Jakub Cikhart

Yeah, good idea. And then the HC.4-style floatation discs and you could make Qatari Mk.3 (with some more bits and pieces)... Btw, Exocet pylons would need two style attachement "rods" as they are different on Westland-build and Sikorsky-build airframes ... no idea why, but they are ...

Hi, I contacted BAM models and asked about future stuff for Seaking (they are working on landing gear, rotor head and cockpit ceiling switch panel already). They are open to various ideas. So, I made a list and trying to find as many pics in my archive. So far, I have a list of: dual mount of chaff/flare launchers - port side of HAS.5/HC.4 during Gulf war IR jammer mount - looks like there are 3 variations with different "relief holes" in the metal frame (sorry, english is not my native language, translated with google translate) - for both HAS and HC weapon racks MAD sponson FLIR - Gulf war version - so far only one pic exists. Does anyone has anything to add ? I already ordered all Eduard sets for HAS.5 Happy modelling ...

The Eagle (errh, THE KING !!) has landed Awesome kit. Also got the nice Airmark book for Seaking, lots of nice pics there Now to find all the possible bits and pieces to make Gulf war HAS.5 with all the added lumps and bumps. Thanks to my club friend Michal for securing the kit for me

Thanks for the info ! I also have some scans from Fleet Air Arm Helicopters from 1943 book. Looks like a great book, if anyone has it, PM me please. Thanks. Btw, LINK updated the how-to pages with latest info from this great thread.

Another excellent info, thanks a lot !! I have a question about following pic - could the "barn door" be removed thanks to "hot" conditions with fully loaded cab ? And, this is the only pic, known to me, that shows two HAS.5s (should be XV661/135/35 on the left and ?????/??/30 on the right) in full Gulf config with all the extra stuff - visible is double M130 chaff/flare launchers on port side and GEC Sandpiper FLIR on starboard side. I have no idea from which book it is, appreaciate more info on it. Thanks.

Great info, thanks. Looking at the pics of Gulf HAS.5s (XV661, XZ575, XZ577, ZA137 and ZE422), I can see that they all had the long MAD pylon in some timeframe, so they had it till the rest of their days. Amost ZE422 was later converted to ASaC.7 and have the long pylon replaced for classic short pylon (pic from 2011), same as XV661/ZA137 converted to HU.5, interestning. And btw, ASW Seakings had inflatable floats incorporated into the sponsons. Any idea why Qatari Seakings opted for HC.4-like "discs" with air pressure bottles when they already could have it built in like other ASW helos ? (One could think it could be commonality with their Mk.2A/Cs which were based on HC.4.....) Also, any idea why the Italian Agusta-built Seakings have no gravity-filled fuel ports ? (for example Saudi and Iraqi) And any idea what was standard for ASW helos ? EAPS, anti-ice ramp or nothing ? Thanks !

Awesome, thanks a lot for the explanation. Btw, Qatari Mk.3s (not 2A/Cs) have the port pressure refuelling point moved more aft, why ? Interference with the AM-39 Exocet rail and associated wiring ? Picture worth thousand words .. Btw, what about long (with MAD) and short port sponsons on Mk.5s ? Were they easily interchangable ? I am still trying to figure out which they carried during Gulf war as the pictures are mostly from the other side or from nose .... Thanks !

Looking at all those great pics, we definetly need some Seaking reference thread. I have sooo many questions ... like why 2 or 3 refuelling ports on the starboard side, why 3 different refuelling ports on port side, why so many window config variations etc etc... and all this while looking at HAS.5/HC.4/Qatari Mk.2A/C/3 only ...... Btw, heavily updated how-to page for Seaking , but as I said, the more I look, the variations I find.... Thanks P.S. Got one Airfix Seaking on the way

The more I was studying the kit comparing it with UK and Qatari Gulf war variants, the more variables of interior and mostly exterior I found. And this done after looking at the pics hundreds of times I found more and more ...So yeah, proper study needed I guess.....

Still "in progress", but here is the first draft of Gulf war era "how to" build.... really not an easy task, as it looks like a lot of small bits and pieces are different between aiframes and airforces How go guide and many many many questions, like "why there are 3 different fuel tank intakes on port side ?" one for HAS.5-like aiframes, one for HC.4-like airframes and then, voila, Qatari Mk.3 has HC.4-like, BUT moved more aft, like 0,5 metres ? why, oh why ? Well, feel free to add/comment/update anything. Thanks !

Any chance to download the instruction sheet yet ? Or maybe later ? Thanks.

Hi Dave, thanks a lot for the insight ! HC.4 ZG*** series and strenghtening plate - good catch !! So Gulf war ZG820, 821 and 822 had them according to my pics. HC.4 and refuelling points - looking at my clearest pic of HC.4 ZG822 it is missing the "middle" one, so HAS.5 has 3 and HC.4 only two ? and judging by the pics, all Qatari Seakings has only two starboard refuelling points, missing the middle one... QA-22 - no idea about the timeframe ... but, I have more better images of QA-22 from not so long ago (and also Mk.3 with QA-3x range) and none appears to have the strengtening plates.... Thanks.

Hi gents, watching this thread and also the build thread closely. Looking at the future Xtradecal options, here is my small insight into for Gulf war era HAS.5 and also Qatari Mk.2A/2C/3 (as they are both Westland made). I will try to add my "how to build" page on my website soon. UK strengthening plates: not on HAS.5, not on HC.4 strake: yes on HAS.5, yes on HC.4 composite main rotor blades: yes on HAS.5, yes on HC.4 tail rotor blades: 6 on HAS.5, 6 on HC.4 step under the sliding doors - not on HAS.5, long on HC.4 refuelling port on the right side - next to the door on HC.4, below the door on HAS.5 2 or 3 refuelling ports on the left side - 2 or 3 on HAS.5, 2 or 3 on HC.4 - NEEDS CHECKING long main cabin: yes on HAS.5, yes on HC.4 Qatar strengthening plates: not on Mk.2A, not on Mk.2C, not on Mk.3 strake: not on Mk.2A, not on Mk.2C, yes on Mk.3 composite main rotor blades: not on Mk.2A, not on Mk.2C, not on Mk.3 tail rotor blades: 6 on Mk.2A, 6 on Mk.2C, 6 on Mk.3 additional stuff: Mk.2A (like UK HC.4) - refuelling port next to the door on right side, emergency float bags on sponsons, external winch, EAPS, long main cabin, 2 or 3 refuelling ports on the left side - NEEDS CHECKING, same window layout as UK HC.4, last window NOT bulged as on HC.4 Mk.2C (UK HC.4 sponsons) - EAPS, emergency float bags on sponsons, 2 or 3 refuelling ports on the left side - NEEDS CHECKING, different window/door setup on right and left side as it is VIP helo Mk.3 - long step under the sliding doors, small dorsal radar cover, external winch, emergency float bags on sponsons, EAPS, refuelling port next to the door on right side, 2 or 3 refuelling ports on the left side - NEEDS CHECKING, same window layout as UK HC.4, last window bulged as on HC.4 long main cabin: - NEEDS CHECKING Feel free to update/correct this info. I hope some of you will find this info useful. Thanks Jakub, the Gulf war buff 😉

Great pics, thanks a lot ! Looks like the 241 was not equipped with TRD at that time. Is there any chance to tell which airframes had the Towed Radar Decoy installed during Gulf war ? I am also in contact with Nimrod FB group where I was able to get pics of the TRD after so many years of searching Thanks !

Hey mate, can you post the pics or send them to me as PM for a reference ? Thanks !