Hirobo Mini-Star 025 (1981)
![]() 1983 advert |
Specification:
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Documents: | |||||||||||||||
Mini-Star build manual |
decal Hughes Mini Star(36MB) |
Hirobo first started out with large scale helicopters followed by the '40' size Falcon trainer range then in 1981 produced a smaller '25' size trainer in order to appeal to a larger market and provide a reduced cost entry into RC Helicopter flying. The Mini-Star would appear to have been a 'clone' of the GMP Cricket being produced less than a year after a GMP Cricket had been sent to Hirobo for evaluation (which itself was a 'clone' of the MM Lark). Had the unusual feature of a slightly 'bent' upwards tail boom that raised the tail rotor a little higher thereby reducing tail strikes. Fixed pitch with Bell-Hiller control system.
In later years when spares were not easy to find, the booms were replaced with more readily available 'straight' alternatives.
Hirobo Mini-Star Hughes 300
There was even a reasonable scale kit of the Hughes 300 based on mini-Star mechanics.
Hirobo Mini-Star Hughes 500 / JetRanger
The mini-star proved to be very popular though not so much in the UK as the MM Lark and Heli-Baby were much cheaper with better spares support however, it was followed by a couple of scale 'hang on' bodies.