Rick’s 1/48 Airfix Sea King HAS5

[Airborne01]

Oh yum! Looking forward to this - I had plans (once) to build a Mountain Rescue moorland scenario with a poorly dressed muppet on the deck with MR guys observing - never came to fruition as I lost the wing-fing mojo! Watching with interest!
Steve

[Ian M]

That looks very nice indeed.
Airfix have upped their game lately.

[Neil Merryweather]

I'm not in any way a helo fan but this looks quite exciting.
There's a helo valot in the box.... :tongue-out3:
I'll get me coat

[Richard48]

I will sneak and watch.Love a Seaking.Im sure i shall be getting a couple.Im sure in the next year or so we will see an RAF one in yellow and maybe Junglie.Im sure the after market guys will be beavering away on decals for U.K etc.Ive seen a few built up online and looks really great.And having the sidedoor open is a big plus.Im pretty sure that a resin or 3D bagger version will appear sometime.
Watching from the stalls.
Richard

[Waspie]

And my progress so far.
The IP and console are super detailed and include the tail wheel lock and parking brake handles.
The broom cupboard aft of the cockpit is also detailed including the relief (pee) tube.
I haven’t glued the seats onto the deck yet, I’m using the locating holes as a jig while the seat brace cures to ensure they align correctly.
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So glad they included the pee tube. (Emergency communication system).
I’ll tell all later!!

[Waspie]

Rick a couple of pics of back seat and comparison of Mk2 vs Mk 5.

Business end of ASW SK. Observer, (Obs. or 'Looker') on the left. 17inch fresnel radar. navigation, weapons and comms switching above!
Above the Sonar Op is the HF radio fit, bathythermograph, comms station and a bunch of switching I have forgotten after 30 years!!!



Sonar position with 195(M) sonar. (M) for modified. Which gave the operator the option to select a narrower angle which meant more power down a bearing and therefore greater range. As fitted to the SK Mk's 2 & 5. Mk 6 and a few Mk5s had a different sonar suit with a QUERTY key board and a MFD rather than two cathode ray tube displays. (MFD - Multi Function Display)
The two orange displays are way too bright, I suspect for effect! One display gives range, the second gives bearing left/right of a centre line. The circular display above the two oblongs is the direction control for the sonar. It searches in 90 degree sectors which can 'jump' in 90 degree increments or can be manually changed as the operator is doing to achieve a specific direction.
Any sonar contact can be selected and then that contact can be transferred over to the observers radar so the observer can then take tactical control of the situation.


SK showing dipping sonar below helicopter. Recovery is the most delicate part of the operation as any large swing on the Transducer can damage the hull. Note the colour is vastly different to how Airfix show it.


Below, a comparison of Mk5, bottom SK in the stack, the remainder are all Mk2's. Main differences is the shape of the radar dome. and the aerials beneath the aircraft following the upgrade to be used for passive sonics. (Sonobuoys).
Sorry about the poor image quality, the weather was crap, low cloud - well - just a dismal day on the West coast of Scotland.

Hope they are of some use Rick.

[boatman]

HI Rick nice lookin kit an regards them grey colors on the chopper i found humbroll no 64 matt light grey will give that i think true colour as like on my ships its all to do with wheather the sun is shining on the chopper as if a dull day then the grey looks darker an are you goin to make it work with motors an nav lights in as it will look fab ?
chrisb

[rickoshea52]

Waspie - what’s all the stuff by the tail wheel circled?

[Waspie]

Waspie - what’s all the stuff by the tail wheel circled?
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TBH Rick, never seen it before. It was never fitted to an 819 aircraft. The only thing I can think of is a Chaff dispenser! Although it has the look of a weapon carrying point with what looks like two red struts across the top, it's too far aft to carry any weight. The SK would be flying nose up!!!
I'll have a mooch around, I have another ex SK crewman up the road who was 820 and 824 - if I catch him he may offer a clue. I'll also have a butchers at my Helicopters of the FAA in the loft and see if that gives and more info.
We, (FAA), had a few specialist helicopters with specialist one off fits for particular operations which still remain - shhhhhhhh!
The grey box above the black is part of Orange Crop, the ESM fit.

Just seen a similar box on a HC4 and was firing flares. Not convinced yet though!!

[Waspie]

Rick, I've posed the question on Navy Net, lets see what the ex Pingers come up with.

[Scratchbuilder]

Waiting for Xmas and my wish list can go out - Hunter FGA9, Gannet, Sea King all 1/48 and all Airfix. Then next year I can add a few flying items to my collection and build them.
Meanwhile I have brought my own chair, tea and bacon sarny to watch this build.

[boatman]

Waiting for Xmas and my wish list can go out - Hunter FGA9, Gannet, Sea King all 1/48 and all Airfix. Then next year I can add a few flying items to my collection and build them.
Meanwhile I have brought my own chair, tea and bacon sarny to watch this build.

WOW Mike youre pushin the boat out bringin T an bacon sarny oh my god my fav hope you bring some extra for little ole me lol
chrisb

[Waspie]

Rick, troop seats in a SK2/5/6. Four behind the observer, (port side). I believe there was seven, starboard side from the broom cupboard to the fwd end of the back sliding door. An addition seat, rarely used other than to put your foot on was aft of the pilots and central.
It used to get very tight when we were in MCT role with a full compliment of Booties.
When in ASW role, the starboard troop seats were always in the folded up position to allow movement from front to back easier. (That area need to be clear in case a sonar hydraulic failure occurred as you had to stand by the side of the unit just fwd of where the SU was housed.)

[Richard48]

Some great pictures there.Really interesting Waspie,I went to see some friends in Redruth and went to Marazion and i was mire interested in seeing what was flying around culdrose.
Richard

[rickoshea52]

TBH Rick, never seen it before. It was never fitted to an 819 aircraft. The only thing I can think of is a Chaff dispenser! Although it has the look of a weapon carrying point with what looks like two red struts across the top, it's too far aft to carry any weight. The SK would be flying nose up!!!
I'll have a mooch around, I have another ex SK crewman up the road who was 820 and 824 - if I catch him he may offer a clue. I'll also have a butchers at my Helicopters of the FAA in the loft and see if that gives and more info.
We, (FAA), had a few specialist helicopters with specialist one off fits for particular operations which still remain - shhhhhhhh!
The grey box above the black is part of Orange Crop, the ESM fit.

Just seen a similar box on a HC4 and was firing flares. Not convinced yet though!!

There seems to be a bit of orange cabling so perhaps it is a trials fit.