Heli-Kit News #224, 28-Nov-06
Kits
1. The latest 1:72 kit from Unicraft is the Boeing X-50 Dragonfly UAV helicopter, which comprises 14 resin parts and decals for two variants, a Boeing 'showroom' scheme and a low-viz US Navy version.
2. From Akatombo Works in Japan comes another unusual subject in 1:72, the WWII SNCASE SE-700 autogyro.
3. The latest variant of the 1:48 H-46 from Academy / MRC is the CH-46A/D "US Marines - Vietnam", #12210, which comes with the necessary choice of two different rear rotor mast configurations. Decals are provided for:
- CH-46A, 152504, EP/169, HMM-265
- CH-46A, 152568, ET/3, HMM-262 (as shown here)
- CH-46D, 154747, YK/13, HMM-364
- CH-46D, 154005, YW/11, HMM-165
You can read an in-box review of this kit, and see pictures of all the parts, at Cybermodeler.
4. DPMV has a picture of a test shot of Revell's forthcoming 1:72 Eurocopter Tiger PAH2, #04485, which is due for release next month. The moulds from which this was made are still subject to correction and improvements of the detail, including engraved lines, etc. Select 'Aktuell' on the menu.
Revell have also announced new 1:72 releases of the AH-1W (#04415, Jan-07), and the Mi-24D Hind (#04405 Apr-07) , both based on the Italeri moulds. The updated NH90 #04489 is now due for release in Jan-07.
The recently released 1:72 Revell Ka-29 'Marine', #04493, is as expected a re-issue of the Zvezda / Italeri Ka-29 mould, but with better looking decals. Marking options are provided for three Russian Navy aircraft painted in various camoflage schemes. As usual it is hard to make much sense of Revell's colour mixes, but according to their descriptions the schemes appear to be as follows:
- Yellow 38 is light green-grey with light green-blue camo on the sides and upper surfaces. There are many pictures of this aircraft at airshows.
- Blue 209 is as above, but with pale green below.
- Red 66 is light grey with a different (darker?) light grey camo on the sides and upper surfaces, and pale green below.
Conversions, Details & Accessories
5. Eduard's December releases will include:
- 32159, CH-47D Chinook exterior, etched brass for the 1:35 Trumpeter kit
- EX205, Mi-24 Hind canopy and wheel masks for the 1:48 Trumpeter (MHM) kits
6. Verlinden Productions have announced a complete resin cockpit and cabin interior for the 1:35 Trumpeter Mi-24 Hind (#2349, Jan-07).
7. The first 1:35 helicopter resin detail sets in their Airpower Series from AEF Designs are all for IDF/AF aircraft:
- #35-1, Hughes H500 Defender (for Dragon/DML). Includes crew doors with chaff/flare mounts, antennas, wire striker and other details.
- #35-2, H-60 Blackhawk 'Improved Yanshuf' (for Academy #2217). Includes IFR boom, all I.R. Sensors and Chaffe dispensers.
- #35-3, H-60 Blackhawk 'Standard Yanshuf' (for Academy #any). Includes all I.R. sensors and chaff dispensers, FN mag door machine gun with shell casing bag and photo etched machine gun cradle.
8. Recent releases in the Cutting Edge / Black Magic range of canopy and wheel paint masks include:
- CEBM48455, SA-365 Dauphin /HH-65 Dolphin, for the Trumpeter kits
- CEBM48571, CH-53E, for Academy
9. Cybermodeler have recently reviewed a number of items that have been reported in previous issues of HKN. These include:
Decals
10. HKN has just discovered a major range of decals for Canadian helicopters, CanMilAir Decals. All these decals are available in any reasonable scale of your chosing, and can be ordered in any of three media formats; Alps printed waterslide, Avery clear self-adhesive, and clear self-adhesive vinyl (suitable only for the larger scales). Each decal set comes with a brochure grade 8 1/2" x 11" information sheet containing detailed instructions for use, several reference photos of the subject aircraft as a guide for placing the decals on the model and usually some interesting historical text.
