1:35 SH-60F, SH-60B, MH-60R exhaust for Kitty Hawk/Zimimodel kit

The hot breath of the shipboard Seahawk

The Seahawk family grew out of the army Black Hawk, but it had to go through a number of changes to reach the decks of frigates and aircraft carriers. The B version serves from surface ships, watching the surroundings with sonobuoys and radar, the F version covered the inner zone around an aircraft carrier, and the newer R combined both roles in a single machine with advanced electronics. All of them carry a pair of T700 turboshaft units whose outlet ducts open on the sides above the cabin.

These outlets are exactly what tends to be blanked off or shallow on a kit. The set replaces them with a casting with an open mouth and a wall of the right thickness, so even a view from the side reveals a cavity and not a blind hole.

What to notice

• The open mouth of the duct gives depth to an area that is visible from every angle.
• The form matches the B, F and R machines, that is, the most widespread shipboard versions.
• The castings fit the model from Kitty Hawk in 1:35 scale.
• Worth completing with heat discoloration and soot streaks along the fuselage.

When painting, it pays to start with the darkest shade inside the duct and work outward so the cavity stays optically deep. The smoke streaks trailing aft are laid on with very thin paint in several coats, because one heavy coat looks like a stain. The helicopter model is not included in the delivery. If you are building a machine on a deck, it helps to match the soot streaks to the direction the wind blows across the deck so the scene holds together down to the detail.