Helicopter models of Kamov in 1/72 scale

The Kamov company is next to MIL, a large helicopter design bureau in the former USSR (and now Russia). Kamov's designs typically showed a co-axial rotor design with two large rotors, eliminating the tail rotor. For that reason, Kamov helo's were often deployed aboard Soviet warships, being safer to handle on the deck.  

Airfix issued a 1/72 kit of Kamov KA-25, NATO code name "Hormone" in 1983.

The parts are in soft light grey/blue plastic.

This 1/72 model looks as a fine representation of the real thing, and was issued in several kits, one of them being in a "package" with other Soviet kits of Airfix with new decals.

The rotor can be detailed and the doors opened. Add some details when doing so.

The wheels can be refined with their "forks" and add some antenna wiring at the tail.

Finished as Soviet Naval Hormone.

The model was given a typical high-visibility scheme with red/orange-white colours of the Soviet NAVY, "57" code.

Another interesting Helo from Kamov is KA-50 the NATO Code named "HOKUM". It has crew ejection seats, being the first helo to have this feature! It blasts off the rotors first, they the seats obviously!

Italeri of Italy came in 1993 with a fine kit, No 031 in 1/72 scale. 

(glass parts not shown).

The parts are in very dark green, a colour I don't like for the plastic. But it is a good kit, needing only minor corrections. 

The exhaust needs some internal gap filling, this can be done with white glue or I put on a protective cover by using maskol and painting it green.

Detailing of the rotor head is nice but replace the nose pitot with pieces of metal.

The kit was finished as demonstrator, called the "Alligator", seen at Farnborough in 1992, as per the kit's instructions. It is painted in a mix of very dark grey and black. I added the brownish striping and details with paint. You can also add some typical demonstrator markings on a detail level.

KA-50 in demo markings...
 

The HOKUM was also developed with a side-by-side two crew cockpit, known as KA-52 HOKUM-B.

Italeri issued in 1999 a kit, No. 005 in 1/72 scale. It is the best one offered in this scale.

Basically the same comments apply as for the 031 kit and it is really a fine kit.

Add some details to the rotor head yourself. Be careful with the actuators and linkages as you can get easily confused in their assembly.

"alligator"

The kit has markings for a demonstrator, and as to this point it is really still unclear of they will be put into service in Russia, despite "real order" announcements!

Interesting enough, KAMOV also made a follow-up of the old HORMONE, called the HELIX by NATO. The KA-29 was also issued by Italeri, the only model manufacturer to provide us Soviet model freaks with these nice models!

Italeri kit 076 released in 1997 is somewhat rough in areas compared to their Hokum kit, but otherwise can be build into a nice model. 

The mould was made not by Italeri themselves but by Zvezda from Russia. It has some thick rivets which looks OK however when slightly sanded.

Replace the smaller parts, such as the handles (no. 55/56) by sprue ones, and also the rotor head will benefit from adding details.The assembly is OK however, but let dry overnight.

The windscreen needs careful alignment and the instrument panel no. 6A needs to be reshaped to fit. No interior is included as kit parts in the main fuselage as the doors are moulded closed.

  Helix on the deck...

The tail vanes no's 39 and 40 needs some work to fit.

Replace the pitot with a needle and replacing the the smaller windows 4/5/6/7 with kristal clear will improve the look of this model.

The colours suggested are a bit to be guessed at; 
I used FS 35237 and Humbrol 140 for the blue. It is a HELIX of the Soviet Naval Aviation, circa 1996.
 

The KA-60 model in 1/72 was issued in 1999 by a new Russian model company, AModel.

Decals are for the company demonstrator.

This only kit available is not up to todays standards, but all necessary parts are there. These are in white plastic.

You will need to remove a lot of flash and clean up all the parts. The attachments to the sprue are a bit thick, so be careful as the plastic is a bit "brittle". Using a small razor saw is recommended here.  

Alignment of parts is difficult in areas. 

Make the main fuselage first, use putty, sand and carefully remove all scratches as these will show in the dark paint later!

The model will benefit also be replacing the smaller windows.
The fit of the main windscreen needs some work, fit part E1 later on after sanding the entire fuselage. 

The rotor assembly is complex and needs long drying times and patience.

The same is true for the undercarriage, needing careful  alignment of the real small parts.

Although looking like a Dauphin, this helo is much larger. The demonstrator depicted with this kit is black/grey as the Hokum demonstrators.

The smaller kit decals are best not used, but use paint here. 

Ka-60


When finished, it looks like the real thing "all the way".

Check out an Amodel kit of the KA-26 "Hoodlum"....