Avios/Hobby King 1600mm C-130 Hercules

[Jhnybgd]

They'll be selling these worldwide in January. So far, the ones that are out there are from the "lottery" system pre-order. I'm beginning to worry that the little inadequacies in this model is surfacing. I don't think I want one anymore unless someone near me gets one and decides not to keep it - something like their Lancaster. A few came up for sale in my location but I didn't want to touch one with a barge pole.

I have the Blue Angels version,yes it has issues...or had issues.

Honestly I cant think of a plane that doesnt.

Yes is it expensive,its foam and cheap chinese electronics smothered in plastic.

But it is truly beutiful and after redoing the flap servos(and cargo door servo) this thing flies for 6min on a 2200 4s lands at a walk and is bad ass with the cargo door open all lights on at dusk on a low slow flyby.

I have mostly FW and FL planes and have had problems with all.

All in all I really like and am glad I bought it.

Cant wait to get the gray version and make me a AC130

[xviper]

So,does anyone know when HK will be selling these in the USA market?????????????????

They'll be selling these worldwide in January. So far, the ones that are out there are from the "lottery" system pre-order. I'm beginning to worry that the little inadequacies in this model is surfacing. I don't think I want one anymore unless someone near me gets one and decides not to keep it - something like their Lancaster. A few came up for sale in my location but I didn't want to touch one with a barge pole.

[Go4it]

So,does anyone know when HK will be selling these in the USA market?????????????????

[Woodcock]

Yesterday was going to be the day but...


Finally got the plane clear coated (it does look good glossy), the props balanced and the weather cooperative. All the servos are working and it was time to go. Well...
After deciding the new Admiral receiver I had in was not working right, then replacing it with a 9 Channel Spektrum l have, I was able to get a good range check.
Ready to put in a fresh battery and head for the runway I found the #4 motor making a strange rumbling, growling sound and slowing down. While looking into that, #2 started with the same sound.
Not bearing or magnet noise, it sounds more like a timing issue. It happens when going up with the throttle, especially when it's raised quickly. I have calibrated the throttle a couple times.

Now my problem is how to check or change the ESC setings. I haven't looked into the spaghetti in the fuse and I really don't want to cut open a nacelle or wing yet to work on a single ESC.

I'm wondering if the ESC's can be programmed with the transmitter. If so, can HK provide the tone sequences?

Has anyone looked into doing this yet?

And ultimately it could be bad motors or speed controllers.

It's very aggravating since everything else has been working:Scared:

Not a real happy camper at the moment

That sucks man! I hate when crap like this happens. I was just about ready to head out with my new T-28. Was doing a final test. Elevator servo just ceased to function. No noises, no jitters, just dead as a door nail. Had to order a brand new servo, for a brand new plane. I just recently had to cut a brand new plane open to fix something. (Horizons Finest). It sucks for sure man, I feel for you.

Woody

PS, the last time something like this happened to me, I had to order a programmer from HK. : (

[NoDirt!]

Yesterday was going to be the day but...

Finally got the plane clear coated (it does look good glossy), the props balanced and the weather cooperative. All the servos are working and it was time to go. Well...
After deciding the new Admiral receiver I had in was not working right, then replacing it with a 9 Channel Spektrum l have, I was able to get a good range check.
Ready to put in a fresh battery and head for the runway I found the #4 motor making a strange rumbling, growling sound and slowing down. While looking into that, #2 started with the same sound.
Not bearing or magnet noise, it sounds more like a timing issue. It happens when going up with the throttle, especially when it's raised quickly. I have calibrated the throttle a couple times.

Now my problem is how to check or change the ESC setings. I haven't looked into the spaghetti in the fuse and I really don't want to cut open a nacelle or wing yet to work on a single ESC.

I'm wondering if the ESC's can be programmed with the transmitter. If so, can HK provide the tone sequences?

Has anyone looked into doing this yet?

And ultimately it could be bad motors or speed controllers.

It's very aggravating since everything else has been working:Scared:

Not a real happy camper at the moment

[ken.swa@outlook.com]

Does anyone know what the rates are supposed to be for the ailerons/elevator/rudder? the only rates that I have seen have to do with the flaps and 13mm.

