1:32 Sikorsky MH-60, UH-60, HH-60 Tail rotor

A tail rotor set askew on purpose

The tail rotor of the H-60 line machines is one of the things even a layman notices in their silhouette: it is not vertical but tilted by about twenty degrees. The tilt is neither a production shortcoming nor an aesthetic notion. Besides balancing the torque reaction, the rotor thereby also produces a vertical component of thrust, which helps to carry the rear part of the machine, so the boom could be shorter and lighter. At the same time it widened the range of center-of-gravity positions the machine will take when fully loaded.

Four blades in a cross arrangement

The head carries four blades put together in two pairs one above the other, which simplified the mechanics compared with the classic articulated design. The blades are composite and will take a hit from small arms better than the older duralumin ones. The whole thing is attached on the right side of the pylon and is visible from both sides, so on a model this is not a part hidden under the skin but an element on which the cleanliness of the work gets judged.

A replacement part for large kits

The resin set replaces the tail rotor from the box. The gain lies above all in the thickness of the blades and in the profile of their tips: molded plastic has to have them thickened because of the mold, whereas a casting can be brought to a scale value. Seen against the light, that difference shows at once. It is advisable to check the blades against a straight edge before fitting them and to straighten any bend with a brief dip in hot water. The blades are painted in matte black with a protective stripe on the leading edge, which on the real machines tends to be distinctly lighter than its surroundings.