PKZ-2, WWI military helicopter, with pictures.

Greetings. I’m fairly new to the hobby, and my usual subjects are sailing ships and space ships, but I always liked WWI (and pre-WWI) flying crafts, so I’ve decided to try to build this one. PKZ-2, Austro-Hungarian helicopter, 1/72.

The kit also includes a basket for pilot, which is currently in work (decals in the kit were non-useable, so I’m slowly painting it.) Most of the flights the craft made without basket, though. :slight_smile: I’ll add it in a couple of days and show the complete heli.

I’ve spent a lot of time painting propellers and prop to look like wood, but in the end I think it looks good. There were also a bit more of rigging on real heli, crosswise supports in the plane of each “arm”, but I’ve decided that with them rigging will look too crowded; also, tiny line from each tank, but I was simply unable to glue cleanly, so I’ve decided not to try yet. May be I’ll add it later.

There was, hoever, one big problem. The kit is very delicate (it’s Roden’s kit), so I’ve snapped a couple of details. If you look, the end of one “arm” is glued askew. Also, I had big problems with exact vertical alignment. How do you glue such small and complicated things precisely and exactly straight? I tried to make some holders, but nothing really worked with such small parts.

What else do you think I need to fix/add/redo here?

Definately a different helo build. Make sure to post the finished pics.

I think you have done a fine job on that model. It is not as easy one, and you must have learned a lot rigging ships. I don’t know what to suggest other than maybe trying to make some jigs to align the small pices while you glue them back together.

That is a great subject.

I have yet to figure out an effective way to handle small parts. So good luck with that.

Thanks for sharing and keep the pics coming.

Mike