Eduard Sikorsky JRS-1 "The Boat" - 1:72 Limited Edition

[Julien]

Sikorsky JRS-1 "The Boat"  (2118)

1:72 Eduard Limited Edition

 

 

The JRS-1 was the US Navy designation for the Sikorsky S-43 Amphibian or Flying Boat. The S-43 was a smaller version of Sikorsky's S-42 Clipper. The S-43 could accommodate 18 to 25 passengers. The US Navy would purchase 17 aircraft between 1937 & 1939. Only on JRS-1 would survive in service past 1941 and many of the options in this kit are of that aircraft. Following US Naval service it would serve with The NACA at its Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory. This aircraft is now being restored by the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Centre in the US, fitting as this aircraft was on duty at Pearl Harbour on December 7th 1941. Only one S-43 remains and this is in flying condition. The aircraft was purchased by Howard Hughes and despite him crashing and sinking it, the airframe was recovered. This aircraft is now owned by Kermit Weeks.


The Kit
Eduard have boxed the Sword Kit of the JRS-1 and sprinkled their own brand of updates in the box. In addition to the Sword plastic there are resin parts, a photo-etched fret, a set of masks and seven decal options. The instructions (which I don't normally mention) are in a large glossy A4 sized book which is great for those of us who find reading the smaller sheets a pain. The last thing is the box which is a nice surprise is an A4 glossy magazine (in English) which brings history of the aircraft and a look at one which is being restored.

 

 

 

Construction starts in the cockpit (or should that be the wheel house?). The Resin pilots seats (with pe belts) are added to the cockpit rear bulkhead and the cockpit floor is installed, Rudder pedals and control columns are then added. The door in the bulkhead can be either closed or left open. The rear cabin bulkhead then has a pair of seats attached to the back. All of the internal seating (in resin) has seat belts are added to the main cabin floor (these have decal seat belts) The cockpit section and rear bulkhead can then be attached to the main cabin floor. This can then be inserted into the right fuselage half after the main gear well is installed. The eight main cabin windows can then be installed. An opening will need to be cut in the rear of the fuselage for one window, with two additional holes at the front needing to be filled.

 

 

 

Next up to the rear of the cabin a further aft bulkhead is added to create the area to access the top of the aircraft when it is a boat. The lower part of this area also has the tail wheel for land use. For the left fuselage half 10 windows are added, however no additions or subtractions on this side. Masks are supplied for all the side windows and the cockpit. Once the instrument panel (pe replacement) is in at the front, and the left gear well is in the fuselage can be closed up.

 

 

A centre upper console for the cockpit is made up from PE parts and added inside the main canopy. The canopy can then be added. On the bow further photo etched parts are added for the hull stakes and mooring position. The top of the main fuselage is added along with the centre section support for the main wing.

 

 

The flying surfaces are next once the main fuselage/hull is complete. The tail (left & right parts) is added along with the one part tailplanes. Supports are added along with PE linkages. Next up the upper & lower parts of the main wing centre section are glued together. The engines (resin) are added to the cowlings and added to the wing along with the propellers (thou most will probably leave these until the end).  Exhaust are added with care to note a modification for one of the decal options. The wing tips are added to the main wing and then it is mated with the main fuselage and the support structs. PE linkages are proved for the flying surfaces. To finish off the out floats are added (some rigging is needed here), and the landing gear is added of not doing a water diorama. Two part main wheels fit onto a complex five part leg & retraction strut.

 

The Decals
Decal options are provided for seven aircraft from pre WWII use, through WWII, and one post war example.

 

• JRS-1 Bu.No.1063, VJ-1. 1938/39. Yellow main wing with Green Tail and red bands on the fuselage & engines.
• JRS-1 Bu.No.1193, VJ-1. Guantanamo, 1938. Yellow main wing with Green Tail and blue bands on the fuselage & engines.
• JRS-1 Bu.No.1063, VJ-1. Pearl Harbour 1942. Blue Grey Uppers with lagre stars and Stripped rudder.
• JRS-1 Bu.No.1063, VJ-1. Summer 1943. Intermediate Blue uppers with red outlines Star & Bar.
• JRS-1 Bu.No.1063, VJ-1. Early 1945. Intermediate Blue uppers with Later Star & bars (earlier ones overpainted).

• JRS-1 Bu.No.1063, NACA Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory May 1945/Nov 1946. Intermediate Blue uppers all insignia over painted.

• JRS-1 Bu.No.1063, VJ-2. 1938. Yellow main wing with yellow Tail.

 

Each option is illustrated with a four-view profile. The decals, which are printed by in house, they look crisp, thin and glossy and the colours used are nice and bold.
 

Conclusion
Eduard have done a great job reboxing the Sword kit with a sprinkling of their goodies in the box. Highly recommended.

 

 

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

[bootneck]

A good review and a nice looking kit there Julien.

 

Mike

[Antoine]

Thanks Julien,

 

Looks like it's a nice kit.

But Limited apply also to the decals choice, all of them US.

I know it was build at about 50+ units, but some foreign options would have been nice: Chinese, Norwegian, Chilean, French, you name it.

 

Now looking forward to your Il-2 review.

[Julien]

Looking at the decals most of them are for the same aircraft, the one in the accompanying book. (bu. 1063) I think its all tied in.

 

No doubt someone will be along with other decals.

 

Julien

[corsaircorp]

Hello Julien,

Your review has been fruitfull !

Gotcha ! I get it, very nicely done pretty good kit !

Thank again 

Sincerely.

Corsaircorp