Unknown Heli ID help

This helicopter has been in our collection since before 1998. It is 47 1/2″ long and has a 55″ rotor diameter. That’s all we know about it. Who donated it? Where did it came from? What type of helicopter is it? Did it compete in anything? Win anything? The answers to these questions are a mystery that we’ve been trying to solve for the last six years.

Pod and boom metal helicopter with red on the boom, red and white tail rotor and black blades.
Unknown helicopter, part of the National Model Aviation Museum’s Collection, 2018.01.04

We’ve gotten a lot of great help and insights from AMA members already, and some progress in ID’ing it has been made. There’s a thought that it is Russian in origin, due to the Pruss-designed rotor grips and the engine.

To learn more about the work that has been done to ID this model, watch the Fly By!

Take a good look and post a comment or email mariav@modelaircraft.org to share your thoughts.

unknown helicopter in the NMAM's collection. The oval shaped cut-outs in the pod can clearly be seen. A close-up of the pod on the unknown heli in the NMAM's collection. Another close-up of the pod on the unknown heli in the NMAM's collection. This time the view is looking directly at the nose of the pod. Another close-up of the pod in the NMAM's collection showing the mechanical installation of the gears. A close up of the main rotor head on the unknown heli in the NMAM's collection.

A different view of the main rotor head on the unknown heli in the NMAM's collection.

Looking down at the main rotor head on the unknown heli in the NMAM's collection.An extreme close-up of the "PRUSS" on the rotor grip on the unknown heli in the NMAM's collection.

A close-up of the pod showing on the engine and fuel tank are installed in the unknown heli in the NMAM's collection. A more extreme close-up of the engine and fuel tank in the unknown heli in the NMAM's collection. An extreme close-up of the engine installed in the unknown heli in the NMAM's collection. The engine is engraved with the Cyrillic letters "MAC" Another extreme close-up of the engine in the NMAM's unknown heli. THis time the the serial number can clearly be seen.The tail rotor on the unknown heli in the NMAM's collection.

The landing strut on the unknown heli in the NMAM's collection.

Thank you everyone!

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For more information on the National Model Aviation Museum, including our location, hours and admission fees visit: www.modelaircraft.org/museum

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