Landgraf H-2 -1944, scratchbuild 1/72

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

A build from 10 years ago, and please blame "Head in the clouds" and "Pete in Lincs", who made me do it:

 

 

Somebody made a flying egg-beater?

Not at all. Since the beginnings of the rotary wing design, inventors realized that a twin rotor solved torque and stability problems. Well, some of them anyway.

Mr. Landgraf, from Los Angeles perpetrated this beauty.

The Landgraf H-2 rotors were overlapped and for that reason by force synchronized. The blades were not hinged but could vary pitch, while little “ailerons” provided cyclic control. The rudder was fixed, so for yaw it was stated that differential torque was supplied to the individual rotors –how was this done is for me a mystery, since they were coupled. The one-person machine was aimed to be easy to fly, which apparently accomplished. The “wings” were only streamlined pods, since they reputedly did not contribute to lift, being the CG far ahead them –for which they would have created a negative pitch force in case they did generate any lift in forward motion.

The model:

Two (upper and lower) halves were Mattel-formed on a previously Sculpey-made plug; the upper one in clear styrene. The 85 hp Pobjoy engine and front wheel are Aeroclub items, the other two wheels were scratched, since I couldn’t find ones of a suitable size. Interior structure and diverse elements were created, and for the rotor blades Contrail styrene “struts” were used -but the process of converting the raw airfoiled strip to a blade took some patience.  Each blade has a tiny “aileron” that was engraved. Since the original aircraft had retractable landing gear, recesses can be seen on the fuselage photos through which you can have a glimpse of the innards, thence the decision of putting the engine, some structure and the fuel tank in the model. The white metal engine also helped to balance the model avoiding any shameful tail-sitting.

The stubby “no-wings” were made of airfoiled styrene sheet as well as the rudder.

All in all about 80 parts were fabricated, perhaps a bit on the high side considering the minute dimensions of this windmilled tadpole.

Colors were applied as per a Mechanix Illustrated magazine color photo.

In one photo on the Flight archives a beautiful female model appears posing aside the aircraft, but my intents to get a model to pose with the model were in vain.

Doesn’t somehow remind you of the Jetsons?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pete in Lincs]

A very smart little device. Jetsons or Dan Dare?

Thanks for posting.

[John_W]

1 hour ago, Pete in Lincs said:

A very smart little device. Jetsons or Dan Dare?

Thanks for posting.

Or perhaps TIntin or Flash Gordon? It does have a classic comic book look about it.

[Courageous]

Ah, the V-22 Osprey prototype 

Cute little guy.

 

Stuart

[Blue Monday]

What a brilliant little piece of modelling. Another Moa gem.

 

BM.

[Wlad]

Well, thank you @Head in the clouds. and @Pete in Lincs. I have a picture of this craft from an album my mother had in the '50s and all it says is "Flying Easter Egg" and goes on saying that's a common nickname for helicopters in the USA. Now I know what its true identity is. From a search a few years ago I thought it might be a Hiller or a Platt-LePage design, though I never found it.

 

@Moa, excellent rendition of a cute aircraft.

 

Cheers,

Wlad

[Head in the clouds.]

Cute...did I just call a flying machine 'cute' oh lord!

[pheonix]

That is another of your tiny gems Moa. Lovely build and thanks for the build photos.

 

P.

[k5054nz]

What a beautiful little* design! I want one! Bravo Moa, you've done it again!

 

*I just ran a Google Image search for Landgraf H-2 - it really was tiny!

Edited February 18, 2019 by k5054nz