1:72 CH-53 Sea Stallion wheels w/ weighted tires, late

Wheels for the CH-53 Sea Stallion 1:72, the late execution — a resin set from Armory

The set of cast resin replaces the wheels of the landing gear on a plastic model of the CH-53 heavy transport helicopter in 1:72 scale. A model of the helicopter is not included in the package. The tires are executed as weighted, that is with a flattening in the contact patch corresponding to a machine standing under its own weight — on a heavy helicopter it is a conspicuous detail. The name delimits the late execution; the maker offers early and universal variants as well.

The real subject

The Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion is a heavy transport helicopter with a long fuselage, a rear cargo ramp and side fuel tanks. The basic versions have two engines and a six-blade main rotor; later a more powerful series with three engines and a seven-blade rotor grew out of the design, and it carries a different designation. The landing gear is of the wheeled type with the main wheels placed in the side sponsons; a model is normally built with the landing gear extended, so the wheels stay visible and their detail tells.

Building and painting tips

Wash the resin castings in lukewarm soapy water, so that the mold release agent from the mold is removed. Cut the casting blocks off with a saw or a knife and sand the surface over; protect your breathing when sanding resin. It is glued with cyanoacrylate glue, not with solvent cement for plastic. Paint the tires in dark gray with a suggestion of dustiness and the wheel rim separately. On helicopters it pays to add a fine application of dust to the lower part — the machines often operate from unpaved surfaces.

Who the set is for

• Builders of heavy transport helicopters in 1:72 scale
• Modelers who want to get rid of the seam and the soft relief of plastic wheels
• Those interested in realistic weighted tires on a heavy machine
• Modelers with experience of resin and cyanoacrylate glue

This is an accessory set for modelers, not a model of a helicopter. The base kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.