1:72 Sikorsky SH-3 H Sub-Hunter

The real subject

The Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King was a carrier-based helicopter of the US Navy intended to find and destroy submarines. It was powered by two turboshaft engines mounted above the cabin, it carried a five-blade main rotor and its fuselage was shaped like a boat hull so that the machine could survive settling onto the water. Floats into which the landing gear retracted belonged to the sides of the fuselage, and for stowage in the hangar both the rotor blades and the tail boom folded.

What the designation in the name means

The letters SH mark the anti-submarine role, which the subtitle Sub-Hunter matches. The main working tool was a sonar lowered into the water on a cable, with which the helicopter hovered on the spot and listened. The SH-3H form belongs to the later versions of the series.

Building and painting tips

• Dry-fit the rotor head and the boom so that you know how the blades will sit before you glue them permanently.
• Finish and paint the cabin before you close the fuselage, because you will not reach it later.
• Mask the glazing before spraying, not after the paint has dried.
• The rotor blades are thin and twist easily, so let them cure flat.

Who the kit is for

For modelers interested in naval aviation and in helicopters. The 1:72 scale keeps the model at a reasonable size even though the Sea King was a large machine for its day.

The kit is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Paints, glue and tools are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.