Tandem rotors, working winch, 1,042 pieces
One of our subscribers sent photos of their finished Heavy Lift Helicopter. The build dates from July 2023, one of the earlier ones we received, and it is good to finally get it up on the blog.
The 42052 is a 2016 set and one of the older kits in the library. Back-catalogue does not mean lesser. This one has a tandem rotor setup you almost never see in Technic, and the mechanics behind it are genuinely interesting.
The tandem rotor setup is the main mechanical point of interest. A drive shaft runs the length of the orange fuselage, connecting the front and rear rotor hubs. Push the model and both sets of blades spin at the same time, contra-rotating, which is exactly how a real Chinook-style aircraft works. Most Technic helicopters get a single main rotor plus a tail rotor. This one does something different.
The winch at the front is operated by a small hand crank and the hook lowers and raises smoothly. The cockpit doors fold out and the crew compartment opens, so there is something to fiddle with on the model once it is finished.
1,042 pieces puts it in solid mid-tier territory. The build itself runs 3 to 4 hours and is rated advanced, mostly because the geared drive shaft assembly through the fuselage needs some care to get right. Worth it when it clicks into place.
The “HEAVY LIFT SERVICE” markings and the orange and white coloring are accurate to the real-world heavy-lift helicopter livery. It looks the part on a shelf.
The 42052 came out in 2016 and it is one of the older sets in the Brick Club library. I keep a handful of back-catalogue kits in rotation because the newer flagship sets get all the attention, but some of the older ones have mechanics you do not see any more. The tandem rotor is a good example. It did not make it into any of the later helicopter sets.
This is exactly why I like putting member builds on the blog. The official images tell you what a kit is supposed to look like. Member photos show what it feels like once someone has actually sat down, opened the bags, and worked through it.
If you have just finished Heavy Lift Helicopter, send over a few photos. It does not need to be a full studio setup. A clean table, a finished build, and a few notes on what stood out are enough.
Rent the kits. Build them. Send them back.
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