[xviper]

It seems that it is sticking where the flap meets the pocket - The hinges are pretty smooth an no effort on the hinge itself. I have loosened the balls to let them pivot in place as the ball link connection seems snug with a little resistance. Not sure how to polish these as stated in this thread. I have already sanded a good bit of the top part of the flap that tucks away in the pocket. I don't want to sand to much away as the paint is coming off and if i put more paint on it, will I be back where I started if this will even correct it. I will post a video of the flap moving by hand and then one of it moving with the servo as well

Sounds like there may still be some foam that is in need of more sanding. The parts that come together and closest to the hinge is the hardest to see and the hardest to get at to sand. If the flap has a warp in it, it could be getting hung up on a high spot.
As for the ball, when I've encountered this in the past, I elected to emery cloth the ball itself, leaving the ring alone as this part can and will wear down in time. The ball has to seat inside the ring and sanding the interior of the ring may ruin the seat. Finally, use a drop of silicone lubricant on the ball from a spray can before snapping it back into the ring. Then exercise it to get the lube into the ring. Unless the ball arm that goes through the hole has a nut on the other side, loosening it could cause the whole ball to unscrew given enough time. The idea if for the ball to move inside the ring.
Do look into using a lower hole on the servo arm for more mechanical advantage.

[ken.swa@outlook.com]

Can you tell where the resistance on the flaps exist? You've sanded everything, it seems, so is the resistance in the hinges? When you move the flaps by hand without the rods attached, can you feel where they may be "sticking"? Could it be that the rod is pushing/pulling at a bad angle to get the best leverage?
Did you try to move the rod at the servo end to a lower hole for more mechanical advantage? Did you play with the flap deployment %, travel adjust and rod length to get the servo further away from its end point?
I know it's a beautiful model but with all the little weird things about it, the flying experience may not be as great as it should and a beautiful model that has little problems that may prevent it from flying well is useless to me. It's too expensive to just hang it up and gawk at it. With some showing up with terribly crooked decals, it makes for a bad static model. Props breaking and lack of parts is also a big negative. It worries me that this could be their C-47 Jungle Jumper all over again.

It seems that it is sticking where the flap meets the pocket - The hinges are pretty smooth an no effort on the hinge itself. I have loosened the balls to let them pivot in place as the ball link connection seems snug with a little resistance. Not sure how to polish these as stated in this thread. I have already sanded a good bit of the top part of the flap that tucks away in the pocket. I don't want to sand to much away as the paint is coming off and if i put more paint on it, will I be back where I started if this will even correct it. I will post a video of the flap moving by hand and then one of it moving with the servo as well

[wvrailfan]

The weather was unseasonably good today, so I had to get out and take advantage of it.

[wvrailfan]

If there are any gray C-130 owners here that are not involved in the RCG C-130 thread, I made my own propeller spec decals for the props. They are slightly oversize, but if I made them much smaller they started to lose legibility.

Since I had to use an entire sheet of decal paper, I made several sets and have some left over. If anyone here is interested in set, PM me for my address, then just send me a stamped, self addressed envelope and I will get a set out to you.

They are water slide decals. They look best if you use a little decal setting solution on them then give them a light coat of matte/flat clear spray.

Jim

[NoDirt!]

The shine is scale for Fatty Albert:Cool:

And yes, I'll be shooting clear gloss on my Fat Albert this weekend! (that sounds weird, doesn't it?)

[NoDirt!]

For me one of the biggest takeaways of the C-130 and other good planes HK, and other manufacturers are bringing to market these days is that Motion RC has single handedly forced their competition
to "up their game," a lot. Who benefits from this? We all do!

I agree, and believe it's a good thing. We all are benefiting, and I think will continue to benefit from it.

Thanks Motion for raising the bar!

[wvrailfan]

I would have liked the Avios Herc to be larger, but it is a very good plane in its own right. If a larger version were to come along, in the 1800 - 2200mm range, I would likely jump on it.

But I am quite happy with the Avios plane. It flies nice, looks as good as any foam plane on the market, and in spite of anecdotal evidence to the contrary, seems to be a well thought out and engineered model.

While HK's roll out could have and should have been better, I don't see enthusiasm for the plane waning that much. There are still a lot of folks looking forward to the model's January release.

This all, in my opinion, bodes well for a larger model in the future. It demonstrates a definite interest in this type of RC model, and I'm sure manufacturers are watching.

For me one of the biggest takeaways of the C-130 and other good planes HK, and other manufacturers are bringing to market these days is that Motion RC has single handedly forced their competition
to "up their game," a lot. Who benefits from this? We all do!

[crxmanpat]

I want FlightLine to do a C-130, but in 2000mm like the B-24. Only reason I decided not to get this is it's too small for my tastes.

[Jhnybgd]

I agree the shine looks really good. Not scale, but I like it.

