Evolution of the Century Hawk - Phil Noel (copyright)
HAWK (1994?) - Initial version that featured:
Mainshaft:
- Short 8mm with a pitch range of 16 degrees
Swashplate
- upper star plastic with plastic ball joints molded to star
- lower star plastic with plastic ball joints molded to star
- required assembly
Mainframe:
- Upper & Lower frames of molded GRP
- 8 oz. rear mounted fuel tank
- Two piece light plastic canopy
Clutch/Power system:
- 9.76:1 gear ratio
- two stage system to eliminate the requirement to adjust gear mesh
- Clutch, clutch bell and fan all attached to the engines crankshaft to insure alignment.
- oilite bushings supporting the clutch bell
Start system:
- a spring loaded start system that totally disengages the start shaft after starting
- start cone at the top of the start shaft
mCCPM Control system:
- most bellcranks and control arms were supported by oilite bushings rising on a special sleeve
- Ball bearing upgrade kit could be purchased to replace the bushings with bearings
Tail drive system:
- wire-in-tube system supported by 3 nylon inserts to eliminate whipping
HAWK II (1996)
Same as the original Hawk but with these changes:
1 - Pre-assemble GRP Swashplate
2 - Bullet shaped, more crash resistant “milk jug plastic” canopy
3 - Bearings replaced bushings to support the clutch bell
HAWK III (1998)
Same as Hawk II except for these changes:
1 – New symmetrical flybar seesaw
2 – Start shaft now also supported by bearings instead of bushings
3 – New 10 oz, fuel tank
4 – New servo tray to raise the roll servo, resulting in 2 degrees more pitch range
5 – New reinforced upper frame, with a better intake for the cooling fan
6 – Longer vertical tail fin to better protect the tail rotor
7 – Socket screws replaced the self tapers in the frames
8 - New Swahplate with plastic lower star and metal upper star using metal ball joints
HAWK IV (2001)
Same as Hawk III with a number of important changes:
1 - Swashplate with a 10mm center uni-ball & a metal upper star.
2 – Hex Start Coupler replaced the cone start
3 – 10mm mainshaft for a full 22 degrees of pitch range
4 – 10mm rotor hub
5 – 10mm washout hub
6 – Longer A-Arm on the elevator bellcrank
7 – M10 x 19mm upper support bearing for the 10mm mainshaft
8 – New Tail rotor control bellcrank replacing the pin system with a ball joint system
9 – Twin tail boom struts
HAWK SPORT (2003)
The same as the Hawk IV with these changes:
1 – New current style canopy
2 – New black muffler
3 – Bearings supporting flybar
HAWK PRO (2005)
Similar to the Hawk Sport but with a number of important upgrades:
1 – Special machined spacers between the feathering spindle and the dampers.
This provided harder damping for better 3D.
2 – Metal Lower mainframe set from Raven series.
The heat sink of a metal lower frame provides better cooling for the larger 37/39/40 engines and places the tank under the mainmast for the best C.G. location.
3 – Bearings now on all pivoting control arms and bellcranks providing absolute control precision.
4 – Longer collective arm provides better symmetry of movement and less interaction at extreme collective settings
5 – Torque Tube tail drive system replaced the wire-in-tube system – lower maintenance and maximum efficiency