H-King Twin Otter DHC-6 1840mm (72.5") EP/GP (ARF) Nature Air

[Woodcock]

Not something I've been holding my breath for. Maybe some of you though. HobbyKing has a new Twin Otter out.

W

[xviper]

Damn it, man! I didn't need to see this. My bank account can't take any more. :Drooling:

Just checked. It's only $165.00 (ARF). Not so bad if I've got some of the stuff in the parts bin to build this thing.

Apparently, HobbyKing has taken it from these guys ..................... http://www.vqmodel.com/NewVQModel_25...25size_ep.html

[xviper]

Well, I couldn't let that pass. Ordered one last night. I've always said that if anybody made a reasonably priced one that's a little smaller than my old Hanger 9 TO, I'd be in. I was hoping it would be a foamie, but HobbyKing has marketed this at a good price point, so they got me.
No space to put it, so I'll build it slowly over the next several months.

[Woodcock]

LOL, I'm sorry Xviper. It does look pretty though. I'm seriously tempted.

Best Regards
W

[xviper]

LOL, I'm sorry Xviper. It does look pretty though. I'm seriously tempted.

Best Regards
W

:Cool: I actually appreciate the heads up. I may have never found out about it without your post. I even allowed HobbyKing to be on my messenger list. That gave me 10% off on this plane plus I had $5.00 in rewards credit. So, all in all, it wasn't that expensive for what I'm hoping to be a solid product. Additionally, I've always been a sucker for multi-colored "Jimmy Buffet, Margueritaville" prints on airplanes. :Silly:

[xviper]

Got it a short time ago and have it unpacked and on the table. I had everything on hand to build it except for the power system. That's coming soon. I'm going to use the same drive system as in the HobbyKing Grumman Albatross (motors, ESCs, 3-blade counter rotating props), but no reversing ESCs (no water flying, so not needed). That system has proven to work very well in the Albatross, so I figure since it's got wheels, it should be plenty powerful to make it work. The Albatross has no problem skidding on its belly to get off even thick grass. If it turns out sluggish, I can always kick it up a notch. I also have a set of the big, soft Tundra tires that I'll try and use the bigger main stock tire for the nose wheel. I have no place yet to store it, so it'll be a leisurely build while I try to thin the heard down a bit. I generally don't like building balsa ARFs, but this one was just too good (and cheap) to pass up. With all the discounts, it was under $190.00.
The design and execution of many of the features of this model is very reminiscent of the Hanger 9 model. For those who were familiar with that one, it was quite expensive. The next few weeks (or months) will be quite entertaining. Hope to finish it before winter and get to fly it a couple times before the snow flies.

[Woodcock]

Nice buddy, ya know I went back to actually purchase one of these, no more in the US. : ( Shipping from China is a crazy cost. Can't wait to see it fly.

W

[xviper]

That's too bad about no stock in the US. I just got a bill from FedEx for a brokerage charge and taxes for another $81.00. OUCH! Once they get back in stock, you get free shipping and no brokerage. It's supposed to be free shipping from Hong Kong, but the box is "over sized" and you have to pay for shipping.

[xviper]

This what I've done so far. Still waiting on my motors/ESCs but there's still a few things that need doing while I wait for those. It's been so windy lately, that I've had more time to tinker with planes and this one just keeps calling out to me, "Do me, do me!"
I've used the Tundra soft tires for the mains and one of the stock mains for the nose. In stock configuration, the plane has a bit of a nose up attitude. With this selection of tires, it has a slight nose down attitude, which I've seen on the real TO. I guess you could say I'm making a tropical sand operations Otter.

[xviper]

Almost done. Just have wing struts and cockpit steps to install, then do all the control surface throws.

