Westland Sea King Mk.50

This is the 1/48 Hasegawa Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King  converted to a RAN Fleet Air Arm Westland Mk.50/A Sea King.

Following aftermarket accessories were used:

• Decal Set Hawkeye Models - RAN Sea King Mk50 – 1990’s Grey Scheme.
• Plane Bits Resin Conversion set 48-010 RAN Sea King including brass 6 blade tail rotor.
• Hawkeye Models Resin Conversion set 48CS-16 RAN Sea King Upgrade set including photo etch cargo step and blade antenna and Resin 6 blade tail rotor.

Construction:

The kit was constructed according to the instructions beginning with the cabin/cockpit area. Detail was added to upper centre console using wire. The remainder of the interior was completed OOB.  As no doors or windows were to be opened major modifications and enhancements were concentrated on the exterior. Two separate resin sets were purchased. The best/relevant components were selected from each set.  Some resin components were rejected or not included - these were scratch built from various materials.  I will list modifications as resin, etch or scratch.

Modifications:

• All moulded in rivets over entire airframe were deepened with a needle in a pin vise.
• Upper fuselage Radome and Sand Filter – Resin
• Undercarriage Sponsons replaced with cast short style replacements – Resin
• Dipping Sonar Bay cover – Scratch Styrene
• Port side aft window moved to correct location further aft (refer Hawkeye instructions), existing hole in fuselage filled and faired in.
• Port side forward window deleted – filled and faired in.
• RAN style antennae and fairings added to fuselage underside – Resin.
• Upper and lower blade antenna added – Etch.
• Cargo step added under main cabin door and support braces  – Etch & Styrene.
• Westland short tail stabiliser is provided in resin however part is poor.  Kit item was shortened instead to match and support brace deleted.

• 6 Blade tail rotor - Neither conversion set offered a good option.  The brass one was poor and the Hawkeye resin set was detailed but extremely weak. In fact it was broken just removing it from its sprue piece.  However the Hawkeye piece is mastered from the original Hasegawa pieces so I took the resin six blade Hub, 5 kit plastic blades and one resin blade and pinned them all together with brass wire.  This produced a much stronger but still well detailed assembly. This was further detailed with wire. (Resin/Plastic/Wire)
• Cargo Sling and associated cabling added to fuselage underside. Scratch – Wire.
• Grab handles on fuselage sides replaced with wire.
• Rotor Head detailed with wire for hydraulic lines etc.  Scratch – Wire.
• Port side tail – long antenna added from styrene angle stock.  Scratch – Styrene.
• Port side fuselage – wire antenna added from stretch thread, posts and mounts made from styrene stock.  Scratch – Stretch thread and styrene.
• White rope added to port side under front window to underside centreline attachment point from white thread. – Scratch.
• Grab Handle and control cables added under rescue winch starboard side. Scratch-Wire

Painting:

• The model was airbrushed with Model Master enamels.  FS36320 Dark Ghost grey overall. Black areas on nose painted flat black. All other areas of black are decals
• White circles for Roundels masked and painted with enamel.
• Rotor blades painted black (with a drop of white) with yellow tips for main and red/white stripes for tail.
• Tamiya enamel clear gloss applied prior to decals and weathering.
• Panel line/detail wash with thinned acrylic – dark grey.
• Testors dullcote to seal in decals and weathering.
• Tamiya clear green painted on upper cockpit windows interior surfaces prior to closing fuselage.

Decals

I used the Hawkeye decals set for RAN Sea Kings as per instructions except for white discs provided for roundels as these areas where painted for a better result.  These decals are very tough and had to be cut to go over panel lines.

Weathering

Panel line/detail wash was applied before decals.  Shading and exhaust staining added with tinted layers of Dullcote. Rotor blades were painted silver initially and after being painted black were sanded back on the leading edges and tips to show wear.

More pictures

Here are more pictures of the completed model: