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13 hours ago, AndrewCJ50 said:

Dear All

 

It would be nice to know we have our own personal rescue helicopter standing by, I now have my own, albeit in 1/72 scale and unlikely to be able to winch me up!

This is the Airfix HAR3 with Eduard PE and the Xtradecal markings for 202 squadron RAF Lossiemouth early 1990s.  Perhaps some of you remember this Crab rescue bird?

Looking at pictures on the internet, from heavy use some had exhaust streaking down their backs.  I don't mind Airfix's heavy panel lines so much on a helicopter and I added my own rivets.

The lights are lenses for Little Cars

7oZBwe3.jpg

 

Eub2sD7.jpg

 

XcnifH9.jpg

 

I filled the interior with lots of first aid bags made from putty!

 

0NVS8sb.jpg

 

Emc4G86.jpg

 

Like many Airfix kits I found the engineering ambitious but the fit not perfect

Hope you like it?

 

Andrew

That is both inspiring and very nearly crushing (in a positive sense) at the same time. Something ‘that’ good in 72nd scale when I think of how I’m going to contend with my 48th version?! Wow! I need to really up my game! 😄

 

I had hoped to build mine with the SAR Anniversary markings (I think they had a white laurel wreath?) but couldn’t find any such decals. 

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A wonderful looking Sea King and I think this hanagar scenario you have looks superb.  Reminds me of the day I spent filming with 203 (R) Squadron at St. Mawgan many moons ago.  Now THAT was a fun job. 

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That's just the business, Andrew. The personnel door steps in particular look spot on, and your hangar backdrop is very effective indeed. I definitely like the way that the RAF RESCUE text has been 'tweaked' - it would only take a couple of minutes with a roll of black bodge tape!

 

My only criticism - well intended and absolutely no reflection on your superb result -  is that the RWR aerials on the nose and under the tailboom were, as far as I remember, only ever fitted to the Falklands 'grey whale' Mk3s. When they were repainted in yellow in the early 2000s I think the RWR was removed. Of course, you may have a photo showing '589 in yellow with RWR, but I doubt that was the case in the early 90s.

 

The grime is also completely typical; the starboard side in particular used to get filthy very quickly. I only ever saw one spotless operational Mk3, and that was after a full weekend of being fettled by the engineers in preparation for a royal visit. It just didn't look right!

16 hours ago, AndrewCJ50 said:

Perhaps some of you remember this Crab rescue bird?

Erm, yes, actually:

20200322_112939

 

...plus quite a few more entries in my logbooks!

17 hours ago, AndrewCJ50 said:

It would be nice to know we have our own personal rescue helicopter standing by

Funny you should mention it (pic taken 2 mins ago)...

20200322_135207

 

😊

Jon

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Really great result with the model and setting, the hangar is a bit too tidy compared to the hovel D Flt inhabited at Lossiemouth😃
As @Andyf117 mentioned, the RWR fairings were a Falkland Islands fit and unique to the grey whale HAR3’s one of which was allocated to D Flt circa 2002-4 as I recall. It’s great to see that you added the VOR/ILS aerials on the tail boom as the kit doesn’t include these, but you got caught out with the Airfix aerial mast instructions🙃 - still better than my recent effort. Well done. 

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Dear Colleagues

 

Thank you for your guidance, these yellow birds seem to have been regularly tweaked and transformed over 20 years and it was difficult for me to follow.  I presume the RWR you mention is the mini shark fin under the tail boom?  Must get out my scalpel!  Presumably the transformation of RAF to CRAB was done by helpful RN personnel?

 

Andrew

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52 minutes ago, AndrewCJ50 said:

Dear Colleagues

 

Thank you for your guidance, these yellow birds seem to have been regularly tweaked and transformed over 20 years and it was difficult for me to follow.  I presume the RWR you mention is the mini shark fin under the tail boom?  Must get out my scalpel!  Presumably the transformation of RAF to CRAB was done by helpful RN personnel?

 

Andrew

Yes, and the bit sticking out at the front!

There's a pic taken on the day here: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1557494

With the RAF's revenge in this one: https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1557495

Edited by andyf117
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Thanks Guest house in Cornwall, looks like some emergency remedial work needed.  You have an amazing collection of Sea kings yourself too!

 

Just twigged that Jonners was an XZ589 pilot, respect Sir and thank you!  I wonder what 'Santa drop' referred to?

 

Regards

 

Andrew

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I guess you're reading this a hundred times over, but that hangar really makes your models come alive. That first pic got me for the umpteenth time for the first couple of seconds before I realised; "Dang, it's that Hangar Guy again!" 😉
 

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1 hour ago, AndrewCJ50 said:

I presume the RWR you mention is the mini shark fin under the tail boom?

Yes, the asymmetric 'bump' on the underside level with the back of the ILS localiser 'rail' aerial, plus the black-capped sticky-outy aerial on the nose. I also don't remember seeing the other bulge under the tail boom, but the thing that looks like a German stick grenade was the I-Band transponder and was present on all Mk3 and Mk3a SKs.

 

37 minutes ago, AndrewCJ50 said:

I wonder what 'Santa drop' referred to?

Don't worry, it always involved landing first!

Jon

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58 minutes ago, AndrewCJ50 said:

Thanks Guest house in Cornwall, looks like some emergency remedial work needed.  You have an amazing collection of Sea kings yourself too!

Thanks! Currently about a third of the way through the 'to do' list - and as we've effectively closed ourselves down here for the next couple of months at least, I'm anticipating getting a number of them done while whiling away the hours...

....finally got the UH-3H finished over the last week, and now working on the HSS-2B started at the same time - then there's the Mk.43B and Mk.50 already started for the Nordic and Navy GBs, and a few others that I've done preliminary work on...

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Andrew

 

I know nothing about the subject, but that's one of the best 1/72 models I think I've ever seen. The hangar, the lighting, the details - it all comes together so well.

 

Fabulous.

 

Ian

 

 

 

 

Edited by IanC
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An absolutely brilliant model, or was the original photographed? Very nicely staged and really well photographed. Udo.

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Thanks all for your kind words

 

Am annoyed I will have to remove and make good on the RWR kit, that Airfix did not tell me was only for aircraft in the Falklands.

 

Yes, I am that hanger Guy!  Hope you won't get bored with it?

 

More to come

 

Andrew

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