Heli-Kit News #197, 06-Dec-04
Including all the news from Scale Modelworld 2004
Kits

1. Zvezda have released another version of their 1:72 Mi-8 'Hip' kit. #7254 is an 'Mi-8 rescue helicopter'. In the box we find more or less the same plastic as in the Mi-8T #7230; there's a new 3-part winch, and the B8-V20 FFAR rocket pods are left out.

The decal sheet provides three markings for three aircraft operated by EMERCOM (The Russian Federation Ministry for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters). Note that at least two of these appear to be Mi-8MTV or Mi-8MTV-1, which are Mi-17 types and should thus be built using the engine compartment parts from the #7253 kit rather than those provided, and should have their tail rotors on the left, not the right side.


2. The Japanese 1:144 maker Sweet have produced two decal sheets in a new product line called Sweet Decal. They are throwing in a 'free' snap-together 1:144 Sea King kit with each sheet.

14-D001 is entitled 'JMSDF Part 1', and has markings for:


• HSS-2A Ship-borne, 8071
• S-61A-1 Antarctic support, 8184
• S-61A Rescue, 8945

14-D002 is 'USN/USMC/NASA Part 1', and has markings for:


• VH-3D, HMX-1 'Presidential Flight',159352
• SH-3G, NASA Ames Research Center,149723 / '735'
• SH-3D, HS-4 Apollo Recovery, 152711 / '66' (with alternative Apollo 11, 12 & 13 capsule recovery marks)

The snap-fit kit comprises about 20 pieces, some of which are a little simplistic, but the fuselage looks good and with a little extra work should produce a satisfactory model. Two alternative nose sections are provided, one of which has an integral FOD deflector.


Unfortunately there are no scary little girls or weird Japanese cartoon characters in with these (and if you don't know what I'm talking about, look in some of their other 1:144 aircraft kits).


3. Italeri have re-issued their HH-53C Super Jolly as #1035 (previously it was #035), and OH-6A Cayuse as #1028 (ex 028). We suspect that nothing has changed except the packaging.

4. The recent Amodel kit #72113 of the SM-1/300 variant of the Mi-1T uses the Mi-1 mouldings previously issued by Gran' (HKN #146), which has a different shaped nose when compared to the other Amodel variants (HKN #149). An additional sprue carries the wing.

5. The prolific Anigrand Craftswork have fast-tracked their 1:72 Bell XV-15 Tiltrotor, presumably to head off any potential rival issues that we've mentioned here previously. Available now as #AA2030.


6. The first of the 2004 kits announced a year or more ago by Special Hobby seems to be close to release; this is #4830, the Sikorsky R-4 / Hoverfly Mk.1 equipped with floats. Their 1:72 Mojave #7275 and AH-1G #7276 still seem to 'somewhere in the system' - at least they now have official product numbers!


7. Ardpol are planning to make kits in 2005 of the PZL BZ-4 'Zuk' and of the PZL BZ-1 SP-GIL. The first of these is thought to be almost ready, the other will follow. Previous plans by Top Gun to kit these two unique Polish aircraft have apparently come to naught, (although they may have a 1:48 Sokol in the works).


8. Accurate Armour's epic 1:35 Army TOW Lynx is finally nearing completion and will 'definitely' be available in 2005. The decal sheets has markings for various AAC and Royal Marines aircraft.


9. Academy are working on a 1:35 MH-60S.

Conversions & Accessories

10. The Heliborne Helix fuel tanks #HCO72004 are now ready, a simple little set that will enhance the appropriate Helix models from Zvezda.


11. Isradecal have a new line of resin conversion sets called 'Isracast'.

• 48002 is for the IDF/AF H-60 Blackhawk, and includes a new tail pylon, fueling probe mount, chaff & flare dispensers, wide u/c fairings as fitted to later a/c, navigation lights, antennae & other avionics boxes, and the additional small starboard side exhaust fitted to the UH-60L.
  
  
• 48003 is for the IDF/AF AH-64A Apache (Hasegawa), and includes chaff and flare dispensers, antennae & other avionics boxes, and a pair of long-range fuel tanks.

Also planned are conversion sets for the Longbow (1:48), Panther (1:48), Apache (1:72) and CH-53 (1:72 & 1:48), a new book on Israeli Attack Helicopters, and a series of Walkaround books.

12. Whirlybird had a number of new sets for sale at Scale Modelworld 2004, a good few of which were sold out before the show closed:

• WBA72021, metal float 'doughnuts' for the Whirlwind HAR.1 (like on the original Airfix kit)
  
  
  
• WBA72024, resin composite blades for the Puma
• WBA72027, white metal 'cable cutters and glide slope antennae for modern helicopters'
  
  
  
• WBA72028, Puma detail set: wipers, exhaust grilles, switch panels, cable deflectors, cabin door interiors, steps, mirrors, pedals,instrument panels, air filter screens (all etched brass); cabin doors, air filters, cabin roof including overhead console, apu exhaust (all resin); external cable conduits, exhausts& tail rotor gearbox cover (all white metal).
  
  
  
• WBA72029, Alouette ski set: skis & associated mountings, a pair of medevac pannier frames with fine plastic mesh for making the baskets, and a cargo hook / guillotine assembly (all etched brass), plus a white metal lifting frame.
  
  
  
• WBA72030, RAF Puma HC.1 update set: nose RWR antenna array assembly, floodlight, blade aerials, glideslope, doppler and other antennae, tie-downs, door handles, cargo hook, ground connection cover plate, cooling air scoops, IR detectors, disco-light, chaff dispensers, and NiteSun searchlight and framework; a mixture of white metal & etched brass.
  
