help needed for new scale project helicopter

[opperationmerlin]

G Day folks
I need help and advise on building scale helicopter. I have been building large scale tanks (1:6) for a while now but am interested in building a 1:6 scale merlin helicopter. I need help with swash plate design and appropriate engines. At the moment I have at hand a Honda 31cc 4 stroke engine I thought would do it reves to 7000 rpm I thought this would be ample power to fly the copter what do you think. I havnet seen any kits for this helicopter so scratch built seem the only way to go. I would like to keep it scale so I want to use the 5 blade main rotor, can this be done is the engine powerfull enough?
I havean 8 channel radio for it allready to go but have the opttion to upgrade to more, as I would like to have the retracting under carrige.
any one who has done this sort of thing , I would love to hear from you with any advise and help you can give me.

[Googleplex]

Vario make a load of big scale parts for the DIY approach (my favourite). If this is your first heli attempt, I would use one of their off the shelf transmission assemblies - they have a huge range - and save yourself a load of trouble. Helicopters (esp. Big scale) are VERY dangerous due to the high energy in the blades, it doesn't take much in the way of mechanical failure in any of the critical rotor assemblies to convert them into cloud of razor sharp parts expanding outwards at increadible velocities. Vario parts are usually well designed and tested under flying conditions. When you consider the forces involved on even a .30 size heli's rotor head...

If you haven't flown a heli before, learn on a 2 bladed head with flybar first. 5 blades heads are not very stable, and any flybarless head is harder to fly.

-Tim

[skyhawk]

Not quiite a Merlin - but this NH 90 should be close to what you want.

http://www.shop.graupner.de/webapp/commerce/command/ExecMacro/Graupner/macros/main.d2w/report?lang=en&show_cat=5408

Click on "Helicopter HEIM" and scroll down to NH 90. Click on it to get pics and specs.