Seaking Mk.41 (45 Years SAR)

[Paul A H]

Seaking Mk.41 (45 Years SAR)

1:72 Revell

One of the most enduring aircraft of the post-war period, the Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King flew for the first time in 1959. Although no longer in production, the Sea King continues to serve with air arms around the world, including those of Canada, Germany India, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. Just as they had done with earlier Sikorsky designs such as the S-55/H-19 Chickasaw (produced in the UK as the Whirlwind) and S-58 Choctaw (Wessex), Britain’s Westland Helicopters secure a licence to produce the Sea King not long after the aircraft made its first flight.

Westland’s first variant was the anti-submarine HAS.1. This was followed by the heavily modified troop carrying version, initially produced as the Commando for the Egyptian Air Force, but also used by the Royal Navy where it was known as the HC4. Other UK produced Sea Kings included the HAR3/3A search and rescue helicopter, and Airborne Early Warning (AEW) variants. The Mk.41 Sea King depicted by Revell in this kit was the export version of the HAS.1 supplied to the German Navy in the mid-1970s.

Revell’s Sea King is comprised of just over 150 parts moulded in light grey plastic. The kit is pretty modern, having been tooled in the late nineties. As such, it dates from a period during which Revell were enjoying something of a purple patch, churning out some outstanding kits in 1:72 scale such as their Panavia Tornado, McDonnell Douglas Phantom II and General Dynamics F-16 to name just three. The mouldings are clean and crisp and there do not appear to be any flaws in the plastic. Surface detail is comprised of fine, recessed panel lines and delicate, raised rivet detail, which replicates the skin of the Sea King very accurately.

The kit is equipped with a well-appointed cockpit, comprised of the pilot’s and co-pilot’s seats, centre console, cyclic and collective controls and yaw control pedals. The rest of the cabin is equally nice and includes additional crew seats and folding passenger seats. There are a number of additional interior parts marked ‘not for use’ on the sprues that can be used to build other versions of the Sea King. The optional cabin windows are flashed over and so some plastic must be cut away in order to build the Mk. 41 depicted on the decal sheet.

The choices don’t stop with the interior, however. Revell have provided plenty more options on the sprues. There is a choice of engine intake guards (including, of course, the option not to fit them at all) and five or six blade tail rotors. You also have the option of both the small upper fuselage radome and the larger radome fitted to the HAS.5/HU.5 and HAS.6. There are plenty of other options too, but you’ll need to pore over your sources if you have a particular aircraft in mind, as not all of them are dealt with in the instruction manual.

The main rotor blades are of the later, composite type, but Revell have provided a diagram which shows you how to backdate them to the earlier, metal type. The rotor head is very nicely detailed. If I have one gripe with this kit, it’s that it doesn’t include the option to depict the rotors in the folded position without some surgery. This is by no means a deal breaker, but it would have been helpful, particularly as helicopters tend to take up a lot of space on the shelf! As an extra bonus, four Sea Skua anti-ship missiles have been provided as well. If you don’t want to use them when you build the kit, they will come in handy for the spares box.

Two options are provided for on the decal sheet:

Westland Sea King Mk.41 ’45 Jahre SAR’ of Marinefliegergeschwader 5, 2003; and

Westland Sea King Mk.41 of Marinefliegergeschwader 5, 1986.

As usual, the decals are superbly printed. They do look a little matt, however, and will probably settle down better if they are applied to a gloss surface and treated to some decal solution of some description.

Conclusion

This kit seems to be held in high esteem by the modelling community, which should be a good sign for anyone planning to acquire one. If you want a Sea King in your collection, this pretty much represents the best kit available. Highly recommended.

Revell model kits are available from all good toy and model retailers. For further information visit

[woody37]

I had a look at this kit when I was at Mikes and it looks great. Another that needs to find it's way into the stash !!

[Calafati]

I bought ths kit and I am delighted. In addition, I phoned Revell and asked them if they still had the decals from the previous Seaking kit, as I'd like to build the all-white version. A very nice lady replied that she'd check, but told me not to hold my hopes too high, as the kit in question has been out of production for 12 or so years.

A week later, the decal sheet arrived. Free of charge, to boot. Thank you Revell, that's what I call outstanding service!

[Enzo the Magnificent]

This kit looks superb. Now what we need is some enterprising AM company to provide that folded rotor head.

A conversion set for the HC4 would be nice as well. I know that Cyberhobby have one in the pipeline, but it will probably be three times the price of this kit.

[adam1314]

May I ask which number you called? Is there UK representative or Germany headquarter?

Cheers,

I bought ths kit and I am delighted. In addition, I phoned Revell and asked them if they still had the decals from the previous Seaking kit, as I'd like to build the all-white version. A very nice lady replied that she'd check, but told me not to hold my hopes too high, as the kit in question has been out of production for 12 or so years.

A week later, the decal sheet arrived. Free of charge, to boot. Thank you Revell, that's what I call outstanding service!