I'm still learning the finer points of computerized Tx programming, but it's getting easier as I go. I've been experimenting with the recently resurrected Nano CPx. Thanks to the many variables available, managed to tame the twitchy little Nano so that it handles much like a larger 450. With this, now maybe I can safely practice more aggressive flying without the worry of leaving indentions in the dirt.... or my wallet.
The Sim helps, but is still no substitute for real-time flying.
The mSRx is agile and is good for ripping around doing hard banked turns and some mild funneling, but doesn't help my CP skills.
The 120SR has become a bit boring, but I still fly it.
These micros will continue to serve their purpose, especially during the approaching winter months when I will be more limited to I door flying.

 

I can't very well walk away from a heli that practically falls in my lap.... no pun intended.
From talking to someone that had a bit of bad luck with a 120S- the new FBL version of the old 120SR, he offered the bird to me for free if I pay the shipping!
Furthermore, I have high-bid on another 120S RTF package on EBay- $16 so far + shipping.
It seems as though I will get to confirm my theory that the 120S is set-up like an oversized mSRx and will fly accordingly.
Then comes the challenge of programming my TH9X radio for the 3-flight mode with rescue S.A.F.E. functions...... that should be fun.

 

So I decided to haul out the little MSRx just to see what was wrong with it from what I remembered. The main motor had gone bad, and I retrofitted a NCPx motor to it, but it didnt seem to work right before... so it's been sitting in a box for a few months.
Further inspection reveals that the main motor connector wasn't making good contact and starving the motor. Problem solved, now the silly thing is getting near 5 minute flights on old packs, yanking-and-banking the entire flight. Not bad for an old MSRx. Here's a video I shot while ripping around the Shop one day a few months ago...

Next- 120SR revisited.

 

@Beaver , Thanks for posting this video, it reminds me of why we fly RC helis, because it's fun. I would have loved to have sat there and had a beer and watched that. Full thumbs up mate
Simon

 

It's definitely fun! Plenty of upright obstacles to dodge, walls, the overhead beam, and occasionally my co-worker as you may have seen.

 

COOL... looks like you have some great toys there @Beaver. And that indoor flying field might just be big enough for a 450 - though i imagine the big girders of death might cause some issues by sucking in helicopters as they fly by.

 

The toys were in for service.
The shop isn't quite big enough for a 450 other than some hovering around.
Anything 120 and below..... plenty of room.

 

120SR.... the one that won't die.
I've been off the hobby for awhile, so on returning, I decided to revive the smaller birds first. The mSRx has been reliable even with a nCPx motor in it, but a broken blade grip has that one down at this time. Then there's the old 120SR.... still alive and kicking with a fresh batch of packs. This old bird in its current configuration with stretched tail boom and LEDs behind the canopy, has been reliable enough. Its still good for ripping around the house on rainy days. It is the first single rotor heli I ever owned.

 

Hey great to see you back @Beaver !. 120SR is in my opinion the best fixed pitch heli around...... really solid...

 

So I broke out my 120SR "night bird" finally, as I come home from a gig, slightly buzzed at 12am...... Wasn't that a trip!! At least my home-made NAV light (LED) mod made for good orientation during the run. No crash, no fouls...... The wind just happened to be in my favor tonight (as in none.... for once) I also happened to notice that the silly thing reminds me of the old Bell copters as seen in old M*A*S*H TV show aside from being fixed pitch and not having the "erector set" tail boom. I may have to address this nostalgic flybar thing and resurrect my B450 with all the aluminum bits I've accumulated. I think I have everything aside from a tail-boom from making that happen. Better to bash a Blade than break a Protos.

 

I have yet to revive the B450, but managed to get the silly little mSRx back in the air...... I did miss the little shiz. Nothing zips around a tight room like this one does. With a NanoCPx tail assembly and tail blade on it, its nearly impossible to shake the tail loose. Now to benchmark the remaining 1s packs to see which ones died while the bird was on the bench.
..... Meanwhile, the 120sr is still kicking, reliable as always. I have 2 new 500mAh packs, and a "hybrid" double 450mAh (900mAh) that yeilds a flight time of 9 min. to just short of LVC. Not bad for an SR.

 

A trip to the LHS, as I said, revealed little in parts inventory, but I did spot a 2-pack of B-450 tail-booms that I will have. The more I think about it, the more I feel the need to revive the B-450 and make use of all those aluminum "bling" flybar parts I acquired awhile back. The CopterX 450 can wait.
I still want to use the K-bar FBL in combination with the fly-bar. Last time I tried it, I noticed a different type of stability that suits a more "scale" type of flying. This might suit my intention of building a 450 capable of airlifting small loads and releasing said loads at-will from altitude. (yes, I'm considering building a "bomber", just for fun.)
On another note, I went to LHS looking for a main-motor for my MSRx, and walked out with a set of Park-Zone motors of unknown make and model, but being 8.5mm, I took a chance. So far, they seem to work at least as good as stock, after having to change pinions.

 

I have a heap of b450 parts as well... the origninal b450 though. I dont use them anymore. I should drag out the bits and take a photo. See if you can use them.

 

Any parts are better than no parts at all.
It's also fun to be able to say I imported them from Australia.
There's just something about the crazy fly-barred bird that still appeals to me, and some of my mods such as clearancing the frame to use 150t Trex gears makes it even more versatile.
I did the one experiment using a Kbar (Vbar clone) FBL in conjunction with the fly-barred head and had some interesting results. That was initiated by a channel failure in the original Rx, so I used the Kbar and a Sat Rx in its place. With the cyclic gains turned all the way down, the 450 flew like normal, but I sensed an enhanced stability when hovering around, as if the thing was actually self-leveling itself...... I need to revisit this.

 

Meanwhile......
I've been flying both the MSRx (fbl) and the 120sr (flybarred), and I'm thinking very seriously about retiring the 120sr for a 120S (new fbl version). The 120S appears to be a larger version of the MSRx, in that the configuration is the same. If the performance of the 120S matches that of the MSRx, it should be a fun little bird to fly in tight spaces, and I can still use some of my 120sr spares. Having a programmable Tx will make it even better.

 

120SR- down for flybar failure.
MSRX- still quite the little beast as far as leisure flying around the house..... even when "drunk-flying". (would never do that with anything bigger than a 120sr)
Current configuration includes an NCPX tail assembly and a main motor that is not "Blade heli stock", but seems to work just as well.
The LEDs under the canopy make for good night flying, but I need to install an LED on the tail so I can keep better orientation. It's definitely a hoot pulling half-arse funnels around a flagpole at night.... or ripping around under the nice tree in the front yard.

 

Sounds like lots of fun! mini night flying! The 120S sounds like it might be a fun heli to fly around as well. The 120sr was allways a good size

 

Nearly the same 120, the "S" model is flybarless by means of using a 130X mainshaft, among other things, even 130X landing skids. I suspect it easily out-maneuver the old 120SR.

 

Being fixed pitch though... its almost a skill to control the altitude without falling out of the sky! Once you get used to cp you understand how much control it provides...

 

Regulating altitude isn't really a problem unless I work the cyclic too hard, then I find myself adding throttle.
The throttle response is slower for sure. My FP helis obviously don't pop-up as quickly as a CP heli, and sometimes a bit of forethought is required.