1:144 CH-53 Sea Stallion wheels w/ weighted tires

CH-53 Sea Stallion 1:144 – resin wheels from Armory

An accessory, not a kit of a helicopter. The wheels are cast in modeling resin in 1:144 scale and the tires have a sagged contact surface cast in. Once finished, the model then looks as though its weight really were standing on the landing gear, and the wheel rims and the tread stay readable even in such a small scale, where injection-molded plastic usually loses its sharpness. The maker is Armory.

The real subject

The Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion is an American heavy transport helicopter with one large main rotor and a tail rotor on the tail boom. It was designed to carry soldiers, materiel and cargo as a slung load and to operate from the decks of ships. The sturdy retractable landing gear housed in side sponsons is one of the elements that give the machine its characteristic look.

Building and painting tips

Before building, wash the castings with lukewarm soapy water – residues of mold release agent would otherwise make it impossible for the paint to adhere. Cut the casting block off with a saw in the plane of the flattening of the tire and then only level the surface lightly by sanding wet with protection for your airways. It is glued exclusively with cyanoacrylate glue. Painting: a very dark gray tire, the wheel rim separately, a fine wash into the grooves of the tread and at the end a dry light pigment on the contact surface.

Who the wheels are for

• Modelers of helicopters in 1:144 scale
• Builders who want to make the landing gear of a small model more accurate
• More experienced modelers used to working with resin
• Collectors who care about the small details too

This is a resin accessory, not a model of a helicopter. Glue, paints and the kit are not included in the package. Please check the match with your own kit beforehand.