[dutchwhite001]

Xviper, I am throwing salt, sorry in advance. This Twin Otter is the same one that VQ Warbirds sell down in Texas. Same manufacturer and they do one in Canadian Markings! Price about the same. I have the Swiss one and compared it to my HK one. Identical. Haven't built either yet. But I really like the DH stuff, always have. First ride was in Alaska in a Beaver. It was all over after that. I will compare notes when I get one finished and flying. BTW, you ever get summer yet? Last we talk, you were snow blind. Take care and let me know what you think about flying your HK Twin Otter please. Done farming mud for the day, back to working on my L-19/O-1 Bird Dog.
Dutchman

[xviper]

Hi Dutch. Yes, it's been posted that the HobbyKing Twin Otter is from VQ. Our "summer" has been quite variable - hot, cool, wet, windy, sometimes all in the same day. The last week or so has been quite wet but I've been able to fly about twice a week, some weeks maybe even 3 times. I'm hoping to be able to work on the TO in the next few days and get it finished and out to maiden it. I've been reading some of the discussion on the HobbyKing product page and some of the reports have been mixed, with a couple guys saying the plane flies oddly, being hard to trim even after several flights. I'll see for myself in a week or two.

[Woodcock]

I'm looking forward to hearing your report on how it flies. I may be a Knuckle Head, but how weird can it possible fly, it a Twin Otter. Seems like a pretty straight forward air frame to me.

Best Regards
Woody

[xviper]

Woody, I know what you mean. How badly can a Twin Otter fly? Surprisingly enough, in the discussion section of this product's page on HobbyKing, one guy said his was impossible to trim. He said his needed lots of re-trimming on every flight. I guess I'll find out, hopefully, this Saturday. Will post about it here when that happens.

[Woodcock]

Woody, I know what you mean. How badly can a Twin Otter fly? Surprisingly enough, in the discussion section of this product's page on HobbyKing, one guy said his was impossible to trim. He said his needed lots of re-trimming on every flight. I guess I'll find out, hopefully, this Saturday. Will post about it here when that happens.

Thanks for the response Viper, I'm still thinking pretty hard about getting one of those. I grew up in Bakersfield Ca. I worked my way thru college refueling & washing airplanes at the local airport. One of the things I refueled was a Twin Otter that belonged to Golden West Farms. The old guy that flew it, (It's shameful but I can't remember that guys name) he let me accumulate a bit of right seat time in that Twin Otter. I felt like I was flying a 747 lol. But I'm thinking there is a place in my hanger for one of those. : )

Woody

[xviper]

Woody, let me be the guinea pig for you. They've sold out at HobbyKing but I'm sure they'll be back or you can always get one directly from VQ. There's no rush. I just had to have it because the real ones are made on the west coast now, the next province over from me.

https://www.vikingair.com/twin-otter-information/twin-otter-answers/where-are-twin-otter-airplanes-manufactured

[xviper]

I regret having to report that I have no report. I was going to maiden this Twin Otter this morning but when I plugged in the battery, the connector sparked and then got really hot and melted. I believe my soldering was inadequate and caused an arc. I will have to diagnose and make a new power extension cable to tie the two ESCs together. Hopefully, it won't be too difficult and I can try for another maiden early next week.

[xviper]

It turns out I fried one ESC. New one coming in about a week. I do have another ESC but it won’t match what’s in there.

[xviper]

Finally maidened this plane this morning. Took off beautifully, needed some down ELE trim and a little AIL trim to fly level hands off. The ELE trim was noticeably DOWN when I got it back to the bench. It might need a little more weight up front and that's already flying with 2 X 3000mah, 4s Graphenes. It won't take any more battery - no space. I may shove a little lead into the nose cone. Once trimmed, however, it flew great. Plenty of power on the grass and in the air and steady as a rock. It can do rolls but very slowly, even on high rates but then, (as the observers indicated) if a real Twin Otter were to do a roll, it would look just like that. Loops were uneventful. Landed on full flaps very nicely and without incident. I tried to do a second flight and get a video but for some reason, one ESC didn't initialize, so no video - another round of diagnostics. Nothing to do with the way the plane, just my electronics not doing what they are supposed to. This is another keeper.

[xviper]

Replaced the ESCs with 60A ones and flew it again today twice at the geotex field. The nacelles weren't allowing sufficient airflow to keep the ESCs cool, so I cut 3 big slits just aft of the ESCs on each side. This seems to have eliminated any problems with cooling. Below is a link to the video. You can see what equipment I've put into it in the YouTube description. Best viewed on "full screen" and HD.

WARNING: Hat cam video. Don't click on it if you don't like these.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCZeBwUH_Xg&feature=youtu.be