Vintage RC Helicopters - HB Engines

HB Helicopter Engines

Originally brought out in 1971 and marketed under the label of (Veco Europe Series). In 1972 the engine was redesigned with new internals and brought out as the HB61 after the owner/designer Helmut Bernhart being then distributed by Graupner.  HB was only a small manufacturer not particularly well known outside of Germany and only produced two sizes of engine, 20 size for cars and 61 size in aero and marine versions.

HB 20 and 61 engine - 73 booklet with specifications of pre 73 engines

Helmut being interested in helicopters took the opportunity to help develop the helicopter of H Demuth and provided his 61 size engine specifically adapter to suit.  The modification replaced the aero engine back plate with a larger mounting that incorporated a through shaft driven from the crankshaft 'big-end' pin.  Fitted to this shaft was a radial fan with a duct housing fitted to the back plate that directed the air over the engines cylinder head.     

HB 61 Stamo (Red head) 1973-1977 (Graupner Bell 212)

HB Stamo (red head) - Oct 74 review with helicopter modifications - noted power output being 1.1 BHP at 13500 Rpm.

Dec 73 advert  Oct 74 advert 

Again in conjunction with Graupner, Helmut developed the HB25H engine (long stroke HB20 with rectangular heat sink head) specifically for use in the Bell 47G.

HB25 fitted to the Graupner Bell 47G

Aug 75 advert  Dec 75 Advert

Because of the involvement with the Graupner helicopters Helmut decided to increase his model range and as noted in the advert, soon to be released in sizes 12, 15, 40 and 50.    

Jan 76

It was decided to offer replacement helicopter heads for both the smaller 20/25 engines and the 61 size engine as these types of heads were finding use in cars and also scale aeroplanes; both types could suffer from inadequate cooling and in these circumstances the heat sink heads prevented the engines from overheating.

HB 40 & 50 - Engine reviews - may 1976

  New PDP (Perry Directional Porting) in both 40 and 61 size plus HB 40 - Engine review both normal and PDP versions - Dec 1977

PDP was not Schnuerle porting but a revision of the crossflow principle which improved power but not quite to the extent of a full schnuerle ported engines.

additionally, the Graupner Bell 212  was also updated in 1977 with the new HB 61 PDP Stamo fitted with the rectangular helicopter head.

Apr 78 advert  Mar 79 advert

79 and the newly released Graupner Bell 222 was fitted with the HB61 PDP Stamo but this time with the Round heat sink head

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