1/18 scale Schweizer S-300C / Breda Nardi Hughes NH-300C scratchbuild model
The Hughes TH-55 Osage was a piston powered light training helicopter
produced for the United States Army. It was also produced as the Model
269 family of light utility helicopters, some of which were marketed as
the Model 300. The Model 300C was produced and further developed by
Schweizer Aircraft Corporation as S-300 after 1983. The Hughes 300 has
been also built under license by:
- Kawasaki Jukogyo KK in Japan, for delivery to the Nihon Rikujyo
Jieitai (Japanese Ground Self Defence Force) and given the Japanese
military serials 61301 to 61338 at Akeno, Kasumigaura, and Iwanuma.
- Breda Nardi in Italy, for delivery to the Aeroporia Stratou
(Hellenic Army Aviation) and given the Greek military serials ES-111 to
ES-130
In both countries, the parts were initially imported from the
United States with full scale production following later. Now,
manufactured by Schweizer Aircraft Corporation, a recent subsidiary of
Sikorsky Aircraft, the basic design has been in production for almost 50
years. The three bladed main rotor and piston powered Schweizer S-300
is mostly used as a cost effective platform for training and
agriculture.
The helicopter was created with a fully articulated clockwise rotating
(as seen from the cockpit), three bladed main rotor and a two bladed
tail rotor that would remain as distinctive characteristics of all its
variants. It also has shock absorber dampened, skid type landing gear.
The flight controls are directly linked to the control surfaces of the
helicopter so there are no hydraulic systems. There are generally two
sets of controls, although this was optional on the civil version.
Frakie steps out of his private helicopter. The glass with Scotch in
hand doesn’t surprise me. What really strikes me is that he does not
hold a lit Cuban in his other hand.
The Schweizer S-300C / Breda Nardi Hughes NH-300C helicopter has flown under Greek flag markings, with two users:
Schweizer S-300C with Olympic Aviation - subsidiary of Olympic Airlines
Olympic Airlines (now Olympic Air) was the flag carrier airline of
Greece, operated services to domestic & world-wide destinations. It
was formed by invested by Greek shipping-magnate Aristotle Onassis, back
in 1957 as Olympic Airways and the company developed rapidly. Under
Aristotle Onassis' leadership, the airline gained a reputation for
lavish style. The cabin crews were attired in Pierre Cardin designed
uniforms and passengers ate with golden cutlery and listened to the
stylings of a pianist in the first class cabin. On 22 January 1973, an
incident occurred that dramatically changed the future of OA. The death
of Aristotle Onassis' son, Alexander, in a plane crash came as a shock
to the Greek people and a new phase began for Olympic Airways. A few
months later, Aristotle Onassis sold all of the OA shares to the Greek
State and died shortly after in 1975. By December 2003, the Olympic
Airways Group of Companies owned Olympic Airways, Olympic Aviation,
Macedonian Airlines, Galileo Hellas, Olympic Fuel Company, Olympic Into
Plane Company and Olympic Catering restructured by the Greek State and
renamed as Olympic Airlines SA. On March 2009, the Greek State announced
they had reached an agreement to sell the flight operations, ground
handling operations and technical base of the group to MIG - Marfin
Investment Group, the largest Greek investment fund, thus ending a
35-year period of state ownership. On September 2009 Olympic Airlines
ceased all operations and most flights and Olympic Air, the new airline
formed from its privatization, commenced flights.
Sketch diagrams by Nick Karatzides
Schweizer S-300C registered as SX-HNB with Olympic Aviation markings
as seen at Eleftherios Venizelos LGAV airport on February 6, 2008. This
specific helicopter had an emergency landing on mount Parnitha on
22/4/2008. Photograph by Alex Filippopoulos.
Breda Nardi Hughes NH-300C with Hellenic Army School of Aviation
The Hellenic Army School of Aviation, based at Stefanovikio AB, Greece,
operates 20 Breda Nardi Hughes NH-300C (actually Italian made S-300
built by Breda Nardi under Schweizer Aircraft Corporation licence)
helicopters for the initial rotary aviation training, received in 1985,
replacing in this role the old Bell OH-13/47G Sioux helicopters. The
total flight training lasts 44 weeks and the training conducted by Breda
Nardi Hughes NH-300C helicopter, lasts 15 weeks. Each student completes
30 flight hours behind the NH-300C controls before proceed to the next
level. Each student pilot works with his own flight instructor. Every
flight hour is conducted in the presence of the flight instructor seated
as co-pilot while the helicopter is operated by the student pilot.
Today, after almost 27 years in Greek service and about 35000 hours of
training conducted in this type of helicopter, the ratio of accidents to
personnel is zero, proving the reliability of the helicopter, despite
the large strain susceptible because of nature of training.
Sketch diagrams by Nick Karatzides
Breda Nardi Hughes NH-300C registered as ES-111 with Hellenic Army
Aviation markings as seen at Stefanovikio AB located at LGSV airport on
September 16 2008. Photograph by Chris Lofting.
