In Bag Review of Huma 1/72nd Scale German Flettner FL-282 Helicopter
Ray Mehlbeger
Kit number 005
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright of my kit is 1980's. I paid $14.50 for my kit back then at a local hobby shop that since went out of business.
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright of my kit is 1980's. I paid $14.50 for my kit back then at a local hobby shop that since went out of business.
HISTORY:
The Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri ("Hummingbird") is a single-seat intermeshing rotor helicopter, or synchropter, produced by Anton Flettner of Germany. According to Yves Le Bec, the Flettner Fl 282 was the world's first series production helicopter.
The Fl 282 Kolibri was an improved version of the Flettner Fl 265 announced in July 1940, which pioneered the same intermeshing rotor configuration that the Kolibri used.
It had a 7.7 litre displacement, seven-cylinder Siemens-Halske Sh 14 radial engine of 150-160 hp mounted in the center of the fuselage, with a transmission mounted on the front of the engine from which a drive shaft ran to an upper gearbox, which then split the power to a pair of opposite-rotation drive shafts to turn the rotors.
The Sh 14 engine was a tried-and-true design that only required servicing every 400 hours, as opposed to the nearly 27 litre displacement, nine-cylinder BMW/Bramo Fafnir 750 hp radial engine powering the larger Focke Achgelis Fa 223 helicopter, whose outdated design required maintenance every 25 hours.
The Fl 282's fuselage was constructed from steel tube covered with doped fabric, and it was fitted with a fixed tricycle undercarriage.
The German Navy was impressed with the Kolibri and wanted to evaluate it for submarine spotting duties, ordering an initial 15 examples, to be followed by 30 production models.
Flight testing of the first two prototypes was carried out through 1941, including repeated takeoffs and landings from a pad mounted on the German cruiser Köln.
The first two "A" series prototypes had enclosed cockpits; all subsequent examples had open cockpits and were designated "B" series.
In case of an engine failure, the switch from helicopter to auto rotation was automatic.
Three-bladed rotors were installed on a test bed and found smoother than the vibrating 2-blade rotor, but the concept was not pursued further.
The hover efficiency ("Figure of Merit") was 0.72[5] whereas for modern helicopters it is around 60%.
Inter-meshing rotors were not used on a mass production helicopter until after World War Two.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Helicopter
Manufacturer: Anton Flettner, Flugzeugbau GmbH
First flight: 1941
Introduction to service: 1942
Retired: 1945
Primary user: Luftwaffe
Number built: 24
The Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri ("Hummingbird") is a single-seat intermeshing rotor helicopter, or synchropter, produced by Anton Flettner of Germany. According to Yves Le Bec, the Flettner Fl 282 was the world's first series production helicopter.
The Fl 282 Kolibri was an improved version of the Flettner Fl 265 announced in July 1940, which pioneered the same intermeshing rotor configuration that the Kolibri used.
It had a 7.7 litre displacement, seven-cylinder Siemens-Halske Sh 14 radial engine of 150-160 hp mounted in the center of the fuselage, with a transmission mounted on the front of the engine from which a drive shaft ran to an upper gearbox, which then split the power to a pair of opposite-rotation drive shafts to turn the rotors.
The Sh 14 engine was a tried-and-true design that only required servicing every 400 hours, as opposed to the nearly 27 litre displacement, nine-cylinder BMW/Bramo Fafnir 750 hp radial engine powering the larger Focke Achgelis Fa 223 helicopter, whose outdated design required maintenance every 25 hours.
The Fl 282's fuselage was constructed from steel tube covered with doped fabric, and it was fitted with a fixed tricycle undercarriage.
The German Navy was impressed with the Kolibri and wanted to evaluate it for submarine spotting duties, ordering an initial 15 examples, to be followed by 30 production models.
Flight testing of the first two prototypes was carried out through 1941, including repeated takeoffs and landings from a pad mounted on the German cruiser Köln.
The first two "A" series prototypes had enclosed cockpits; all subsequent examples had open cockpits and were designated "B" series.
In case of an engine failure, the switch from helicopter to auto rotation was automatic.
Three-bladed rotors were installed on a test bed and found smoother than the vibrating 2-blade rotor, but the concept was not pursued further.
The hover efficiency ("Figure of Merit") was 0.72[5] whereas for modern helicopters it is around 60%.
Inter-meshing rotors were not used on a mass production helicopter until after World War Two.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Helicopter
Manufacturer: Anton Flettner, Flugzeugbau GmbH
First flight: 1941
Introduction to service: 1942
Retired: 1945
Primary user: Luftwaffe
Number built: 24
THE KIT:
Huma was a model company based in Germany. I believe they have gone out of business.
This kit came in a stapled shut clear cello bag with the lone chalk-white parts tree, decal sheet and instructions inside.
The chalk-white tree holds: the fuselage halves, rudder, elevators, pilot figure, seats, wheels, landing gear legs, propellers, cockpit floor, joy stick, engine etc.(42 parts)
Huma was a model company based in Germany. I believe they have gone out of business.
This kit came in a stapled shut clear cello bag with the lone chalk-white parts tree, decal sheet and instructions inside.
The chalk-white tree holds: the fuselage halves, rudder, elevators, pilot figure, seats, wheels, landing gear legs, propellers, cockpit floor, joy stick, engine etc.(42 parts)
There are no clear parts in the kit as the actual helicopter did not have a windshield.
The decal sheet and instructions complete the bag's contents.
The decal had a protective frosted tissue to protect it's face. However, it was floating around loose in the bag and not protecting a darn thing, so I stapled it to the decal sheet.
The sheet includes the dash board dials.
The decal sheet and instructions complete the bag's contents.
The decal had a protective frosted tissue to protect it's face. However, it was floating around loose in the bag and not protecting a darn thing, so I stapled it to the decal sheet.
The sheet includes the dash board dials.
The instructions consist of a single sheet folded in the center to create 4 pages in 8 1/2" x 12 1/2" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo of an actual FL-282, followed by the history of the helicopter and specifications in German.
Page 2 shows a 3-view of 2 schemes:
1. A Flettner FL-282B-O that is overall gray with a black fuselage code of CF+YF and German crosses above and below the elevators.
There are 2 black and white wartime photos of actual FL-282 helicopter.
One just shows it as a dark color and you cannot see any markings.
2. The other is CF+YF taking off of a ship.
Page 3 has the parts trees illustrations at the top, over 2 exploded drawings for assembly purposes.
Page 4 repeats the history of the helicopter in English and French.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo of an actual FL-282, followed by the history of the helicopter and specifications in German.
Page 2 shows a 3-view of 2 schemes:
1. A Flettner FL-282B-O that is overall gray with a black fuselage code of CF+YF and German crosses above and below the elevators.
There are 2 black and white wartime photos of actual FL-282 helicopter.
One just shows it as a dark color and you cannot see any markings.
2. The other is CF+YF taking off of a ship.
Page 3 has the parts trees illustrations at the top, over 2 exploded drawings for assembly purposes.
Page 4 repeats the history of the helicopter in English and French.
This is a highly detailed kit.
However, the are no part number tabs next to the parts. So, care will have to be taken by studying the exploded drawings to get the right parts for assembly.
Highly recommended.
However, the are no part number tabs next to the parts. So, care will have to be taken by studying the exploded drawings to get the right parts for assembly.
Highly recommended.