Scratch-built 1/72 Kellett K-2 Autogyro
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Introduction
What is an autogyro? A plane with an umbrella? An overly complicated
fanning device?
 What
an engineer will do if asked to design a plane? But you all know what
an autogyro is, of course. This unlucky cousin of the helicopter enjoyed
a brief and well deserved moment of glory during the 30’s and for
no reason its popularity dwindled.
I started this project lured by the promise of some cases of my favorite
beer unscrupulously offered by a fellow modeler that suffers the delusions
generated by the implacable sun of Arizona. He is supposedly modeling
the Pep Boys-sponsored machine that went to the Antarctic with Byrd, but
that’s another story you will have to wait to see. At the pace he
builds I calculate you better take a seat, though.
Construction
 In
a matter of hours (1,459 or so they seemed) I had the vacuformed shells
ready. And since once in the dance room you have to dance, so here is
my rendition in 1/72 of a little understood but appealing Kellett K-2.
The Kellett K-2 had a Continental engine, while the K-3 had a 5 cylinder
Kinner. The subject of this article started its life as a K-2 but was
later given the Kinner. There were many other Kellets K-2s and K-3s: one
went to Japan, another to Argentina, and the rest vanished in the mist
of time save one restored airframe that now is in a museum. Coincidentally
it has the same regs. that my model. Go figure.
Oh, don’t look at me like that! scratch-building is indeed easy;
the only issue is that is difficult. Hey, at least I only have to deal
with my own mistakes and I can build whatever I please (although that
Kalinin K-7 looks really scary).
 Anyway,
where were we…Yes! Elephants! as Eddie Izzard will say. You can
tell by the photos that this wasn’t just a walk in the park. More
like a walk in a family reunion: Many patches had to be performed, some
parts that resisted matching were persuaded with a little CA and putty
and convoluted engineering had to be skillfully managed. But at the end
my test pilot was as happy as an Argentinean eating empanadas.
Conclusion
Be this the homage to a machine that deserved a better fate and more
enduring recognition.
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