| There are two distinct body shapes in the RC | | | | ready-to-fly - unlike their larger gas powered |
| helicopters world - pod and boom, and scale model. | | | | equivalents, whose owners pride themselves in building |
| Pod and boom refers to the "Dragonfly" design of | | | | from scratch. Cumbersome turbo engines and little |
| single-rotor sports and 3D helicopters (i.e. collective and | | | | men in khaki uniform might look impressive at War |
| fixed pitch models) These consist of a pod, containing | | | | Games rallies; but for a novice wanting some fun with |
| all the major mechanical parts, and a long tail boom | | | | combat maneuvers, electric are best. Besides anything |
| with a rotor at the end. | | | | else, they're cheaper. Look good too. |
| They are built for agility, balance and speed (the way a | | | | Electric RC military helicopters are always coaxial, |
| dragonfly is) and are totally unlike a real helicopter in | | | | because of the tail. This allows them to be as lifelike as |
| terms of appearance. The manufacturers have | | | | possible, as coaxial RC helicopters always have a |
| stripped away everything except the "bare bones." For | | | | shorter, wider tail than CP/FP craft. Some military |
| those who favour performance over appearance, | | | | coaxial do, in fact, have a tail rudder in addition to the |
| though, it's all that's needed. They form the bulk of the | | | | main dual rotors. This makes the craft even more |
| electric helicopters market, where size and weight are | | | | maneuverable, but doesn't alter any of the other |
| at a premium. | | | | dimensions. |
| Scale model RC helicopters, on the other hand, are | | | | Strip away the outer layer, and underneath a military |
| exact replicas of the real-life craft they are named | | | | electric helicopter is just a conventional coax. All that's |
| after. It is into this second group that military RC | | | | been done, is to add military detail via a canopy, or |
| helicopters fall. The difference between these and | | | | fuselage. This can be lightweight plastic or alloy, and |
| conventional (civilian) replicas is obvious. They are | | | | can even be purchased as an upgrade kit for |
| meant to fly in combat. They are designed to be swift | | | | standard pod and boom craft. |
| and agile. | | | | Although novice coaxial helicopters are 3 channel, the |
| And that is exactly what RC military helicopters are all | | | | majority of electric militaries are 4. This allows for |
| about. They look good, yes - but in a khaki-macho kind | | | | collective pitch on the rotors, an additional tail rudder |
| of way. Unlike civilian replicas, these are built for looks | | | | and so on. What you then get is almost as good as a |
| and performance. For this reason, they form the bulk | | | | collective pitch model: the pilot can perform flips, rolls, |
| of scale electric RC helicopters. | | | | inversions and dives, and even drop bombs - just like |
| All electric RC military helicopters are bought | | | | the real thing! |