rrTV-PHOTO   New HD TV
HOME   rrTV-PHOTO   GALLERIES   MY GALLERY   HELP-FAQ
myHOME PM pmRR MEMBERS 383 ONLINE 42 EVENTS SEARCH REGISTER  START HERE
 
2 pages [ <<    <    ( 1 )     2     NEXT    >> ]3189 viewsPOST REPLY
JR-Spektrum . Gyro Hobbies . E-flite

.
.
e-Electric Conversions > Bell Blokes Rare Wessex 'E' Conversion Project
 
 
Bell Bloke
Veteran
Location: England

Well folks I've been away but now I'm back! I've been doing rather too much flying of my Wren Turbine Predator recently which I must say is quite a blast! But now the winter season is over it's back to my favourite subject of 'electric scale!'
This brings me to the latest addition to my family, the very rare and ugly/beautiful Vario Wessex, with its original and very handsome scale blades. This I recon will be a great candidate for an 'E' conversion, So over the next few months I plan to do a stage by stage build up of the Wessex from strip down to hopefully its glorious first flight!
This project may take a while mainly because this is not only about converting a 'Vintage' helicopter to electric; it's also a conservation project. This is because no body parts or blades are available for this helicopter anymore so I will have to make new body moulds for the fus just incase the unthinkable/inevitable happens and it suffers a major mishap one day.
So here it is in its original scheme, some of you may recognise this heli as it has been about a bit, it is I'm told featured in many magazines and even on a program called 'Supermodels!'
However If anybody has any information about this heli or where the original moulds are or where I can get some more of these blades...or anything at all please don't hesitate to post here.
The following Pics are of it as it arrived and the start of the rebuild, followed by a couple of schemes for this heli that I fancy so far. However again references are hard to find, but I do have a complete set for the Grey Dutch version.

All The Best, Bell Bloke.











PS.
Many thanks to Peter Wales for your encouragement!
02-20-2006 Over year old.
 
 
fitenfyr
rrProfessor
Location: Port Orchard, Washington

NOW THAT WILL BE COOL!

What motor are you thinking of using?

I wish somebody would bring this fuse back into a decent production.
I have always liked the S-58/Wessex.

Jason Stiffey
Fly Fast....Live Slow...
02-20-2006 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
Nick T
Senior Heliman
Location: West Sussex, UK

That is a great fusalage - vario do a fantastic job. That looks like a candidate for a large outrunner to me.

Looking forward to seeing the end result - not a lot of scope for spray painting the mechanics this time!

Nick T
02-21-2006 Over year old.
 
 
Lorents
Elite Veteran
Location: Oslo, Norway

Wow!! That is going to be an awesome e-project!
The glow engine looks tiny compared to the rotor head

What size is the original engine, and what do you think the all up weight will be when it is finished?



What comes around goes around.
02-21-2006 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
Bell Bloke
Veteran
Location: England

Well guys any input as I say would be useful as many heads are better than one, so why not make it a community effort!
I have weighed the chopper with the original Rossi 60 motor and it comes out at 16lb/7.2kg. My original thought was to run it on a Joker 2 motor/speed controller set up, this being a very powerful heli. However there are other factors that you folks may wish to consider, the boffins among us will no doubt be twitching with anticipation at a possible arithmetic opportunity, so here we go!
The first factor to consider is that there is a hell of a lot of lead in the front, now it occurred to me that it may be a idea to use 4X 3S-4P packs connected to give 44.4 volts and displace some of that lead, with a target headspeed of 1500rpm and a gear ratio of 10-1 I would need a motor rated at about 400rpm per volt. This on paper comes out at 1700+rpm at the head but there is always a mechanical loss. Or I could have a motor rated at a higher rpm per volt and gear it down as the pinion gear has 33 teeth.
The 4X 3S-4p set up does sound good to me though as I have these packs coming out of my ears as it has been the basis of all of my electric helis so far. So what do you reckon folks, any motor recommendations? Would really like to hear from you, all the best, Bell Bloke.
02-21-2006 Over year old.
 
 
ozace
Key Veteran
Location: melbourne, australia

There are two things that spring to mind.
1st it may be worth looking onto the Neu ORK motors (1900 series), plenty of torque but not an outrunner (no risk of catching anything on the rotating can). If you cant find a wind to suit, i tmay be worth asking Steve for a custom wind.

2nd, look into the V28 drill packs. 7s (28v) for $80US. These are the cheapest packs going and they are durable. It will allow for permenant mounting in the heli without the risks. It may do away with the need for lead and keep a nice scale interior.

we can never have too many, can we ?
02-22-2006 Over year old.
 
 
teamdavey2001
Heliman
Location: Sunnyvale, California, USA

Check the latest MHW. My Alouette conversion uses the same mechanics you have and there is a picture showing how easily the Tango went in where the Webra came out.

Jim Davey
02-23-2006 Over year old.
 
