Rick’s 1/48 Airfix Sea King HAS5

[Waspie]

Found this on YouTube. Forward to 7:50 for a view of the sonar panel and T handle set up.

SK back seat.

[flyjoe180]

Coming along nicely Rick. Your interior is going to be excellent

[Jim R]

I seem to have missed a few updates but just had a catch-up. Great attention to detail and very neat work. The interior looks stunning. Those paint pens look very useful.

[Scratchbuilder]

Paint pens - bought a set some time ago - should have done it earlier....
Build - Really enjoying your take on this iconic aircraft.
Pleased to see it grow.
Mike.

[rickoshea52]

Found this on YouTube. Forward to 7:50 for a view of the sonar panel and T handle set up.

SK back seat.

That video was quite helpful. I'll modify the T handle but probably skip the sonar console as it doesn't look too out of place to my eye. This will all be buttoned up anyway.

[rickoshea52]

I seem to have missed a few updates but just had a catch-up. Great attention to detail and very neat work. The interior looks stunning. Those paint pens look very useful.

Do keep up at the back :nerd:

[Waspie]

That video was quite helpful. I'll modify the T handle but probably skip the sonar console as it doesn't look too out of place to my eye. This will all be buttoned up anyway.

Looking at the vid I am still coming to terms with 'how did I forget the lower panel?' I have been racking my grey cell trying like !! to remember what controls were there!! All I can come up with is illumination settings for the two screens, Doppler and Range.

Still your doing a grand job replicating the office!

[Mickc1440]

Very nice progress Rick

[rickoshea52]

The time has come to tackle the fuselage window inserts to fill the apertures not required for this mark of Sea King.
The two that fill the aft cabin windows have a subtle curve & taper that makes it virtually impossible to fit incorrectly. I did one window at a time to ensure no mix ups.
Getting the insert flush with the fuselage required a bit of white tack as a support on the inner surface while adhesive is applied and cures - I used Tamiya extra thin.



With the insert sitting proud I gently pushed it until flush checking ensure no white tack squeezed into the gap. Some adjustment was necessary.


Using a smooth sanding stick to spread an even pressure, the very light abrasive action helps to indicate when the insert is as good as flush can be.


For the LH side forward window I marked up the top edge side and fitted the insert using the same method. Note the row of rivet lines on this part aligns with the fuselage as a useful guide to correct fit, the insert also seems to only fit flush this way too.



A thin smear of perfect plastic putty has been applied to the gaps, I’ll check this later and adjust.

There are two pressure refuelling points moulded and one of these needs to be filled with an insert depending on the mark of Sea King. In this case the filler aft of the cargo door should be filled using the blanking insert provided. This has a tiny arrow which I assume indicates up. You might think the hole in the recess would be a guide to correct fitting but it’s actually for the filler point cap.

[rickoshea52]

Well, my first attempt at the seat belts failed miserably. The 1mm tape stuck to the paper and seemed too wide anyway.
For my second go I used 0.75 mm tape laid out on my cutting mat and painted black with a Posca pen. This was cut to appropriate lengths for the five point harnesses and included a length for the back that runs down to the inertia reel drums at the base of each seat. A section of plastic rod was cut to size and glued to each seat and painted light grey leaving the ends white per the real thing.
A deliberate omission are the white nylon anti-fret panels fitted to the seat backs to stop the seat belts fraying during use.
Another piece of thinly sliced plastic rod was cut to represent the Quick Release Buckle (QRB) on the lap straps and painted after fitting.


I wasn’t happy with the pilots seat cushions. I’m pretty certain that by 1988, when this scheme set, the seat pans would have the Personal Survival Packs (PSP) as standard. (Fun fact: my first job after school was in the factory that made the yellow fibre glass seat pack shells - which was 1988).
Using a mix of Vallejo light brown and white for the sheepskin cushion, NATO green for the nylon liner and my yellow Posca pen for the seat pack I got to something I can live with.
Seatbelts were done the same as before. Note the stowage for the sea anchor from the kit fitted to one of the seats, this is the second pilot/navigators position.

After a coat of varnish these will receive a wash to tone them down.

[rickoshea52]

Paint pens - bought a set some time ago - should have done it earlier....
Build - Really enjoying your take on this iconic aircraft.
Pleased to see it grow.
Mike.

Thanks. The paint pen idea can save a lot of time and paint. The amount of time spent shaking a bottle and squirting out too much followed by the tedious clean up was getting tight on my bits. A paint pen is such a simple solution.

[rickoshea52]

Coming along nicely Rick. Your interior is going to be excellent

Thanks Joe.
Once assembled inside the fuselage it might be harder to see, but with my shaky hands that’s a positive.

[Andy T]

That's a great looking kit and your additions will lift it even higher.

[Ian M]

Looks like a nicely detailed model.

[Waspie]

Nice Rick - very nice.
All the way through the 80 PSP’s we’re in use. Wasps and Sea Kings, both SK squadrons I was on, 706 & 819 used PSP exactly as you have replicated. Three connectors on each which attached to the individuals LSJ.