Home  |  What's New  |  Features  |  Gallery  |  Reviews  |  Reference  |  Resource Guides  |  Forum  | 

1/72 AZ Model
 HC-102 Heli Baby

by Zdenek Elias

HC-102 Heli Baby



HyperScale is proudly supported by Squadron

 

Introduction

 

My model depicts HC-102 “white 0801” OK-RVE which is rebuild HC-2 and it’s exhibited in Military technical museum in Lesany (near Prague), Czech Republic.

 

Background

The HC-102 was two-seat light general-purpose helicopter. It was manufactured in Moravan Otrokovice n.p. and in fact it was earlier HC-2 fitted with more powerful 105hp M-110H four-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine. HC-2 (and its modernization HC-102) was the first and only Czechoslovak serial produced helicopter. HC-2 first flew on 3rd March 1954 and HC-102 first flew in February 1961. HC-2 served in CSLA (Czechoslovak people’s army) as VR-2 from 1960 in 50.spojlp (50. liaison aerial regiment). Moravan Otrokovice n.p. produced 21 units HC-102 and 15 units HC-2 were rebuild into HC-102 standard. Due to introducing of soviet Mi-1 and Mi-4 helicopters to CSLA and due to some problems were all HC-102 given to Svazarm (Union for cooperation with the Army) aero clubs, which used these helicopters in the years 1963-1978.

 

 

Construction

 

FirstLook

This kit consists of a quite cleanly molded sprue of 21 light gray limited run parts, 8 cream-colored resin parts, 20 photo-etched parts, 2 vac-form canopies and decal sheet common for HC-2 and
HC-102 kit. Some parts are common for HC-2 and HC-102 version. The only difference between these kits is resin part with engine. Decal variants are “white 0215” green / light blue in CSLA service, “white 0213” OK-RVJ green / light blue in Svazarm service and OK-RKA white / red with blue stripe in Svazarm service.

 

 

Construction

Parts fit quite well and only a small amount of putty is necessary. One plastic part hasn’t got any number and looks like plate but you can find it in instructions under P1 resin part. It’s necessary to adjust this part for good fitting. Shafting is the second part which has to be adjusted. I replaced PE dual overhead cyclic control stick and antennae with copper wire because it looks better.

 

Painting and Markings

 

Upper surfaces are painted with Agama C27 P grayish green, lower surfaces with Agama R31 P light blue. Interior is painted with aluminum. For weathering I used temperas specifically black, brown and white. I prepared mixture of this paints with detergent and used it like wash. When it was dry I corrected it with wetted cotton bud.

 

 

Conclusion

 

 

It’s tiny, easy to assemble, multi-material kit with good level of details and low price. Subject is important for Czechoslovak aviation and it’s exhibited in five museums in Czech Republic and Slovak Republic so groundwork is easy to find.

 

  • AZ Model 1/72 scale HC-102 Heli Baby: Image
  • AZ Model 1/72 scale HC-102 Heli Baby: Image
  • AZ Model 1/72 scale HC-102 Heli Baby: Image
  • AZ Model 1/72 scale HC-102 Heli Baby: Image
  • AZ Model 1/72 scale HC-102 Heli Baby: Image
Thumbnail panels:
Now Loading

 

 

References in English:

  • Aero HC-102 Walk Around Page 1 : Prime Portal [online]. 2001- . Accessible from WWW: <http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/kevan_vogler/hc-102/index.php?Page=1>.
  • STAROSTIN, Maksim. HC-2 \"Heli Baby\", HC-102 helicopter - development history, photos, technical data [online]. [2008- ]. Accessible from WWW: <http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/hc-2.php>.

 

References in Czech:

  • NEMECEK, Vaclav. Ceskoslovenska letadla 2 : 1945-1984. 3rd revised edition. Praha : Nase Vojsko, 1984. 246 s.
  • Zlin HC-2 a HC-102 [online]. [2009- ]. Accessible from WWW: <http://www.vrtulnik.cz/hc-2.htm>.
  • Wikipedie: Otevrena encyklopedie: HC-2 [online]. [2001- ]. Accessible from WWW: <http://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/HC-102>

 

Images and Text Copyright © 2009 by Zdenek Elias
Page Created 31 August, 2009
Last Updated 1 December, 2009

Back to HyperScale Main Page