Revell Coax Helicopter

Since 1947, the Revell brand has been synonymous with plastic models, and as the global market leader, it has consistently stood for new ideas and products that always meet high quality standards. Revell aims to live up to this standard with its new Revell Control brand, which features state-of-the-art technology. Can they live up to their own high standards? Just in time for the start of the indoor season, the new coaxial helicopters have arrived. I had the following three models at my disposal (see table).

These three kits truly deserve the “ready-to-fly” label, as they really do include everything needed for a first flight. The batteries for the transmitters are included, as are spare propellers and a screwdriver for those first flights, which might not go as planned. All that was left to do was unpack them. After charging the

batteries, the maiden flight could take place. What could be better in this gray weather than flying indoors? To ensure an objective test, the three coaxial helicopters were hauled into the gym for our club’s first indoor event. From 3D helicopter experts to F3C helicopter pilots and fixed-wing pilots, all pilots in attendance were able to

fly the test models to their heart’s content.

With the L-Ray and The Big One, Revell is setting new standards in terms of self-stability. Once trimmed, these speed-controlled coaxial helicopters can hover steadily in the air; you can even hand the transmitter over to

to the next pilot without making a stop. The downside is very sluggish flight response, which means they can really only be flown outdoors when there’s no wind. The lack of a swashplate is compensated for by a horizontal tail rotor that controls pitch; these two models do not have a roll function. Too bad

L-Ray and The Big One still operate on 27 MHz, and on top of that, both transmitters use the same channel, which makes flying them together impossible. The build quality, with its aluminum chassis and various LED lighting options, looks very sleek. Revell should make some improvements to the chargers, because with a charging time of nearly three hours, the fun factor suffers; furthermore, quick battery changes aren’t possible since the canopy is firmly screwed on.

The smallest model in the Matrix MDS test features a conventional design with a speed-controlled motor and pitch and roll functions. In addition, the Matrix comes with a 4-channel 2.4-GHz controller in a joystick design with a built-in charger. Clever: While one battery is charging in the transmitter, you can fly the

second one. Thanks to control via the swashplate, the Matrix can be maneuvered with great precision. Weighing just 28 grams, it’s a lot of fun to fly around the house. The Matrix is not suitable for outdoor use.

The Matrix MDS is recommended for the hobby room or living room, so you can enjoy a bit of the thrill of flying even in winter. The L-Ray and The Big One are ideal for beginners in model flying, since these models practically fly themselves. The included multilingual instructions, which are also available in German, are easy to understand and very well illustrated with plenty of photos. For its first generation of RC models, Revell Control has succeeded in bringing interesting models with good build quality to the market.

*Hans Schmuki*