There always seems to be plenty of new fixed-wing models around, but it is not very often that a new helicopter comes on to the scene.

The new 60-size TSK ACRO STAR is a joint development between TSK and Quick (the people who make the beautiful high-quality helicopter upgrades). The manufacturers claim that the machine is designed for F3C and 3D flying, although Model Helicopter World suggests that the supplied rotor head is not really good enough for advanced aerobatics and real 3D flying. Acro Star is advertised as being "high quality at an amazingly low price".

The model has 3mm thick metal frames, made to withstand the most severe flights. The rotor head is a precision-tooled metal component and a 24 mm diameter tail pipe has been adopted to alleviate stress on the belt and pulley. As you would expect for a quality machine, it is fully ball-raced throughout.

Acro Star has a main rotor diameter of 1520 mm, is 1340 mm in length and its all-up weight with blades will come out at around 10½ lbs. It requires 5-channel radio and a ·60 size heli engine. The Acro Star is priced at £475, to which you must add the cost of receiver and servos, engine, blades, gyro and muffler, of course (assuming you've already got a suitable transmitter)! You might just get a bit of change from £1400, but you could spend more! 

Here are a few thumbnails of the detail of this model.

Well, I've been doing a little bit of digging, and the information I have at the time of publishing this issue of ModelFlight is that the manufacturing side of the business is closing at the end of this month (October), but they are still going to have a shop and mail order business for all the modelling supplies for which they are so well-known. It appears, therefore, that Precedent kits will no longer be available, although there is a possibility that they might have them manufactured in the Czech Republic. The Flite Mate field table is also a Precedent product, so presumably that, too, will disappear. Apart from those products (for which there might still be some stock, I guess) I am assured that we can continue to use the mail order catalogue that was published comparatively recently and which I reviewed on ModelFlight #17 - you'd better get yours soon, it might become a collector's item!