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Original Seaking mk1


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It's been some time since I last posted on here, mainly because my work computer has blocked  BM so I can't while away my lunch hours and spare time perusing Britain's finest and as my evenings are full of modelling and other activities I haven't had much time to chirp in. But anyhoo I have managed to complete the odd kit and here is my latest. 

Having spent most of my career surrounded by Seakings, its an aircraft I have a lot of affection for. I love all the different marks (apart from crab yellow! :sick:  😉) and styles but as a kit its not one that thrills me to build. When I started this Airfix MK3 version I did intend to have 3 kits on the go at the same time (Another Airfix and a Revell), but that soon dropped away very easily! These new kits go together very easily but I just start to find it tiresome a lot easier than other kits. Maybe because I know the aircraft inside out and feel the need to add a lot of needless fine detail that cant really be seen.

Any how I got myself the Xtradecal set #2 for Seakings which set me on the path to build a Mk1, 2 and 5 to go with my Mk4 and Belgian Seaking. I managed to get hold of 3 kits, 2 Airfix MK3s and a Revell German kit. I banked on the Revell version being a MK1 as they included a 5 blade TR and the old radome. But the Airfix kit has an old radome and the MK4 had the 5 bladed rotor so I stuck with that one for the Mk1. I have also found old decals for a Canadian version so that may eventually bump out the Mk5 as that one is a dull grey. (I have a thing for Navy Helos with those great big numbers plastered on them!)

I then set about turning the MK3 into a Mk1, not that much of a difficult job. Obviously you have the 5 bladed TR, old radome, the blade roots need to be squared off, the strake isn't fitted and the reinforcing around the tail cone/fuselage area needs to be removed, rear windows filled and various aerials removed. I also boxed in the sponson areas. The internals were quite basic but I did throw in a couple of extra bits in the cockpit including handles on the inside of the windscreen which cant be seen very well lol! I had a disaster fitting the canopy, trying to get it to fit well I ended up cracking it on a skylight, luckily it isn't a standout problem. All the cooling grills were cut out, thinned down and had fine mesh applied. This caused problems for the area at the front of the rotor head, but nothing a bit of superglue and patience couldn't sort (I was lacking a lot of the latter however!). The doppler antennae and rad alt were removed from the underside along with other aerials, it is missing another aerial type but I couldn't determine what that was so have left it off (I was a mechanical grubber so only ever broke aerials and not fixed them!) and the aerial on the spine is not correct as ive only just noticed. An old style doppler aerial was fitted and I also cut out the sonar well with the intention of adding detail in there.....but bottled it! I folded the blades to save space, but I don't like the angle airfix set them, so had to cut them either side of the cuff and reattach them, I also had to fit tip socks on the side blades to pull them in more and look more proper. Just for added interest I added a spreader board, these were used onboard to hold the blades if the head lost hydraulic pressure and I tied up the side rotors.

So here she is XV653, Seaking Mk 1 of 706 NAS circa 1977. Painted in Model Master Acrylics and just out of the foam wash shop!

 

Edit - Just looking through some old documents including my flying log and I carried out a Track and Vibro check test flight as a flying maintainer on this airframe back in 2001 when she was a Mk6 on 810 NAS, spooky eh!

 

20190204_192735

 

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20190204_192542

 

20190204_192637

 

Thanks for looking!

Bob

Edited by moaning dolphin
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She looks great.  I really like this scheme on the Sea King.  Some very helpful tips here from one who knows about these things as I'd really like to make a series of FAA Sea Kings including converting current kits to earlier marks.  Anyway, very nice indeed. 

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10 hours ago, Lord Riot said:

Why do the Navy call the RAF 'crabs'? What does it come from?

 

Splendid Sea King by the way!

 

Early RAF uniforms were the same colour as an ointment treatment for pubic lice (aka crabs)

Edited by Dave Fleming
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