The current range includes 22 different decal sheets for 8 different Canadian helicopters, all of which are illustrated on the CanMilAir website and are available for online shopping using PayPal, as follows:
- #020, CH-147 Chinook 1975-91, two-tone camo scheme of green and grey over grey. All three flag and roundel styles - hi-viz, low-viz and black. Serials for all nine a/c in Canadian service.
- #022, CH-124 HSS-2 Sea King 1975, CSMA IV, overall medium sea grey with EDSG upper surfaces and fluorescent red-orange hi-viz markings. HS-50 HMCS Bonaventure
- #023, CH-124A Sea King 1970, CAF markings 443 Sqn, overall grey
- #024, CH-124A Sea King 1980, Sym Era markings 422 Sqn Shearwater, overall grey
- #025, CH-124A Sea King 1996, FIP markings 406(HT) Sqn Shearwater, overall grey
- #038, CH-113A Voyageur 1976-2004, overall SAR yellow
- #039, CH-113 Labrador RWB, early red, white & blue, SAR scheme
- #040, CH-113 Voyageur Canadian Army, overall green, two serial and flag choices
- #041, CH-113 Voyageur, overall green, choice of three serials: 10413, 11316, 11318
- #050, Bell CH-118 Iroquois 1970, 403 Sqn, overall green
- #051, CH-118 Iroquois 1975, Base Flight - red & white
- #052, CH-118 Iroquois 1980, overall SAR yellow
- #079, CH-146 Griffon 400 Sqn, two-tone green camo
- #080, CH-146 Griffon SAR, overall SAR yellow
- #132, H-21A Flying Banana 1954-56, overall natural metal, two serial choices
- #133, H-21A/B Flying Banana 1956-60, red & blue with white stripe. 442 Sqn, two serial and flag choices. (9641 is preserved at CFB Comox)
- #134, H-21A/B Flying Banana 1960-68, red & blue with white stripe, two roundel, serial and flag choices, double reversing fuselage flash
- #135, H-21A/B Flying Banana 1968-81, red & blue, double reversing fuselage flash
- #136, H-21 Flying Banana - Mid Canada Line, red & blue with white stripe, two serial choices
- #179, Alouette III, CCG, CF-CAZ, C-FCAX, choice of early or late markings
- #180, Sikorsky S-61N CCG - early CF-DOH & CF-CGF
- #180, Sikorsky S-61N CCG - late C-FDOH
And as if that wasn't enough, further decal sheets are currently in various states of preparation for the following: RCAF Bell 47, RCAF S-51, RCAF S-55, RCAF/CF CH-112 Nomad, RCAF/CF CH-125 H-34A, RCN HUP, RCN Bell 47, RCN HO4S, CF CH-135 Twin Huey, CF CH-136 Kiowa, CF CH-149 Cormorant, CCG Bell 206, CCG Bel 212, CCG Bell 47, CCG Bo-105. They also publish several very interesting-looking books on Canadian colours and markings.
11. New from HAD (Hungarian Armour Decals) are the following sheets:
- 72034 Mi-24; Mi-8/17 data (Hungarian data + NATO insignia), also available as #48030
- 72056 Mi-24 (Hungary 711 & 580, Czech Republic 0815, and Cuba 12)
- 72055 Mi-8 (Hungary 10423 IFOR & 10426, Kyrgistan 05, and Cambodia SV-19)
Some of these may be rub-down (Letraset style), with waterslide coming later. Check the HAD website for details.
12. Now released are the MAW Decals #48-MAW-005 'Leatherneck Featherweights' USMC UH-1N & AH-1W sheet (see HKN #222).
Reference
13. The latest publication in the Modeler's Closeup series from Dataview Books is #9: HH-60J Jayhawk and MH-60S Knighthawk. You can download a copy in PDF right now, or buy it on CD. A printed version will be available later.
Thanks to Harold Stockton, and to Bill Burns (CanMilAir Decals.).
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!
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