most new computer radios will support this type of swash plate. The helicopter is an all aluminum design with carbon fiber frames. The Quick EP shows excellent craftsmanship and looks very sharp with its combination of blue anodized aluminum and carbon fiber.

Weston UK is a British company that made its name twenty years ago in the UK with their Genesis tuned pipe systems for airplanes and helicopters. Their one-piece and two-piece pipe systems are very easy to install on helicopters. Their two-piece pipe employs the traditional long tune pipe principle. Their one-piece pipe simply bolts directly onto the engine crankcase. Both are made from high-grade aluminum alloy that can handle extreme heat and stress. At the 1999 Nuremberg Fair, Weston UK's owner, Alan Greenfield, had a long aluminum alloy tube, that their headers are made from, and asked European F3C Champion, Rudiger Feil, to bend it. Rudiger is a big 250 lb German dude and he could not bend the alloy pipe. The advantage of Weston UK's one-piece half-wave pipe design is it is much shorter in length than a full-wave pipe and the performance and noise level are comparable. The American, Don Chapman, V-Tech pipes and the recent Muscle pipes designed by Curtis Youngblood, share the same theoretical principles as the Weston UK one-piece pipe.
Weston UK has been making tune pipes to custom fit every brand of helicopter and helicopter engine in the world for twenty years. The customer only needs to specify what engine and what model the pipe is for, and Weston UK will custom make one, if it does not already exist in their vast inventory. Rotory Modeler magazine was the first to introduce the Weston UK one-piece pipe to the US six years ago when we showed photos of them that we had successfully tested on the little Raptor 30 with an OS32 and TT36 engines. Since then, HeliProz and Joe Howard, the US distributors, have sold many Weston UK pipes in America. But, the engine-man, Alan Greenfield's dream was to custom produce his own engines to mate with his Weston Pipes to provide a powerful combo for helicopter and airplane pilots.

C-Spec Pumped Helicopter Engine / O.S. 0.91 C-Spec ­ Tim DiPerri

Well, it happened once again, there's another class of helicopters. A new line of models that use a high-powered 15cc "Big Block" engine. Once dominated by 0.61 engines, these new engines have 50% more displacement.
OS Engine Manufacturing, which is owned by Futaba Corporation, has for many years been synonymous with high-quality model engines. Throughout the 80's and 90's, many of the international contests were well attended by modelers that relied heavily on the power and reliability of OS engines.
The new schedule and engine ruling, provided engine manufacturers with the challenge of making 15cc (0.91c in) engines with the smoothness of the 10cc (0.61) engines of which they have been know for. In addition, most every manufacturer needed to provide this additional displacement in the same relative package size. This makes balancing a real task for the engineers.
The C-Spec (competition specification) is OS's newest and most advanced answer to the challenge. The engine is unique, its look, as well as its mechanical aspects. When you open the box, the engine looks more like a fine piece of jewelry, supporting an all black casing and gold (or blue as in the pumped version) anodized cylinder head.
I had the fortunate opportunity to not only fly the stock (out of the box) engine, but to also experiment with two additional components that make this excellent engine even more outstanding. I have also had an opportunity to fully test the pumped version too.
The three configurations are as follows:
A) Stock engine
B) Stock engine with Cline fuel
regulator system
C) B with a Viper (two plug cylinder
head)
D) Pumped engine (C-Spec-PS)