nerdsforprez

I had thought about that too. I have never tried to reverse engineer something, I think it would be quite fun. However, I think the gearbox for the prop might be difficult without more details. The gearing up for the prop speed with a simple twist of the hand is quite remarkable.

Sorry to be bumping this topic.....but I've been looking for instructions for this. I assume there are none....though @lipko has instructions for many other of his builds. Am I missing anything?

While I wait for a shipment for my version of the Airbus helicopter I have decided to build this. Started the trek of gathering pieces now!

@efferman that is incredible. Very nice. And I love that you colored the top. I will watch the progress of your large bird with anticipation, and likely will purchase one of these rotors. But I have to complete my version of the Airbus first. I am trying to incorporate your swashplate into it, along with some other changes I am making, but it will take a while as things in my own career and family have sped up.....

Yes....it's the sound to me that is concerning. It definitely drops a few octaves. Also....the rotorhead is tilted forward, it drops even more. Indicating, at least to me...even further struggle. Anyone else notice this?

Also, is it only me or does the motor seem to struggle a bit in the high gear?

Thanks for doing this. That means that the speed from gear one to two is very different. Gear one (low gear) is almost 10:1; gear two is nearly 2:1 per @Sariel's gear calculator

That is one awesome, huge rotor, its gonna need quite a bit of power to work it. You planning on using two motors to power it?

Hmmm... I actually think I like the other one better. The second seems more robust, but perhaps too big. It seems the scale dwarfs the rotors. This one: seems more accurate.

Wow... that 7 blade set up is something else. I would love to see this come to life as well, and would definitely buy this. Couple of questions and comments. I don't know about Super Stallion-family, but I have been around plenty of Chinook birds and the pitch is not too much. IMO the pitch in this is not too much either. In the file you shared, as well as the picture about, of the 4 connecting points for the swashplate (lower half) three tow-ball attachments are the same design but the fourth is different. Is there a reason for this? Also, what do you recommend as a good connecting point? I thought I steering arm would do it (like you have connected to the front part in the picture above) but the tow-ball attachment point comes from below, not from the above like the other three and would collide with the steering arm. If it is necessary to different from the other attachment points what do you recommend as an attachment element? Also, I tried connecting the swashplate with the 3L pin with center pin hole (like you have in the .io file). It is not even close. I think the only thing we can use to connect to the tow-balls are the steering arms.

I second all these. I came across these as well, and I liked how you articulated this. Not really errors per se, but building @efferman's edits require some inductive, rather than deductive thinking. Which actually is to be encouraged. I did build the original Lego version and I can tell readers that V1 edits from @effermanare much better. Not to mention the movement of both the cyclic and collective are much improvement and there is a greater range. Yes, there are a number of additional parts needed, and I did not understand this immediately, but it was easy enough to deduce.

Perhaps I can try when I am home this evening. However, I think I fixed the problem. A little sanding and it is more moveable in the pinhole.... BTW... how is your "bigger" build coming along?

Oh goodness, That would be amazing. Not too much IMO. Perfect for like a Super Stallion or something. Very cool. Btw... I have finished up to pg 127of your V1 improvements on rebrickable. I must say, just excellent work. The cyclic and collective controls are much improved over the original. I suppose this this is a "pimp your Airbus" or something, it is no small modification. There is much more movement for the collective than the original. Which I think is a huge plus. Also, I got my shapeways order. The swashplate, like others have said, with enough force, snapped together perfectly and works great. Same with the 3L towball connectors. Work great. However, for the gears that I bought I cannot fit an axle through them. I will try with more force, but I will need a tool in order to do it. The blade connectors, on the pin side only fit in a pinhole with tons of force. And then they have no movement in the pinhole at all, which kinda nullifies their function.

I realize we will not be able to add @efferman's swashplate design into 42145 unless there are some modifications in the back of the mechanism that holds the swashplate into position. As it stands now, TLG's swashplate design has a pinhole, which they use in their design with a pin, not a towball). The best part I can think of to use to hold the back of the swashplate is the same that @effermanused in the front for his V1 improvement, a 5x1 steering arm with towball socket. Which would still mean for some modifications there, since the steering arm is longer than the liftarm used in that section...

So it looks like we have V1 and V2. I am working on V1 for my Airbus now. Not sure I will need to lower it even more. V1 might be enough for me. Btw... I got my shapeways order early. My swashplate works great as well. But because it has a fourth towball attachment, instead of Lego's pinhole, not sure I will try to incorporate it in my modifications.

I assume the second version will fit with the new landing gear linkages in the instructions?

So @efferman, I see that you really have made two different improvements. V1 is above, on page three, but V2 below (on page 4) is completely different (lowered whole rotator head by three studs instead of two). Which of the two version do you think are the best? And which is reflected in the instructions you provided on rebrickable?

Please do. I will be eager to hear. I get mine on Monday.

I wish I could. As I mentioned, though a huge fan and long-time member of this community, this is the first time I have bought a set in years. My first one with the new motors and BB. I have billions of the PF stuff, this is all I have of the new stuff....

Yea, which would certainly be a big bummer. I am almost complete with the build and would have to completely take apart to get to the BB. Not to mention wait for the parts to get here. I suppose I can continue to work on my modifications while I wait but still.... I can't think of any other reason why it would be performing so.

This is what you call converging data

Sorry for making a new post for this, I could have attached this to the 42145 thread, but I wanted to maximize input from others. This is my first set with the new dumb BB from Lego, so forgive me if there is some specifics that I don't know about. I have looked online and I did not see anything specifically regarding this issue. I have watched this video from @kbalage just to make sure I was using it correctly. When I turn on the BB everything is fine (nothing plugged in). Green light lights up - I assume everything is fine. However, if the motor is plugged in on the side it turn on (like in the instructions for 42145) - nothing. No light. If I plug it in on the opposite side (female A) (but turn switch over B) then the light shows but obviously motor is not turning. If I switch sides (motor into A, and turn switch on/same side) again nothing. In a nutshell, if the motor is plugged into the same side the on switch is (and unit is on) I get nothing. No power. No light. If there is nothing plugged in, or if motor is plugged in on the opposite side unit is actually turn on, then I get light (no power to motor for obvious reasons). Really baffled by this. Seems to indicate to me, that the problem actually might be the motor plug, not the BB? Could it be somehow registering something it is not supposed to when male end of motor is plugged into female (same side of on switch)?

I am curious as to why this is the case. Or what would be the case for that. Not a new mould. But a gram per element seems like a lot. Weird.

Looking forward to it!

Its in the YT video. It is pretty good looking.