After comparing half a dozen heli’s, and changing my mind every other day, I finally bought a replacement for my Raptor .50. The verdict became the Align T-rex 600E Pro. Since I was planning to use a Castle Creations ESC anyway, I went with the Super Combo.

The partlist, mostly included in the Super Combo:

  • The heli itself
    • Length: 1160mm
    • Hight: 340mm
    • Rotor diameter: 1347mm
    • Weight: 2.29kg without batteries
    • Build manual (local copy)
  • 600MX Brushless Motor
    • KV = 510 rpm/V
    • Input voltage: 11.1V – 50.4V (i.e. 5700~25700 rpm)
    • 12 stator arms, 10 magnetic poles
    • Continuous current: 75A, bursts 125A⋅5s
    • Continuous power: 3.3kW, bursts 5.5kW⋅5s
  • Phoenix Ice2 HV 80 ESC
    • 80A continuous
    • Governor built-in
    • Logging built-in
  • 3x Align DS610 servo on the swash
    • Digital
    • Torque: 9.6kg⋅cm at 4.8V, 12kg⋅cm at 6V
    • Speed: 0.10s / 60º at 4.8V, 0.08s / 60º at 6V
  • 1x Align DS650 servo for the rudder
    • Digital
    • Torque: 4kg⋅cm at 4.8V, 5kg⋅cm at 6V
    • Speed: 0.06s / 60º at 4.8V, 0.05s / 60º at 6V
  • Align RCE-B6X external BEC
    • Input voltage: 2 cell LiPo (7.4V)
    • Output voltage: 5.8V
    • Max current: 6A
    • LED voltage monitor built-in
    • Linear regulator
  • I kept my R319DPS receiver from my Raptor
    • 35MHz band, synthesized
    • 1024PCM receiver, 8 proportional channels, 1 digital channel
  • Align 3GX flybarless system
    • Input voltage: 3.5V ~ 8.4V
    • Current consumption: <80mA at 4.8V
    • Gyro range: ±300º/sec swash, ±600º/sec rudder, 12bit resolution
    • Software included on 8cm CD, which I was unable to read in my slot-loading drive; but also downloadable.
    • I immediately upgraded the firmware to v1.2 (local copy)

Build notes

  • Page 5: The main head was pre-assembled, but wasn’t tightened. Make sure you check all bolts and loctite them in place. I also added a generous amount of grease to the thrust bearings.
  • Page 7: I waited to mount the motor onto its mount until I figured out where I wanted to put the ESC and the 10AWG cables.
  • Page 7: Although the drawing is correct, it wasn’t clear to me that the bottom “Main shaft block” had to be mounted upside down compared to the top one. I only noticed that by page 16 when I kept having slop in the main shaft, even with both “main shaft spacers” inserted.
  • Page 13: The tail head was also pre-assembled, and since I was unable to loosen the screws by hand, they seem to be tightened (maybe even a little too well)
  • Page 17: Fitting in all the electronics into the tight cockpit isn’t as easy as the manual makes you believe…