The Kamov Ka-32T is one of those aircraft that looks like it was designed by someone who answered every problem with, “What if we added another rotor?” 87.A takes that wonderfully odd real-world firefighting machine and gives it a sturdy LEGO presence, complete with the coaxial blades that make the Helix family so instantly recognizable.
The big win here is the rotor assembly. Twin counter-rotating rotors are a brutal thing to capture at this scale, because you need height, structure, and a convincing mechanical mess without turning the roof into a gray wedding cake. This one keeps the hub compact but busy, with stacked elements and exposed detail that sell the engineering without overwhelming the rounded cabin below. The long gray blades, tipped with little hits of orange, give the whole model that ready-to-thrum energy.
The fuselage has plenty of charm too. I really like the red roof curving into the cream sides, with the dark blue lower stripe giving the helicopter a proper utility-aircraft heft. The cockpit glazing is clean and chunky in the best LEGO way, while the side windows and black intake details break up the body just enough. Around back, the short tail boom and boxy tail surfaces keep the silhouette true to the Ka-32’s no-nonsense shape.
There is also something great about the builder’s source of inspiration: seeing UR-CIW fighting a forest fire in Portugal, hearing that distinctive sound, and then immediately wanting to build one. That is pure aviation-nerd fuel. 87.A notes that this is still technically a WIP and credits brawngpg94’s excellent Kamov as a major influence, but even as it stands, this little chopper already has lift.
Build by 87.A on Flickr.
