Sikorsky R-4B Hoverfly

[gengriz]

The R-4 was the first true allied helicopter, undergoing initial trials at sea in 1943. Recognising its potential as an ASW convoy protection weapon, Britain ordered 240 of them for use by the RN and RAF, but with the end of WW2 this order was reduced to 45, most of which went to the Fleet Air Arm. The US Army and USCG also used R-4s, the former for jungle rescue in Burma and the latter for coastal patrols.

 

 

Limited in the ASW role by their small payload, precluding a useful weapons load, the RN’s R-4Bs were used in a variety of Fleet Requirements roles (such as radar calibration) and as ASW aircraft until eventually replaced by the much more powerful Dragonfly.

 

 

Well  I definitely had some fun with this one.  Who would have thought something so small could be so frustrating.  Most of the kit is OK, with some nice etch parts, but that acetate canopy deserved a little more engineering thought from MPM.  I managed to fudge it in the end and now have an important addition to my early helicopters collection.

 

 

 

 

FredT

[RMCS]

Niiiice 

[occa]

Superb result from a kit that is not the easiest !!!!

[SpeedyGonzales]

Well, choppers appear to have enjoyed much of a better evolution than aircraft in terms of beauty  Nice model and a rare one.

Edited February 29, 2020 by SpeedyGonzales
Spellcheck

[SAT69]

I like it! Nice clean build. You can be proud of that one.

[stevej60]

That's a mini masterpiece Fred!

[72modeler]

I have nothing but respect and admiration for anybody who can build a rotary-winged aircraft kit- very, very nice model!

Mike

[Shorty84]

That vacu canopy would have moved the kit to the shelf of doom for me but you managed quite well in the end 👍

 

Markus

[AMB]

Excellent job!   I have this kit in my stash to build, as it comes in my 'Royal Flight' category of builds, as one of these was used to carry the Royal Family's mail post war.