Sea King HAR.3

[TallEng]

Well it's been a long time since I've done any modelling,
But I think I've found a little bit of my modelling mojo back.
So I thought I'd join in the GB fun with Airfix's venerable Sea King.
This particular boxing is the 1986 boxing of the 1984 released
SAR Sea King, which in turn is a re-boxing from 1969. Which was a
US Navy version, first as "Helo 63" later issued as the very famous
"Helo 66" from the Apollo missions.
As a rather sad side note "Helo 66" crashed into the sea off San Diego in
The summer of 1975 whilst on a training mission.
And so to the obligatory box and sprues shots.




My isn't it yellow?
Regards
Keith

[Thorvic]

The Airfix HAR3 kit was modified from the earlier SH-3 kit into a Westland version with the Air Filter, 6 bladed tail rotor, port side engine bulge, extra windows and revised aerial fit and lost the ASW load and Astronaut from the SH-3. Still miffs me that one as in 83/84 it was supposed to be a RN Westland Sea King following on from the Falklands, instead following a buy out it came out as a Yellow budgie of the RAF  . Ironically MPC actually re-boxed the SH-3 with RN markings and moulded in Blue rather than White Plastic, and Heller's boxing of the HAR3 kit with the Belgium scheme actually had a RN HAS2 as the alternative scheme !!!

[Captain Canada]

Interesting info Geoff !

Looking forward to seeing this one, love the Sea King !

[PR19_Kit]

At one stage the Airfix HAR3 had both the 5 and 6 bladed tail rotors, and I think the Heller moulded version was always supplied with both.

This came in very handy when my REALLY early FAA Sea King, which I'd converted from an Airfix SH-3 long before they did it, broke its tail rotor numerous times. They're very fragile in either version.

[TallEng]

Progress of a sort has been made
Admiralty grey has been slapped on the insides in a vain attempt to cover up the yellowness.
Currently wondering when the barn door intake things were added and if they were for ice protection?
(Which may be important for this build) also assuming early Sea Things were fitted with the 5 bladed tail
Rotor, and the 6 bladed one was a later fit/Mod? And yes both are included in the kit.
Thoughts have also been directed to a suitable colour scheme, one idea was to assume that the U.K. Had continued
On with some sort of space program after the demise of Black Prince/Black Knight et al, and had gone on to launch
A man or two into space, if they had then conceivably a British "Helo 66" operating from one of the RN's carriers
Would be an idea.
How ever the current front runner (a homage to the first helicopter I built) is as a replacement for HMS Protector's ships flight whirlwinds. In this flight of fancy HMS Protector gets replaced in 1966/67 by HMS Endurance as in real life,
Except She's much bigger, thus being able to embark a pair of Sea Kings instead of Wasps.
I've got orange and black paints I just need to find or be able to paint a penguin on the nose 
See here https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Protector_(A146)#/media/File%3AWestland_Whirlwind_HAR.1_XA868_LEE_25.07.69_edited-2.jpg
Regards
Keith

[PR19_Kit]

.....also assuming early Sea Things were fitted with the 5 bladed tail Rotor, and the 6 bladed one was a later fit/Mod? And yes both are included in the kit.

Yes, that's right.

[TallEng]

Progress has been made to quote Mr Pudding wrestler, some stickeration has taken place,
How ever, Its turning into an old fashioned Airfix build
Glue has been spilt, Gluey finger prints have appeared on previously pristine yellow plastic.
Naughty words have been muttered and curses cursed
Pictures;


and to replace the comfy sofa provided by Airfix for the pilots to lounge on new seats



Now I'd like to tell you I scratched this seat up from stretched sprue and carved plastikard, but that would be a complete and utter
terminilogical inexactitude, I merely stole it from a Revell Merlin kit, its one of the back seater's seats



Looks quite good even if I say so myself

Regards
Keith

[PR19_Kit]

Looks quite good even if I say so myself

It does indeed, and MILES better than the standard 'blob seat'. 

[zenrat]

But the blob seat does appear to be usable as a commode...

[Modelling_Mushi]

How ever, Its turning into an old fashioned Airfix build
Glue has been spilt, Gluey finger prints have appeared on previously pristine yellow plastic.
Naughty words have been muttered and curses cursed

Ahh, Keith, glad to see you are REALLY getting into the spirit of the Old Kit GB - glue spills, finger prints, non PC utterances ... I am impressed greatly and your mojo seems back on the go go 

[TallEng]

More trials and tribulations in the Sea King Saga
I fitted the engine intake area today, but unfortunately seem
to have a bit of a gap to fill:



The more observant of you will notice the remains of the blue elastic band I rather amusingly  (not!) managed to glue to the
door window. hopefully it will polish out.
I should be able to fill and sand that gap, if not I suppose I could always add the Barn door/Ice guard thingy,
but I've always understood that was a later Modification.
And speaking of holes, the Sea King has a rather large one at the back of the Engine/gearbox fairing,
which I presume lets the hot air out from the Gearbox etc?



Look you can see all the way to the Sonar dipping hole!
does anybody know if its got a grille or Louvres or something to help hide the hole?
Well that's all for the moment, got to go too Sweden for the week to look after some airplanes.
So plenty of time to think of a solution
Regards
Keith

[kitnut617]

The easiest way would be to take the intake off again, slip a piece of styrene card in behind it and then glue the intake back on again.  Nobody is going to notice or know about it ('cept us that is  )

[TallEng]

Those where my initial thoughts, but the gap is only on the left hand side
I suspect in my struggles to get various parts of the fuselage to join together I've
Managed to push that particular section out of shape by a Mill. Or so. Time and trying to
Fit the windshield will tell (I fully expect to have alignment problems there)
In other news I've found a very interesting walk around of Sea Kings various  http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234912101-westland-sea-king-royal-navy/
So the answer to my question is yes it's  protected by a grille and Airfix have got the shape wrong.
So something to ponder about. And check out the pictures of the sponsons and the gap to the fuselage
I'm so having that gap on my model

Regards
Keith

[kerick]

Don't forget the tail rotor drive shaft!

[Captain Canada]

For sure the new seat looks great. Excellent stuff ! I like the fingerprints part, every build for me lol