  
  
• WBA72031, Puma large sponsons, with smooth outer faces; resin.
• WBA72032, Puma large sponsons with floatation inserts, nose flotation gear, and radome nose; resin and white metal.
  
  
  
• WBA72033, HEER/Luftwaffe UH-1D update / conversion set: composite rotor blades, cabin doors, bubble windows, floatation gear, aerials, post winch, etc; resin and white metal.
  
  
  
• WBA72036, Puma winch, white metal.

13. Joseph Osborn's 1:32 HueyCobra update set should be available by now. Joseph published the following on the HKN Forum, along with ordering details:

I have just completed a resin update set for the Revell 1/32 Hueycobra and production will begin very soon. The set consists of seven parts: the 1972 anti-Strella deflector kit (4 separate parts, 1 to 3 in the picture), a replacement exhaust cowling with the fins at the base of the tailrotor shaft cover (part 4), the exhaust pipe to fit into this new cowling (part 5), and a replacement tail fin with the rotor on the right-hand side (part 6). By combining this set with the Revell kit, you can correctly model a Hueycobra from the later Vietnam war era.


14. It now seems likely that the 1:72 A-109A conversion and S-58T nose being made in Argentina (HKN #190) will be available in the next week or two, under the trade name 'Rotorhead Design'.

Future projects likely to be developed include a Bell 214A BigLifter conversion, and floats for the Italeri Bell 47.

15. Cobra Company are planning to have a 1:48 AH-1G conversion available early 2005. It will be based on any Fujimi (re-issued by Testors & Seminar) kit of the AH-1 and will include a port side tail rotor fin, nose, turret, canopy, transmission/engine pylon, cockpit and canopy.

Decals

16. Joe Maxwell had the artwork for his Irish Air Corps Update MAX7216 (see HKN #194 for some details) with him at Scale Modelworld 2005, but was by a quirk of unfortunate timing was expecting the actual decals to be delivered while he was away. They were released a few days later. Brief contents are: Alouette III, Dauphin, AS355 Squirrel, Garda EC-135, S-61N Rescue, and the BGS Puma D-HAXT briefly used by the Garda; also present are: Fouga Magister Silver Swallows Aerobatic Team, CASA CN235-100, and Pilatus PC-9.


17. Modelart have published two new decal sheets:

72/050 has markings for three French LeO C.30s and one Danish C.30A:


• Aeronautique Naval, Section d'Autogyres, Hyeres, 1938, HY-63 / 'No.3', dark grey
• Armee de l'Air, GAR II/520, Nancy, 1939, F-451 / '4', 'No.57', khaki & brown camo.
• Armee de l'Air, GAO I/551, Orly, 1939, F-444 'No.50', khaki
• RDAF, 5th Sqn, Vaerlose, 1938, M-2, metallic grey

Also included are decals for Thunderbolts & Hunters (not shown).

72/051 has markings for four British WS.51 Dragonflies and four French S-51s:


• RN, 705 NAS, Culdrose, 1959, VX600 / '531', extra dark sea grey over sky
• RN, 705 NAS, Gosport, 1953, WG751 / 'GJ710', aluminium laquer
• RN, HMS Eagle Ship's Flight, 1952, WP948 / J / '901', aluminium laquer
• RN, SAR Flight, Hal Far, 1960, WG708 / '960', dark blue grey
• ELA52, Armee de l'Air, GIA LAM (Indochina), 1952, 111 / VA 'Joan', dark earth & army green
• ELA5, Armee de l'Air, GIA LAM (Indochina), 1952, Z111 'Joan', dark earth & army green
• ELA52, Armee de l'Air, GIA LAM (Indochina), 1952, 119 VB, dark earth & army green
• Esc. De Servitude 58S, Aeronautique Navale, carrier Arromanches, 1952, 58 S 11, gloss sea blue

Also included are decals for Thunderstreaks (not shown).


18. Whirlybird had no new decal sheets on offer at Scale Modelworld 2004, but the following are definitely coming soon and could be pre-ordered:

• WB72016, STATMedEvac EC135
• WB72023, VIP Whirlwind HAR.10, 32 Sqn RAF
• WB32002, STATMedEvac EC135

Books

19. The latest Close Up book in the Landing Zone series by Philippe Dognon and Christian Bouschon is a look at the USN and USMC CH-46 Sea Knight family, #LSP003. The format and layout is pretty much the same as for their previous acclaimed titles on the Seahawk and the Super Stallion / Sea Dragon, mostly featuring aircraft deployed on US Navy ships photographed when visiting French ports. Some of the recent colourful paint jobs are included.

20. The Model Alliance / Aviation Workshop book “Storm Warning” goes to the printers in early January, and will include many Desert Storm helicopters.

From the same publishers, “On Target Special - Ark Royal” will hopefully be ready in time for the Yeovilton show in February, and will include decal sheets in both 1:72 and 1:48.

Thanks to: Yevgeny Borissov; Pablo Ziegler, Pawel Okulski, Joseph Osborn, Jean-Pierre Desprez (Model Art), Chris Miller (Cobra Co.), Joe Maxwell (Maxdecal), Roger & David Evans (Whirlybird), Philippe Dognon (Landing Zone), Gary Madgwick (Aviation Workshop), and Ra'anan Weiss (Isradecal).

The photo of the Amodel Mi-6 shown in HKN #196 was taken by Andrey Kotkov.

If you buy something as a result of reading about it in Heli-Kit News, please remember to tell them that you saw it here. This will encourage the flow of more news in the future, and maybe we'll even get the occasional review sample!

Archive

Home