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Airfix A04056 Westland Sea King HC.4 1:72


172flogger

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Can anyone shed any light on the 2 parts in the corner of the sprue adjacent to the tail rotors? Don't recognise these, and can't wor out where they go.

Eng

I was wondering about that but the sonar thing is all I can think it is, although even for a RN pinger it doesnt resemble anything.

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Are they for the internal housing of the dipping sonar - not for this version obviously, but a sign that series of SKs are to come out perhaps.

They are too big for the Sonar which was open on a frame work early mks & encased in a plastic housing on the later light weight sonar mk6. I think they are internal ceiling quilt covers for two different mks regards Len

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It's the only thing I think they can be. Also note the five-bladed tail rotor.

They have actually built the dispaly model with 5 tail rotor blades!

Not knocking it, I think it looks great and the two sets of tail rotors suggest more versions (unless they copied the sprue of Revell and didnt notice! :analintruder: )

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Without referring to anything, I think I am right in saying that only the HAS.1, the German Mk.41 and the Indian Mk.42 had the five-bladed rotor. Everything else had six blades.

Two open rear windows & two dome windows to fit them plus rear seat adjusters suggest rescue Mks to follow on. Sadly the main blades are the early metal one Airfix need to up date to carbon fibre ones for the Mks they are covering !! regards Len

Edited by Grizzly
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According to patrick Allen's book on theSea King the HAS 5 was fitted with an upgrade Marconi/GEC Digital Type 2069 Dipping Sonar. An illustration in Air International of May 1981, shows a box/housing similar to US type of winding gear and not the stack winder as in the early RN Sea Kings and which was an upgrade of that fitted in the Wessex HAS Mk3. It would make sense for Airfix to tool the kit for milti type boxings, they've already done some of the decals.

Note also the two sets of four holes on the aft end of the cabin floor for the rear observers seats. I reckon there's plenty to come form these moulds and well done for Airifx to release the HU4 first.

It's release will now free up one of my Revell kits for soemthing else.

Colin

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Wondering where is all the detail that has been mentioned by Airfix, just to remind that Revell kit is fully riveted as real helicopter, looking at the sprues

very,very plain...hope that I am wrong....

Edited by Thomas V.
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I didn't recognise the parts as being for the sonar kit. Thinking outside the box could it be some form of jig for building the folded rotor head?

Eng

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Two open rear windows & two dome windows to fit them plus rear seat adjusters suggest rescue Mks to follow on. Sadly the main blades are the early metal one Airfix need to up date to carbon fibre ones for the Mks they are covering !! regards Len

No, the ones fitted in the photo are composite blades, metal blades have a longer spar before the aerofoil starts. Those have a wedge at the cuff end.

I didn't recognise the parts as being for the sonar kit. Thinking outside the box could it be some form of jig for building the folded rotor head?

Eng

I like your way of thinking, I cannot seem to picture it any where in the aircraft. There is another strange piece on the same spru in the opposite corner, a piece of internal soundproofing?

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Haven't aclue what the 2 things next to the T/rotor blades. Could it be the rotor head support? In place of the MGB.

That other bit next to the Bath tub.Is it the rear roof sound proofing? Looks a bit flat though.

I would prefer to have had the transmission covers as individual parts but I'm twitching for one of these.

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No, the ones fitted in the photo are composite blades, metal blades have a longer spar before the aerofoil starts. Those have a wedge at the cuff end.

I like your way of thinking, I cannot seem to picture it any where in the aircraft. There is another strange piece on the same spru in the opposite corner, a piece of internal soundproofing?

The Junglies have had metal and two types of composite blades. Airfix have modelled the early composite blades and not the 'Carson blades' as currently fitted

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The Junglies have had metal and two types of composite blades. Airfix have modelled the early composite blades and not the 'Carson blades' as currently fitted

Carson blades are only fitted to the airframes deployed to Afg, they also have a five bladed tail rotor, Airfix have all this information ,the two schemes being modelled did not have Carson blades fitted. I supplied a 94 page document to Airfix on the SK about this time last year along with helping Corgi on their helicopter range for the last seven years.

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Carson blades are only fitted to the airframes deployed to Afg, they also have a five bladed tail rotor, Airfix have all this information ,the two schemes being modelled did not have Carson blades fitted. I supplied a 94 page document to Airfix on the SK about this time last year along with helping Corgi on their helicopter range for the last seven years.

Cripes I've only been out for 3 years and alot has changed, Looks like Airfix are using the information correctly. Good to see!

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Without referring to anything, I think I am right in saying that only the HAS.1, the German Mk.41 and the Indian Mk.42 had the five-bladed rotor. Everything else had six blades.

The early five blade tail rotor and the later style (Mk.42/HC.4 Carson) are totally different designs.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi,

This is my first post on Britmodeller and I would just like to clear up the Sea king mk 4 tail rotor.

Basically the mk 4,both metal and composite has six blades. However Carson modified aircraft have five TRB.

Correct and it would appear that the Carson blades were only fitted in Afganistan. Or so it was mentioned elsewhere on BM. Welcome abaord, so which Junglie squadron were you on and when?

Colin

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  • 1 month later...

Looks great to me, I hope the panel lines get refined before production... Looking at the spruse on the link above, someone at Airfix has had their thinking cap on. Clear cabin and crew entry doors as complete items no nasty glue on the windows, also what looks like a cabin roof liner. There also what looks to be the SONAR dunker housing in the top roght hand corner of sprue 3. So we can expect a whole raft of other maques.

Colin

Edited by heloman1
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