YoloPark AMK Pro series - Transformers The Last Knight - Optimus Prime (non scale) #1

It is a pre-paint model kit - all parts are pre-painted and well organised in package. Construction manual is not clear - being its size and quality of the print shop I guess. However since the parts are well organised in order, and fitting is perfect, it is at the end easy to put together in a few hours.

So far 2 hours job with a little bit of lubricant in major joints. Height of the kit is about a Bandai MG. Looking forward to complete it soon.

 

Radio Master MT12

This is an open source radio system base on EdgeTX and the radio also support multi protocols including Spektrum's DSM. My old Spektrum DX4 radio having some issue on the screen which I cannot see the menu clearly. I hope to use MT12 to replace it.

First, it is a cost effective solution (if it is really the solution), which cost less than 1/2 of the cost of a Spektrum radio. 

Second, it support not just DSM but a number of other protocols, and since it is open source, I guess the support and evolution of its function will continue to get better

Back to the ground, I have first tried to pair it with Spektrun SR 3500 receiver, spent couple of nights but still cannot figure it out. The SR 3500 still, can pair and work well with the DX4. I then tried the SR 2000 on the ZX5FS kit. It works ! Altho it is still a bit weird that the steering / throttle function need to be further adjusted, but it is the motivation to move on. 

Continue the setup of servo sub trim, ESC calibration, steering EPA ... etc, it is NOT the usual Sanwa menu and the way the menu is arranged possibly make more sense to a radio system developer than an average RC player, especially those grow up with Futaba, Sanwa, (KO is always different, already). 

It works well in today road testing with the old Kyosho ZX5FS.

I still have a few more different models of Spektrum to test, perhaps, just a bit hard to make the SR 3500 works with MT12. 

Hasegawa 1/72 Glaug

:)

BD12 on ArrowMax 4D setup system

I restarted my 1/10 TC journey from the old Xray T3 and T4 last couple of years, with outdated ESC and 13.5T left from 10 plus years ago. Even the T4 was like 2014 product I think. 

After some warm up time, I started building BD11 with Outlaw 13.5T, and then BD12 with 5.5T

Possibly the right choice as both BD11 and 12 comes with modern TC chassis and suspension, while it is not the most complicated setup available in the market. They are still using traditional c-hub, with a pin system to mount the c-hub to the graphite + metal formation of structure. Good thing is that there is no need to measure the caster as it is kind of FIXED like old days. The downside is less option available to fine tune it. Question is - do I need it ? Well, I don't know yet, I won't really know until I start building and running chassis like Mi9, A800R ... 

For now, the ArrowMax 4D setup station or something similar is a must for setting up modern TC chassis.

Good news (again) is that once it is properly setup on the station, you know exactly what are the setup you are running with, and it is not too complicated to operate and mount. I like it over the Hudy setup toolkit because my eyes having challenge to read the toe-in / out information from the Hudy acrylic plate. ArrowMax 4D has toe in / out reading on white marking with black alloy background. This helps. 

Now the bad news - maybe it is just for me. In the past, once the T3 or T4 is setup (eg ride height, camber ...) it will stay until we change it explicitly. I tried to put the BD11 and BD12 on the setup station after, say, 3-5 packs of run, and "surprisingly" found out the setup are out. This happens even without any crash !!!! OK - so the bad news is really not that bad - re setup the chassis every few runs to ensure all the readings are what you want. I guess it is about the run-in of the chassis while those plastic parts are sitting in with the metal and graphite parts. The chassis are really a lot more complicated than T3 and T4. 

My 3rd modern TC built was X4 2022'. On one hand, it has slightly better build experience than Yokomo, at least I did not spend one night to just build the BD11 / 12 lower arms. It is using ball connection for front and rear hubs instead of traditional c-hub, which means there are more option to tune the chassis. Thanks to Xray which use "fixed" upper a-arm and hence the setup would not be as complicated as Mi9, A800R ...  I cannot imagine how can I learn all these setting efficiently with a direct dump to say Awematrix. 

It is good to start the TC class again after years. and I have not run brushless mod motor on TC since the brushed motor time. I would still, try to setup old T4 / BD7 to catch up with laptime with my BD11 and 12.

My study chair ...

Beside building and fixing RC and static model, it is also a leisure to replace part and fix the bigger kit

Clearly it is less complicated than any RC

 

Kyosho F-Ten GP Proto

I cannot recall when it was first released, it has 3 belts 4WD design with a small OS 10 class engine

Kit was purchased 2nd hand which was built but never run

With an unpainted bodyshell

Iris One.1

Interesting design from Germany company, made in TW kit. 

The chassis is designed with 3 driving belts and unique suspension - there is no traditional shocks and shock towers, it uses something similar to Awesomatix's suspension system, at least visually. 

The parts are made nicely, and the packaging inside the box is also interesting, individual parts are "packaged" inside from same packing as the parts are sold as replacement parts. 

I got the alloy chassis version this time.