Kaman SH-
Airfix 1/72
The Airfix Seasprite is a superb model, definitely one of Airfix' best.
The Seasprite was the US Navy's equivalent of the Westland Lynx; never quite as capable, successful or numerous, nevertheless, it continues in service today with the Egyptian, New Zealand and Polish Navies, nearly 50 years after it first flew. Although the Australian Navy recently tried to bring it into service for their smaller ships, they were very disappointed by the performance of their early deliveries and cancelled the entire order in 2007.
The Seasprite started life as a SAR and utility helicopter, but an up-
Vertol 107 HKP-
Airfix 1/72 with minor modifications (Torpedo Rails, float struts, radar dome).
The Boeing Vertol 107 design was selected by the US Marines in early 1961 as the
CH-
In Swedish service, the aircraft is known as the HKP-
Bell AH-
Italeri 1/72
The Bell Huey Cobra was the original Western attack helicopter. Based on the airframe
of the proven UH-
As of 2010, the USMC still has 167 AH-
Kamov Ka25 Hormone, Red Banner Northern Fleet, Murmansk, 1987.
Airfix 1/72, largely out of the box. Scratch detailed interior:
Kamov OKB's contra rotating rotor designs are well suited to the anti-
Kamov Ka27 Helix A, Russian Federation Northern Fleet, Murmansk, 2010.
Zvezda 1/72, with modified decals:
The Helix was introduced in the 1970s as an upgrade to overcome the bad weather and night operation limits of the Hormone. The external dimensions of the earlier aircraft were retained to enable compatibility with existing ships and their hangars, whilst fitting much more powerful engines and rotor blades as well as a significantly bigger cabin to carry additional ASW equipment and systems.
Eurocopter EC135. Western Counties Police Air Operations Unit,
Filton Airfield, Bristol, 2008.
This is the delicate and nicely detailed 1/72 Revell EC135VIP, modified into my local Western Counties Air Operations Unit Police Helicopter. The EC135 is widely used by Police Forces across the world, and this particular one is a common site over the skies of the Avon & Somerset and South Gloucestershire Policing areas, and seems to spend a disproportionate amount of time hovering around my house! Link to Build Page
845 NAS, Helmand 2012 (What-
Hasegawa with speculative markings & serial.
In the late 1980s, Westland Helicopters were struggling to stay in business. Having
worked with Sikorsky in the past (the Dragonfly, Whirlwind, Wessex, & Sea King were
all based on Sikorsky designs) they began to forge even closer links with the US
firm and its owners. As part of this arrangement, Westland gained the European manufacturing
rights to the S-
However, Westland's efforts met with strong opposition -
In the end, the WS-
But events could have taken a different turn.............................…
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