[MOC] Kamov KA-32 Coaxial helicopter + free instructions

[Sheepo]

I showed this MOC the past weekend in the Lego Fan Weekend in Skaerbaek.

After many cars and other land vehicles, now its time to build something different.

This creation is based in the Russian helicopter Kamov KA-32.

This helicopter has the peculiarity that it has two coaxial rotors turning in opposite directions, instead of the traditional main rotor with a small tail rotor.

A real Kamov KA-32 used in Spain for firefighting. I have used the same color scheme.

This MOC has been build in scale 1:16. The rotors has a diameter of 127 studs(102 cm or 40 in.)

The fuselage size is 98x15x23 studs (78x12x18 cm or 30.7x4.7x7.1 in.)

Both rotors are powered by only one PF XL motor and a PF Rechargeable battery.

Complete rotors control using two swashplates directly from the cabin. Just like the real KA-32.

Collective lever control: fly up-down

Cyclic stick control(both sticks works): fly front-back-right-left(not turn)

Upper rotor pitch pedals: turn right-left

The controls only control de lower swashplate, and this one control the upper swashplate using the there grey links .

The front wheels have free steering.

And the rear ones have suspension, and a side sliding door.

Very quick fuselage disassemble.

I know that all this technical features and strange functions are difficult to understand. So here you have a video showing the helicopter working.

As always more info and pictures in my website: sheepo.es

[PROlego]

Wow! Not a car but I like it. I like the fuselage disasembling.

[Black-Build]

Just WOW... :thumbup: :thumbup:

[jorgeopesi]

Your blue ones always are breakers .

[Tommy Styrvoky]

great job, interesting functions.

[Appie]

Awesome! Love all the rotor functions you put into this model and you placed the controls for it so nicely in the cockpit

[rm8]

Oh, glad to see something different from you. I am sure it was harder for you than build another scale car with improved gearbox since it is usual for you...

So, Bugatti Veiron are also firefighters in Spain, since you did it also in the same clolr sheme?

Edited October 3, 2014 by rm8

[miguev]

Awesome build, I love the double swashplate! I dream of building an EC-135 with a realistic swashplate one day, yours will surely be a big source of inspiration :)

[Rishab N]

Really nice work as always. Nice to see something different too

[Jeroen Ottens]

Nice helicopter (allthough it is not a very beautiful model in real life).

Do you have a better view of the mechanisms between the controls and the rotors?

[KirTech LAB]

Great elaboration of rotor mechanics!!! Very interesting model!

[steph77]

hi,

Superb job. I'm glad to see you join the club of those who have managed to achieve a functional helicopter.

And what a helicopter! The coaxial dual rotor is probably one of the most difficult to reproduce.

It is of course at the cost of a very large proportion of mechanical versus reality, but hats off!

The next step is a CH47 :)

Edited October 5, 2014 by steph77

[Paul B Technic]

Wow, that is very cool :)

[Sheepo]

So, Bugatti Veiron are also firefighters in Spain, since you did it also in the same clolr sheme?

LOL

Do you have a better view of the mechanisms between the controls and the rotors?

Now I am very busy, but I will gonna try to show closely how it works. But actually it is very simple, just some gears and levers.

[Sheepo]

I update this post to add important note:

The instructions are now available for FREE!!!

Thanks to blakbird!!

You can download it in my website HERE.

[Edwin Korstanje]

Great work Sheepo and Blackbird :thumbup: .

I takes a lot of work to make instructions like this

[Epic Technic]

Thanks for making them free.

I've always wanted to build an amazing helicopter.

[jorgeopesi]

Free instructions for a monster like that always have to be grateful.

[TinkerBrick]

Thanks a lot to both of you Sheepo and Blakbird. I think i'll make this my fall project.

[Milan]

So nice of you and Blakbird to release free instruction.

[afol1969]

Hi blakbird,

Very much thanks for sharing the instructions . An impressive MOC from Sheepo - as always. Hope to build it in future time.....

Greetings

Alex

[Sylvian]

Woow,...

[Cumulonimbus]

Impressive work. Just one question, how much play is left in your swash plate setup? I have played around with something similar to MOD my 9396, but the lack of a physical pivot point for the turntable made it unstable.

[Blakbird]

I'm glad everyone is pleased about the instructions! I had been waiting to build this model for a long time. It is one of the best representations of a functional rotor head in LEGO that I have ever seen. The cyclic, collective, and pedals are all fully functional. Technically though, it is still not a fully articulated rotor head because the blades cannot flap or lead/lag, they can only feather. A fully articulated head can pivot on all three axes.

On 9/8/2015 at 1:04 AM, Cumulonimbus said:

Impressive work. Just one question, how much play is left in your swash plate setup? I have played around with something similar to MOD my 9396, but the lack of a physical pivot point for the turntable made it unstable.

The lower swashplate is supported by a 2-axis gimbal and is therefore quite stable. The upper swashplate does not have a central spherical bearing support and therefore it can "orbit" slightly. The instability is more noticeable at high speeds. The upper rotor is just held by an axle so it is not very stiff. However, as a demonstrator everything works fine.

I built this model last weekend to test the instructions and I must say that I love it. It is huge, technical, and impressive. It is a wonderful way to show novices how a heli rotor system really works. This is a topic that is very hard to convey in words, but becomes much easier when you can see it with your own eyes.

Over the next few days I will be posting some pictures and technical explanations of how the model works. I'll start with a global overview:

The yellow parts rotate in one direction and the blue parts in the other direction. The red parts comprise the 2-axis gimbal which drives the swashplates. When using the red collective lever, the entire assembly goes up and down. When using the green cyclic levers, the swashplate tips either fore-aft or sideways. The orange pedals lift the entire yellow central drive assembly. The white XL motor powers it all. Everything you see in the image are moving parts.

Ruminate on that whilst I prepare the next pictures!

[Foggy]

Hat off to both you guys! Amazing model, really great disassemble metod and thanks Blakbird for your pictures;)