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The first type, the PKZ-1 (after the intials of the three men bearing the main responsibility for the project: Petrocz, Karman & Zurovec), was essentially just a flying testbed, which, however, proved the feasability of the idea. The next type, the PKZ-2 was a completely new construction, with three 100hp motors serving two counter-rotating rotors. It was a so called "tethered" helicopter, which means that the craft was anchored to the ground by cables, and this was used to regulate the movement up and down of the craft. It was balanced by three outriggers - each with a small air-cushion - and it had a large air-cushion underneath as a means of softening the landing. The observer was to be placed in a special basket, placed above the rotors. The test flights of the PKZ-2 began in April 1918, soon leading to the employment of more powerful motors. On June 10 it was demonstrated for some high-ranking officers, and fate would have it, that it crashed during one of the flights, leading to the military cancelling the project, as it was deemed to be too dangerous. The reason was that the engines had over-heated. But the designer of the PKZ-2, Wilhelm Zurovec, struggled on, and solved the problems with the engines. But by then it was november 1918, the war was soon over and revolution rocked the empire. None was interested in novel flying machines anymore. But the fact remains: the PKZ-2 was the worlds first helicopter, and the only one to take to the skies during the Great War. My model is, of course, built
from the fine 1:72 scale kit by the Ukrainian firm of Roden - known
for their excellent line of WW1 aeroplane models. It has been built straight
from the box. Click on the thumbnail below to see another, and somewhat larger
picture of my PKZ-2:
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In
1916 a major in the Austro-Hungarian Army, Stephan Petroczy von Petrocz,
proposed to replace observation balloons with a completely new type of
heavier-than-air flying craft. This craft was what we today call a helicopter.
Using helicopters in this role would have several advantages according to von
Petrocz: they would be less vulnarable to enemy fire, and would require
neither the expensive hydrogen equipment nor the large number of personell
normally needed to service a balloon. The idea was approved and work started.
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