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Hobbyking Vampire


Frank Day
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Been looking for a HK Durafly DH Vampire for ages pref later one but any of them. Saw the HK Youtube about a year ago  trying to flog them. Thought  great a new one,  no surprize not available and still not available.

 

Don't want to list in Wanted because I've never had a bit of luck there just idiots who agree to sell or buy then no contact. Or just emails from scammers.

 

Does anyone have one and or spare parts, crashed they would like to sell, collect reasonable distance Herts/Essex borders or be prepared to post buyers expense of course?

Thanks

Edited by Martin Harris - Moderator
Edited - please note the rules about wild card characters - I would have hoped everyone knew about this by now!
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That looks well used and seems to have  had a few episodes during its time.  I’d expect to pay that for a nearly mint example. 
 

Mine is probably my most regularly flown model and I and several like-minded friends enjoy close formation flying with them. Sometimes the formations can get a little too close so you might be vying with us for any on the market!

 

However, you’re welcome to first dibs on that one. 

 

 I do know that several of us would jump at the chance if they were re-released - perhaps we need a “save the Vampire” campaign?

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My Vampire was the first model that I'd sold/traded in over 20 years, before I flew it, but I looked for one for ages. Then my pal Jim delivered the Dornier DO17 which he'd built for me and was eyeing up the Vampire so I agreed to include it in the deal. After a mishap on the maiden flight due to Duraflyservoitis the repaired Vampire is a regular flyer in JIm's jet fleet and is nothing short of magnificent. As pointed out above they can be had and I did get a Canadian V2 from Facebook Marketplace, brand NIB for a very good price. I haven't assembled it yet but the retracts simply aren't workable on our field so I'll leave them out and make it a handlaunch job, which seems to work well. If Hobbyking brought the RAF one out again I'd certainly get one.

 

13th May 2023-1.jpg

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14 hours ago, Martin Harris - Moderator said:

I came across a design for a louvred “cheat vent” on Thingiverse and can’t recommend it highly enough.  It gives a very noticeable performance boost for little effort or expense if you have access to a 3D printer. 

I don’t have a 3D printer, perhaps I should, but I thought the original foam cheater inlet didn’t look very efficient. I might try a louvred inlet made of light ply as an alternative since you have found your printed one to yeald good results.

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The HK Vampire is the best model that I've ever owned for its sheer fun to fly and low cost for very little effort. I have one of the originals and it's still going strong. A few mates have swapped out the original fan for a more modern and better sounding version on theirs. Why on earth they stopped production goodness only knows. Even a non painted option would be good to allow personalisation and reduce production costs. 

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As a late rc returner I missed some of these. I saw the Hobby King Vampire video about a year ago as mentioned originally with a link to buy only to find  not available and still not available.  Not really sure what the video was about, probably a con to get punters to buy something. It appears to have been discontinued way before Stuarts return to Hobby King con.

 

Interestingly or not he did a similar video on the Freewing 90mm Venom, now discontinued before going to HK seems to be a ploys

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Well, I've bought the facebook well used item, reasonable price inc postage in the end. It has a few marks as its been belly landing and it has some weathering effects.  Will probably live with it as is for the season before going camo. Have a bunch of Freewing MG servos that will go straight in, had two Pre-enjoyed models fail due to servo issues. Also 2 spare 5 blade edf from the Sea Vixens, A 12blade 4s and a 12 blade 6s on the shelf!

Will go for one of the 3d print louvers if possible.

Graphics, I've been buying from Calliegraphics USA,  any similar sources here. Happy to stay with her as she did me some nice decals for my PZ 49" Mosquito, happened to be an actual plane that flew from very close to me in the war. she scaled one step down from those listed, very nice.

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Good buy and a good call on replacing the servos Frank. The lovely wee Vampire pictured in my post above dove into the ground whilst flying straight and level on her maiden flight and it was the Durafly servo, locked over at hard full down in flight which was to blame.

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The HK vampire slopes really well too. Stuart did a HK video flying some of their ‘scale’ models from The Dragons Back in Hong Kong, including their Vampire. I have flown from this great site too but with my folding ‘suitcaseable’ Zagi. Avoid landing out though -snakes!
I have sloped my Vampire in the UK, using the EDF occasionally for some spirited ‘strafing runs’ along the South Downs. Fun!

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If only I had a slope I'd give it a go. I am tempted by the 1.5 FMS Moa glider, its an older model but still available from various outlets. Its the wing shape more than anything and I wouldnt need a slope.

s-l500.png

Edited by Frank Day
even worse spelling
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I bought a 2.3m FMS Fox e-glider recently after I wrote off my original version from Hobby King some years ago. The V1 needed quite a bit of fettling to get it right but my new V2 arrives sorted and is a brilliant flier.


The wing platform on the Minimoa Frank is similar to the Bird of Time.

 

But I have gone off topic and the mods will be after me!

Edited by Piers Bowlan
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