According to Textron Lycoming engine manual legend:
- “AE” means “Aerobatic Engine”,
- “H” means “Helicopter”,
- “I” means “fuel Injected”,
- “L” means “Left hand rotation crankshaft”,
- “O” means “Opposed cylinders”,
- “T” means “Turbocharged”.
The Hellenic Army’s Breda Nardi Hughes NH-300C helicopter is
powered by a 190 shp / 142 kW Textron Lycoming HIO-360-D1A 4cylinder,
horizontally opposed engine compared to HIO-360-B1A, 180 hp / 134 kW of
the basic version and had a larger diameter main rotor 26 ft 10 in
(8.178 m) compared to 25 ft 4 in (7.6 m) of the basic version. Larger
rotor and engine gives a 45% performance increase over previous models.
Flight operation under IFR - Instrument Flight Rules is prohibited.
Flight operation is permitted at night only when landing, navigation,
instrument and anticollision lights are operative. Flight operation at
night is limited to VFR - Visual Flight Rules conditions. The technical
data & general characteristics as described into official flight
manual are:
- Type designation: Breda Nardi Hughes NH-300C,
- Usage: Basic training helicopter,
- Crew: 1 student pilot & 1 instructor pilot,
- Year of construction: 1985,
- Manufacturer: Breda Nardi Italy under Schweizer Aircraft Corporation licence,
- Country: Italy,
- Length: 30 ft 8 in (9.34 m),
- Height: 8 ft 9 in (2.75 m),
- Width: 6 ft (1.83 m.),
- Main rotor diameter: 26 ft 10 in (8.178 m),
- Main rotor blade area: 22.64 ft² (2.103 m²),
- Main rotor geometric disc area: 565.49 ft² (52.534 m²),
- Main rotor geometric solidity ratio: 0.04,
- Main rotor blade chord: 6.75 in (171.5 mm),
- Main rotor blade twist: -8° 39’,
- Main rotor number of blades: 3,
- Tail rotor blade area: 1.69 ft² (0.157 m²),
- Tail rotor geometric disc area: 14.19 ft² (1.318 m²),
- Tail rotor geometric effective solidity ratio: 0.116,
- Tail rotor blade collective pitch full left pedal: +25° to +27°,
- Tail rotor blade collective pitch full right pedal: -11° to -13°,
- Horizontial stabilizer area (to tail boom): 2.65 ft² (0.246 m²),
- Vertical stabilizer area (to tail boom): 1 ft² (0.093 m²),
- Empty weight: 1040 lb (470 kg),
- Loaded weight: 1000 lb (450 kg),
- Maximum takeoff weight: 2050 lb (930 kg),
- Powerplant: 1 x Textron Lycoming HIO-360-D1A 4cylinder, horizontally opposed engine rated at 142 kW,
- Horse power: 190 shp at 2700 rpm,
- RPM limits: 442 to 471 rpm (power on), 390 to 504 rpm (power off),
- Maximum hover altitude with ground effect: 5900 ft (1800 m),
- Maximum hover altitude without ground effect: 2750 ft (840 m),
- Maximum takeoff / landing operating altitude: 8000 ft,
- Maximum enroute operating altitude: 10200 ft (3110 m),
- Maximum speed at sea level with doors not installed: 91 kts (169 km/h),
- Maximum speed at sea level with doors installed: 115 kts (212 km/h),
- Maximum speed at 10000 ft with doors installed: 82.5 kts (153 km/h),
- Cruise speed: 75 kts (140 km/h),
- Rate of climb: 750 ft/min (229 m/min),
- Maximum autonomy range: 195 nm (360 km),
- Maximum flight duration: 3 hours 30 minutes depending on flight conditions & type of mission,
- Maximum range fuel consumption: 10.2 gallons,
- Fuel tank capacity: 29.6 US gallons,
- Collective stick (full down to full up): 10 in (254 mm),
- Cyclic control stick (full forward to full aft): 15 in (381 mm),
- Cyclic control stick (full left to full right): 16 in (406 mm),
- Directional control pedals (full forward to full aft): 8 in (203 mm),
- Throttle grip twist angle (full closed to full open): 130°.
The truth is that until this moment, I have not decided yet if I’m about
to build the civilian Olympic Aviation version or the military related
Hellenic Army Aviation version, Although these two versions (Schweizer
S-300C and Breda Nardi Hughes NH-300C) do not differ too much, there are
some elements that set them aside - especially in the cockpit area.
General speaking, I don’t really feel like a military model enthusiast
or to be more precise, after all these dozens of F-16s, F-4s &
Mirages I have built since I was a young boy, I need to deal with
something less militarized. However, I must admit that the dirt, dust
and rust suits best on military scale models.
In short, I'm into a dilemma and do not know which version to
proceed, since both Olympic Aviation & Hellenic Army Aviation, looks
nice! Ideas & suggestions are very welcome.