This is my VS-300
from the ExtraTech Kit. ExtraTech is well known for aftermarket products, but
also some great kits are available from this manufacturer. This kit is a tiny
"treasure". Not a single part of plastic in the box - only resin and
photo-etched parts came along with a small building plan and 2 decals. I'm
used to work with photetched parts because I like detailing my A/C's, but this
kind of kit was also new for me. I had my troubles to be honest. Some problems I
was able to cover - some others are quite obvious: e.g. see output shaft for the
tail rotor - at the end I had no change to do readjustments so there is a
bend near the motors belt-drive.
Click on
images below to see larger images
It
was September 14th in 1939, when a rather uncommon vehicle tied down with
cables to the ground had his “first flight”. The VS-300 was a design
from the Russian emigrant Mr. Igor Sikorsky and it is considered to be the
first
US
helicopter of practical utility. Since the first flight the VS-300 was
constantly modified. Started with a simple steel tube fuselage and tail
boom the vehicle turned into an at least common looking helicopter:
covered fuselage, uncovered tail boom, wheel undercarriage, and a
75 horse power engine. The VS-300 was also available with floats and a 90
Hp engine. The real free (no cables) first flight took place in May 1940.
In his final version the helicopter had more than 102 flight-hours of
extensive testing and experiments.
The positive outcome of the testing showed all the advantages of a
helicopter with tail boom and tail rotor and finally led to the general
implementation of this configuration in modern helicopter design. With end
of proving phase the VS-300 was donated to the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn,
Michigan, USA. This was in October 1943 and the VS-300 is still displayed in that
museum. Based on his experiments Mr. Sikorsky started the development of
VS-316, better known as R-4 Hoverfly, which became the first US
series-production helicopter.
Enjoy. Greetings
Juergen
"Jott"
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images below to see larger images
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