Italeri 1/72 Sikorsky HO4S-3 ASW

[hsr]

This is my rendition of the Sikorsky HO4S-3 helicopter. My goal was to build it as one of the first deployed helicopter ASW squadrons. The kit was the Italeri HO4S-3 #1267. I also the Eduard H-19 interior/exterior kit, the Eduard Mk44 homing torpedo and the Print Scale H-34 decal sheet. I stole the torpedo mount from an Italeri HSS-1 kit and dummied up  an ASQ-4 dipping sonar. For Italeri this was a pretty good kit with good fit and detail. The Print Scale decals worked great once in place but were a bear to get there since the much preferred to roll up into a ball then to be positioned on the model. 

 

I based my build on this picture, including the sonar peeking out from the bottom:

There are no decals, that I can find, for these early squadrons so I used ones from the H-34 sheet that looked appropriate. But from a fictional aircraft from HS-4. There is no indication that there was any actual aircraft marked as mine. If I got it all wrong, such is life.

 

Given that, here it is:

 

I want to thank @Tailspin Turtle for posting his Tailhook topics on this subject https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2019/09/sikorsky-asw-ho3s-3.html

 

Next up is an E-8 J-STARS using the Heller E-3 kit and the Flightpath conversion

 

Enjoy

 

   

[Tailspin Turtle]

Nice droop on the rotor blades.

[hsr]

They were molded that way. 🙂

 

Thanks

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Now thats a good looking Sikorsky ! 

[Jackson Duvalier]

You make a lot of cool models, hsr. 😎

[RidgeRunner]

Very nice, mate

[stevej60]

Lovely!