Raptor 50 V2

After the Demise of Mick's GPH 346, a helicopter which had only recently been going really well, he decided to replace it with one of the new Raptor 50 V2's. Based on the 30V2, it has all the same modifications to improve it over the V1, except the 50V2 comes with a carbon under-tray, metal swashplate, and fully driven tail as standard.

As you can see, with the new sleeker canopy, and funky purpley pink sticker set, it looks like it means business. And with an OS 50 and Zimmerman Muffler Performance is exceptional. Fitted with BBT Main Blades and K&S 3D paddles, aerobatics are all performed with ease. Many people have said that they regard 50 size helicopters as a bit odd. Are they 30 sized with too much power, or 60 size but a bit smaller and twitchier, less accurate. Well, whatever they are, this one goes like stink. Radio is fairly basic stuff, standard servos all round with a CSM 400 Gyro. It is very capable of 3D, although Mick is still at the novice end of 3D. Flips and stuff lie that is Ok, but at the moment he wants to crack the inverted hover. I know from experience that this can be tricky to master, but in the end you just have to have the balls to do it low to deck.

In full idle-up 2 mode, I could have a blast with this helicopter, and Mick certainly pushes it around too. The striking stickers help with the orientation in most conditions, except maybe really dark cloudy skies. but then, who really wants to fly in the rain?

This Raptor has already had one major mishap, some kind of radio problem high up, and it clouted the runway completely inverted, breaking pretty much everything except for the blades?!? £100 later and it was flying again. With the set-up having to be re-done a few tweaks were made, and it now flies better than ever. Mick loves it so much, I think he flies it more than the Sceadu 50, which is also quite a machine.

Overall the Raptor 50V2 represents very good value for money, coming in cheaper than a Sceadu, with more features as standard (driven tail, etc), cheaper spares (when they are available, sometimes trying to get hold of Raptor spares can be ...frustrating. I should know!) and flies just as well.

Here is the Raptor 50 V2 with its cool new stickers from HeliBits. For about £15 you get top panel, bottom panel and belly panel pieces, together with a choice of different style stripes etc. Of course there are a selection of colours to choose from too. After looking around on the HeliBits website, we found a picture of one done in similar style to this, so Mick decided on this because it looked quite funky. And now he has the stickers, I'm sure you will agree it does look very good.