Woody

Hey Alpha! Listen man, I'm just curious has anyone at MRC expressed any regret they didn't make one of these before HK did? I'm mean it's undeniable the amount of hype this has brought to HK.

The shine is scale for Fatty Albert:Cool:

[xviper]

As for "hype", I'm always sensitive to hype in all forms because it can often get out of hand, but I always lead with hope.

Agreed! I believe by now, that "hype" for the C-130 has dwindled somewhat and people are starting to wake up and realize that even the most beautiful smelling rose can have thorns. Also, the shine of that "hope" is beginning to get a bit dull now.
If MotionRC ever decides to bring out a Flightline C-130 in the same standards as their B-24, I will sell one of my kids to buy it, although the youngest at 39 might have a thing or two to say about it. ;)

[Alpha]

Hey Alpha! Listen man, I'm just curious has anyone at MRC expressed any regret they didn't make one of these before HK did? I'm mean it's undeniable the amount of hype this has brought to HK.

Hey Woodcock, it's a fair question and I remember answering it on one of the recent RCAfterhours podcasts, but I'll answer it again here: Our team has absolutely zero regret about parking our 2m C-130 project after we heard about HK's upcoming 1.6m C-130 project. To me, I believe the more successful models there are in our hobby, the better. Regardless of who produces a model, as long as the model is good, safe, and well supported, then we as RC Hobbyists all benefit from a wider choice of reliable products. As a Hobbyist, there's no downside to product diversity. And as a Developer, knowingly releasing a similar sized model at the same time as another developer wouldn't have helped either of us, and it's just not a cool thing to do if it can be avoided in time. Models are expensive undertakings, and we all start a clock to recoup the nigh six figure investments once a model is announced --unfortunately this hobby is too small for a head-to-head battle to benefit both developers, and one usually doesn't win, either. Instead, usually both developers lose because the market splits too thinly, which deprives the developers of resources/interest to release future products, which in turn deprives the Hobbyist. In other words, all bad for all involved.

I think mindfulness is a more sustainable approach. Sometimes respectfully letting the other driver have the right of way at an intersection prevents crashes. At the moment, it doesn't matter whose car is bigger or who got to the intersection first. What matters is that crashes are less effective and best avoided.

As for "hype", I'm always sensitive to hype in all forms because it can often get out of hand, but I always lead with hope. Hope that success can be found by all who fairly seek it. At Motion RC, we prefer to be respectful, not regretful. Personally, I don't consider Hobbyking competition; in fact I consider some of them friends.

My point is: Life is short. Just fly and teach someone else how to do so as well. The rest will sort itself out.

[Woodcock]

Overall, I am pretty impressed with the scale and detail to this model. I have been hoping for an airplane like the C-130 for a long time and this is it!

I used the Polycrylic Spray Can and was impressed at the gloss factor out of this and how light it is on the plane itself, despite multiple coats.
However, I am not impressed with the flaps and the minimal amount of throw that it takes and despite sanding and all on both the flap and wing pocket they flush back against, there is still too much resistance for them to work efficiently on their own without a little assistance and the servos buzzing, Not sure what to do at this point as i have sanded off a lot of the paint on part of the flap and the pocket to reduce strain.

Any ideas as to how i can address the strain on the flap servos without major surgery?

I agree the shine looks really good. Not scale, but I like it.

Woody

Hey Alpha! Listen man, I'm just curious has anyone at MRC expressed any regret they didn't make one of these before HK did? I'm mean it's undeniable the amount of hype this has brought to HK.

[Jhnybgd]

Overall, I am pretty impressed with the scale and detail to this model. I have been hoping for an airplane like the C-130 for a long time and this is it!

I used the Polycrylic Spray Can and was impressed at the gloss factor out of this and how light it is on the plane itself, despite multiple coats.
However, I am not impressed with the flaps and the minimal amount of throw that it takes and despite sanding and all on both the flap and wing pocket they flush back against, there is still too much resistance for them to work efficiently on their own without a little assistance and the servos buzzing, Not sure what to do at this point as i have sanded off a lot of the paint on part of the flap and the pocket to reduce strain.

Any ideas as to how i can address the strain on the flap servos without major surgery?

I would bet the Ball links are your problem,loosen slightly the bolts holding the ball link to the arm and see if it frees up.

Everyone of my ball links I took apart and polished so they would rotate as they are supposed to.

[xviper]

Again, I don't have this model so I'm basing it off of your photos and talking aloud based on theoretical causes that I would explore if it were in front of me.

Not having a model should NOT prevent an experienced RC modeler from making comment and trying to help.