Armory 1/72 Kamov Ka-56 "Osa"
By Matt Bittner
Introduction
Taken from Stingray's List of Rotorcraft:
"In 1971 the Kamov Design Bureau was ordered to produce the new ultralight helicopter for military service. Sergei Fomin, Deputy Chief Designer, was ordered to lead this project.
"The special task for this helicopter was that it should have been transported in a cylindrical container of 500mm diameter. The reason was that the Navy wished to have an opportunity to pull the helicopter out of a submarine's torpedo tube.
"Another point was that the helicopter should have been assembled for flying in 15 minutes when unpacked from a container.
"Powerplant was 40hp air-cooled rotary engine which burned motor-car fuel.
"The full-scaled mockup was built first in order to find better decisions in helicopter's configuration: to make it compact and easy to assemble. The next step was to build the test platform which included the real engine, rotor system, transmission and controls.
"The only parts which were detachable from the helicopter for transportation were 4 main rotor blades. All other parts were easily folded. The time to assemble the helicopter was only 10 minutes.
"Unfortunately Ka-56 wasn't ever flown due to a lack of suitable rotary piston engine."
The Kit
A fiddly model, one you'll need plenty of patience and lots of magnification for. Construction starts right off with bending and fiddling with the photoetch, first the main blades followed by other parts. In fact, if there ever was a case of multiple assemblies, it would be this kit. Not until the very last step - number 14 - does everything come together to create this ultralight helicopter. I do plan on putting everything together and then painting it as a whole. Much easier that way.
I would also recommend mounting it to some sort of base. It's far easier to pick this model up if it was glue to a base, then worry about bending any of the photoetch pieces during handling.
Conclusion
A unique model of a unique subject. If you don't mind building a one-off, then you'll want this model. I would also think it could lend itself to so many "what-ifs". With it you're only limited by your imagination.
My thanks to Armory for sending this unique subject to review.