 
Bell Bloke
Veteran
Location: England

Many thanks for your help and ideas folks, thanks also for the contact, John White of Vario UK & for your time and patience.
Any info on old Vario blades would be really useful to me, as one of my blades I think is unusable. My blades measure 770mm x 47mm chord 7.5mm thick and weighs 205 grams, thes are the old style singe hole type. If I can't find a 'new''old' set I will have to buy a new head and blades which would be a shame as I would like to fly the heli in an original style set up. Has anyone flown the old head or the new one, what are they like? My Hirobo Lama wasn't that bad really, only tricky if it was windy.
On the power plant front, I've been chatting to Julian at Fightpower (what a nice chap!) he suggested perhaps a Lehner 2250/25 motor with a 2x 10s set up! I don't know much about Lehner motors but it sounds interesting.
I can't seen to find anything on Ork 1900 series motors, if you have a link 'ozace' that would be great.
Those ideas keep 'em coming. Many thanks, Bell Bloke.
02-24-2006 Over year old.
 
 
Lorents
Elite Veteran
Location: Oslo, Norway

The ORK (Out Runner Killer) motors are made by NeuMotor. There are some info on them here:

http://www.tppacks.com/products.asp?cat=10



What comes around goes around.
02-24-2006 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
ozace
Key Veteran
Location: melbourne, australia

I am pretty sure the lehner motors are inrunners in which case they thrive on rpm. For scale work high torque is more useful. One of the actro outrunners or the www neumotors dot com ORK 1900 series will provide stump pulling power. The beauty of the ORK is the price.

we can never have too many, can we ?
02-24-2006 Over year old.
 
 
THX1138
Elite Veteran
Location: Plainfield, IN

Jesus man!!!!

Do you ever stop?!?! This could be your best E-conversion yet! I hope it turns out great.

Lou

Back off man, I'm a scientist.
04-17-2006 Over year old.
 
 
Bell Bloke
Veteran
Location: England

Many thanks for your help on this one Gents, I have ground to a bit of a halt on this project though, as I cannot decide on a scheme for this baby.
04-19-2006 Over year old.
 
 
R Hudson
Veteran
Location: Waukesha, WI

That is SOME MACHINE!
04-22-2006 Over year old.
 
 
JLR228
Heliman
Location: DAVISON MI

Wessex 'E' Conversion

DUDE! YOU ROCK!!!

I love it! Someday when I grow up ( BladeCP, my first Heli. ) I'm gonna do something like that big beauty of yours.

Jim
07-08-2006 Over year old.
 
 
cfranks
Veteran
Location: Adelaide South Australia

I've just resumed working on my Century Seaking but I doubt if I will get a finish as nice as your fantastic Wessex. I esimate mine will be around 9-10Kg AUW and it is being built around the Plettenberg HP 370/40/A2 motor with the Schulze 40 160 Heli Controller. I have some V28 cells configured 2x 6S2P and hope they will cope with the 5 blades and the weight. Next part is to fasten the tail boom and fit the Len Mount flex drive. Hopefully the batteries will help to balance the heavy tail section.

Charles
07-08-2006 Over year old.
 
 
Bell Bloke
Veteran
Location: England

Many thanks Gents for those very kind words of encouragement, if only my girlfriend understood! Hey cfranks the devils in the detail, just do a load of riveting and weathering and it'll look fab!! Go for it!!
07-09-2006 Over year old.
 
 
JohnnyG
Heliman
Location: Cornwall England

Thats quite some model...I want one...

I work on the real thing fro quite a few years whilst in the RAF..I really miss them..a great machine that was fairly easy to fix.Real hands on, improvise and over come type engineering..
11-27-2006 Over year old.
 
 
Hoverup
Elite Veteran
Location: Gulf Coast

Any updates?

Cheers - Boyd
AMA80393
Major USAF
Retired
04-21-2007 Over year old.
 
 
THX1138
Elite Veteran
Location: Plainfield, IN

Update?

Lou

Back off man, I'm a scientist.
09-17-2007 08:37 AM
 
 
Bell Bloke
Veteran
Location: England

Hi guys, it's a long time since I've been on this section, the Lama and Bell 47 are still going great and the electric Hawk camera ship is earning a fortune and my Wren turbine heli now has more than130 hours of hassle free flying on it.. so everything is great. So great infact that I just can't seem to motivate myself and get on with the Wessex. This I know is criminal but the Wessex is so big and is more of a show heli where as all my other machines are of a more manageable size and are so easy to move about and fly.
It's interesting to see now that since we all first met up on this section that electric helis with li-pos have practically taken over the world....as predicted....long may it continue.
Now there is even a Vario XLV electric!! 3 years ago that guy would have been laughed off the forum, and warned of how his house might suddenly burn down in a li-po fire if he even thought about the idea..
How are your machines doing? post some pics of your favourites and new projects, I'd love to see them.
How is that Lama Boyd?
09-19-2007 11:03 PM
 
 
2 pages [ <<    <    ( 1 )     2     NEXT    >> ]3189 viewsPOST REPLY
Next D . Fast Lad Performance . Ace Hobby

.
.
e-Electric Conversions > Bell Blokes Rare Wessex 'E' Conversion Project
  UPDATE SCREEN   PRINT TOPIC Advertisers 

Subscribe to This Topic

Sunday, September 7 - 7:07 am - Copyright © 2000 - 2008 runryder.com | email | link to rr | runryder needs cookie