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1/72 - Westland Sea King by Airfix - HAR.3 released - HC.4 in July 2024


Homebee

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After the HC.4 variant ( http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234972969-airfix-a04056-westland-sea-king-hc4-172/) Airfix is to release a 1/72nd Westland Sea King HAR.3 kit - ref. A55307

Source: http://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/workbench/jet-provost-and-sea-king-updates/

Quote

Quote A55307 Westland Sea King HAR.3 Starter Set Update - A Right Royal Sea King

ImageR1.jpg

An imposing computer rendered 3D image of the Sea King HAR.3

It seems hard to believe that the much loved and extremely high profile Search and Rescue Sea Kings of both the RAF and the Royal Navy have flown their final missions and these magnificent aircraft have been taken out of service. Admittedly, the SAR Sea Kings were somewhat long in the tooth and they were required to conduct particularly challenging missions, but nevertheless, these rotary angels on our shoulders will be sorely missed by enthusiasts and the general public alike. Becoming some of the best known aircraft in military use, these beautiful helicopters would patrol Britains holiday beaches during the summer months, attracting hundreds of thankful waives from the holidaymakers below, as they appreciated the fact that the Sea King and her crew would quickly come to their rescue, should they get into any difficulties. When watching news reports, which may have included a yacht rescue, hill climbers in difficulties, or more recently, severe flooding, there would invariably be a Sea King hauling someone to safety, or coordinating a rescue situation. It is no wonder that the distinctive Search and Rescue Westland Sea King has remained one of the most popular military aircraft of the past thirty plus years!

The undoubted popularity of the Westland Sea King encouraged Airfix to completely re-tool this magnificent aircraft and following on from last years release of the Royal Navy HC.4 Commando version (A04056), March will see the release of a distinctive RAF Search & Rescue HAR.3 Sea King (A55307), which will come as a Large Starter Gift Set. The gift set series allows the modeller to buy a kit and start building it straight away, as the set includes a tube of poly cement, a selection of paints and a couple of paint brushes. Without doubt, this new release will be one of the most popular kits in the entire Airfix catalogue, particularly as 2016 will be the first year that these fantastic aircraft will no longer be fulfilling Britains Search & Rescue service. Many modellers will be making this new kit one of their projects for the coming year particularly as the livery option included with the kit comes with royal approval.

ImageS1.jpg

A welcome sight box artwork for the RAF Sea King HAR.3

Flight Lieutenant Wales, better known as Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge was a qualified RAF search & rescue pilot, flying the Sea King HAR.3 out of RAF Valley on Anglesey. Flying as a part of C flight, No.22 Squadron, Flt. Lt. Wales flew demanding and potentially dangerous search and rescue missions from this North Wales base, where he was able to display his undoubted flying skills. During his three years at Valley, HRH Prince William undertook 156 search & rescue missions, resulting in the rescue of 149 people. Since joining the RAF, he managed to amass 1300 flying hours, including a deployment flying the Sea King in the Falkland Islands. Having now left operational service in the armed forces, the Duke of Cambridge will become a civilian air ambulance pilot, where he will continue to fly the valuable life saving missions he began at Valley.

ImageT1.jpg

Painting and decal placement instructions for A55307 Sea King

Westland Sea King HAR.3 starter kit A55307 is scheduled to be available from March this year and will include decals to finish your model as XZ596, which was flown by HRH Prince William, C Flight, RAF No.22 Squadron, based at Valley, Anglesey during 2011. If you were one of the 149 people rescued by Prince William during his time at RAF Valley, I suspect that many would have been surprised to see the future king of Great Britain plucking you to safety!

 

V.P.

 

Matt-Memory2.jpg

Edited by Homebee
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I'm trying to figure out whether it's a RWR fairing on the nose (as seen on the Grey Whale), or part of the Meteor box art below. Any ideas?

http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2016/Bilder_JLF/Airfix_18.htm

It's the RWR fairing - you can just make out the rear fairing under the tail boom. Edited by Wez
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I'm trying to figure out whether it's a RWR fairing on the nose (as seen on the Grey Whale), or part of the Meteor box art below. Any ideas?

http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2016/Bilder_JLF/Airfix_18.htm

Someone bent the tail rotor though!

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Working memory, the HAR 3 was based on the original mk 43, which was its self based on the HAS1, so probably yes, notwithstanding some minor aerial fits and things - mk 43B would need the larger radome from the HAS5/6 (Revell kit?) and an S61 style nose radome.

I think the original Norway mk 43 had the 5 bladed tail rotor and wouldn't have had the strake on the port side, but the former is in the kit and the latter could be easily removed. (Maybe the fact the kit has a 5 bladed tail points to a mk 43 or mk 41 release later).

A quick google refreshes my memory, and throws up Norwegian mk 43s with 5 bladed tail rotor and no nose radar,

http://www.helis.com/spotters/gerrit_kok/seaking_mk43_069.jpg

6 bladed tail rotors and no nose radar

http://www.helis.com/spotters/peter_mitrovitch/seaking_mk43_189.jpg

This one has the strake

http://www.helis.com/spotters/al_henderson/seaking_norway_060.jpg

and one with 5 bladed tail rotor and nose radar!
923372.jpg

Edited by Dave Fleming
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Thanks! However, the pictures does not seem to work. Are there other pictures that show these differences?

Actually, the old Airfix HAR.3 had Norwegian decals - but I don't know if there were additional parts (and if the kit is correct).

Edited by Bjorn
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The Norwegian SeaKings have gained quite a few antenna and other items over the years, so it is probably easier to build an early version than as they are flying today.

At least three former RAF SeaKings have been procured for use as sources of spare parts to keep the Norwegian ones flying until the AW101s are operational, so they must be quite similar.

Knut Erik

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New boxing in March 2018 - ref. A04063 - Westland Sea King HAR.3

Schemes:

1) 78 Squadron RAF Mount Pleasant Falkland Islands Jan 1991

2) Sea King Mk.43 330 Squadron Royal Norwegian Air Force 1996

Source: https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/shop/new-for-2018/westland-sea-king-has-3-1-72.html

box art

 

A04063.1.jpg

 

V.P.

Edited by Homebee
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No, I don't mean the serial numbers (although it should be XZ586), the Burmese Fighting Tiger badge is subtly different from one side to the other, they're not the same on both sides.

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14 minutes ago, Dave Fleming said:

Wez, do you have pics? I can pass them onto the artist

Sorry Dave, no, never got around to it I'm afraid.

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