Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Helicopters / November 2005

There might be someone on this newsgroup that can help you but don't get
your hopes up.  The Cricket has been out of production for a LONG time now
but you never know.

You shouldn't have too much trouble simply making the link you need.  A
short piece of all-thread and a couple of ball links will do the trick.  Any
decent hobby shop should be able to help.

The mechanism below the main rotor system is called a "swashplate."  The
outer half of it is stationary and you control which way it tilts on the
main rotor shaft via the radio controls.  The inner half of the swashplate
controls the linkage you need and subsequently, the flybar (the cross shaft
that sits 90 degrees to the main rotor blades and has the small paddle on
it) which in turn controls the main rotor blades.  This is refered to as a
"Hiller" control system after a full size helicopter that was around in the
1940's and 1950's if I'm not mistaken.  They're not made any more but a few
are still flying.

There should also be a small part just above the swashplate that's secured
with a set screw to the rotor mast and has a ball link that goes to the
inner half of the swashplate.  I call it a swashplate follower and it's job
is to insure that the inner half of the swashplate rotates properly with the
main rotor blades.  You'll know that the follower is positioned properly if
you line up the main rotor blades with the tail boom and the ball link on
the swashplate is also perfectly inline.  When everything is setup properly,
the swashplate should tilt straight for and aft with elevator commands and
left and right for aileron commands.  The main rotor will tilt in whatever
direction the swashplate tilts.

Well, you got that much as least!  ;-)  Seriously, the Cricket was an Ok
model in it's day, but not a great one.  It uses a very basic fixed pitch
(no collective) rotor system.  It was flyable but not at all stable by
today's standards.  The main issues you'll have with it are the same issues
you'll find in any fixed pitch rotor system and you'll notice, there aren't
too many of those around any more, at least no on a glo powered model.  At
any rate, finding an experienced pilot to help you with setup issues on the
Cricket will go a LONG way toward a successful flight.

Best of luck & Fly Safe,
Steve R.

any, but you'll still be very lucky (or not, depending on your POV).

May I make a suggestion (retorical of course). Forget the Cricket and find
something new(er). You'll learn to fly with something that'll fly as opposed
to a Cricket which will have you ripping your hair out. And that's BEFORE it
gets in the air. Fixed pitch and VERY old tech.

It does. It's a rod with a ball link on either end, and to be honset, it's
something any modeller would knock up in about 10 seconds and if you want to
be a "Cricketer", then being a modeller is mandatory. You're not though,
you're a wannabee model helicopter flyer and there's a world of difference.

And I'd love to find a Huges

See? That statement tels it's own story (not a bad one, but still its own
story). You want a heli that looks like a heli you've seen flying and this
Cricket has come along for next to nothing (no cost) and you're already
thinking about how life is going to be in the next couple of weeks. Well I
hate to be the one to tell you, but it's not. The Cricket is dead, and
should be buried and you should be looking at a modern machine that'll give
you a fighting chance of one day seeing yur own model heli flying through
the air resplendent in its Hughes 300 bodyjob.

Any particular reason why? They fly like crap even when they're being flown
by good flyers.

Sorry, I gave all my Cricket parts away about 20 years ago.

--
Beav
OMF#19
VN 750
Zed Thou

mail is beavis dot original at ntlworld dot com (with the obvious changes)