They weren’t great. Ground angle markedly different to hover attitude, so large cyclic movement as nosewheel lifted off.. Manual controls with heavy trim springs operated by two trim wheels like a fixed wing. Awkward as you had to let go of collective to operate. Usually lots of stick shake and bounce as difficult to get a good track with the wooden blades. Had to stop the engine for eol practice. Prone to ground resonace on sloping ground landings. Cof G maintained by pumping water between two tanks in front and back by electric pumps. Always marginal on power when close to max weight.
That said, it was after all a first attempt by Bristols at a practical helicopter and it was quite efficient in the cruise.
Sycamore- yes the blades look different to the tapered originals. Perhaps the problem is like the Skeeter blades that the CAA grounded as the integrity of the blades couldn’t be checked without destroying them.