parsifal
Colonel
1/72 Westland Sea King Mk 50 817 Sqn - Home Country Modern Aircraft/Spitfire Marks GB
1/72 Sea King Mk 50 – Home Country Modern Aircraft/Spitfire Marks GB
Username: Parsifal
First name: Michael
Category: Beginner
Scale: 1/72
Manufacturer: Airfix kit
Model Type: Sikorsky Sea King HAS 2 converted to a Westland Sea King Mk 50 with the Royal Australian navy (RAN). This will basically be an out of the box build given my previous horror stories building rotary wing a/c. My apologies to vic in particular. They say emulation is the highest form of flattery vic, but this was sheer coincidence, and i havent anything else i can enter at the moment.....I do sincerely apologise for the overlap....but hey it might be interesting to see how thge two builds work out....
Extras: Aussie Decals Decal set. Am trying to find a PE cockpit after market kit, but nothing yet.
My entry for GB14 is the Sea King Mk 50, S/NThis helo has a special place for me, as it was introduced around the time I joined the RAN as a junior recruit. When it was withdrawn from service in 2011 (after more than 35 years service) I admit to a certain lump in certain part of my throat….i felt as if a dear friend had just passed away. I had trained with it, travelled in it, ordered it to do stuff, worried about it, cursed it, and ultimately grew to have a very soft spot for it in my heart…
My entry will be from the heart, but I am somewhat daunted by the plethora of talented people that are also lining up to build this baby. Mine is at a smaller scale, in keeping with my larger project of building all the RAN types at 1/72 scale, but the kit is not too bad actually. No obvious signs of poor quality, and a reasonably challenging build for a novice .
I apologise for building yet another Sea king, but for me I don't have another choice at the moment
The Mk50 was the first fully uprated version of the Sea King HAS.1 to fly (30 Jun 1974), incorporating many features of the RN HAS.2. 10 ordered by Australian Navy, with deliveries from Autumn 1974. RAN Sea King serials are N16- plus the Westland airframe build number (as opposed to the c/n).
Sea King Mk.50 replaced the Westland Wessex HAS.31 as the RAN's ASW Helicopter. During the first five years of operation, a number of aircraft were lost due primarily to a loss of Main Gear box oil. Two more Sea Kings (the MK.50A) were acquired from Westlands in 1980 and had increased internal cabin space. Following the 1982 retirement of the carrier HMAS Melbourne, by Jan 2004 Australian Sea Kings could still operate from the replenishment vessel HMAS Success (OR 304), the landing ship heavy HMAS Tobruk (L 50) and the amphibious transport ships HMAS Kanimbla (L 51) and HMAS Manoora (L 52).
3 further examples ordered at Mk50A standard as attrition replacements in early 1980s.
RAN Sea King Mk50 fitouts typically included Racal ARI 5955/2 lightweight radar, Racal Navigation System RNS252, Racal Doppler 91, ADF Bendix/King KDF 806A and Tacan AN/ARN 118. All serving Mk50 airframes were further upgraded to Mk50A standard through a mid-life extension (LOTE) project, signed on 1 Jul 1994. The Sea King fleet was used in the anti-submarine warfare and submarine training role. In 1995, the AQS-13B sonar was removed and from that point, the Sea Kings main role was changed to maritime utility support.
RAN Sea King "07" S/N N-16-118 Chassis number WA793 has the following individual history: "First Flight 03/01/75. Previously G-17-7. Delivered 18/02/75. Delivered 02/03/75. On board HMAS Melbourne, 'Spithead Deployment' 28/04/77 to 04/10/77 with HS817. RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset UK. 25-28 June '77 to participate in mass flypast for Queens Silver Jubilee celebrations, due to bad weather 07 did not take part. Exercise 'Highwood' 5-20 July '77, North Sea VERTREP from RFA Stromness to HMAS Melbourne. First Sea King to undergo LOTE. Large crack found in fuslage 97? major repairs undertaken. Then the Gulf aboard HMAS Success for 2.5 years. In Timor onboard HMAS Tobruk. Participated in the largest amphibious assault since WW2, where 100+ troops and equipment were inserted into the southern coastal town of Suai. Noted with toned down markings 24/02/02. In the Gulf aboard HMAS Kanimbla during 03-04/2003 on operation Bastile/Falconer. On 13 April 2003 with L/CDR Moggach(P)RAN and crew the aircraft suffered an input coupling bearing failure in the main transmission whilst conducting a low level recce sortie over Iraq's Al Faw peninsular.The crew managed to nurse the aircraft 18nm to a Royal Navy base at Az Zubayr where an emergency landing was made.The aircraft had 2 engines and a main rotor gearbox changed in Iraq as a result.Between the 25/2/03 and the 25/3/03 during Operations in the North Arabian Gulf, Shark 07 has flown 112.5 hours. The aircraft was also fitted with a 7.62 mm cabin mounted machine gun with 1000 rounds of link ammunition and armoured seats for the crew.
Served with with 817 Squadron as Shark 07.
Took part in final Sea King flight formation prior to retirement 15/12/2011.
To be preserved FAA Museum Nowra"
The replacement for the Sea King was meant to be the Kaman Seasprite. This light ASW Helo has not proven equal to the task, and Australia at this moment is in the unfortunate position of having no dedicated airborne ASW assets. The navy is using Sea Hawk utility helos as a stopgap with results as good as can be expected, but nowhere near as good or effective as the best days of the Sea King. The RAN was once considered one of the foremost ASW expert forces s in Air /surface ASW co-operation. We seem to have given that advantage away at this moment
The last 5 operational Sea Kings withdrawn from service in December 2011
I intend to paint my sea king in the colours applied as they existed 1976-2002
1/72 Sea King Mk 50 – Home Country Modern Aircraft/Spitfire Marks GB
Username: Parsifal
First name: Michael
Category: Beginner
Scale: 1/72
Manufacturer: Airfix kit
Model Type: Sikorsky Sea King HAS 2 converted to a Westland Sea King Mk 50 with the Royal Australian navy (RAN). This will basically be an out of the box build given my previous horror stories building rotary wing a/c. My apologies to vic in particular. They say emulation is the highest form of flattery vic, but this was sheer coincidence, and i havent anything else i can enter at the moment.....I do sincerely apologise for the overlap....but hey it might be interesting to see how thge two builds work out....
Extras: Aussie Decals Decal set. Am trying to find a PE cockpit after market kit, but nothing yet.
My entry for GB14 is the Sea King Mk 50, S/NThis helo has a special place for me, as it was introduced around the time I joined the RAN as a junior recruit. When it was withdrawn from service in 2011 (after more than 35 years service) I admit to a certain lump in certain part of my throat….i felt as if a dear friend had just passed away. I had trained with it, travelled in it, ordered it to do stuff, worried about it, cursed it, and ultimately grew to have a very soft spot for it in my heart…
My entry will be from the heart, but I am somewhat daunted by the plethora of talented people that are also lining up to build this baby. Mine is at a smaller scale, in keeping with my larger project of building all the RAN types at 1/72 scale, but the kit is not too bad actually. No obvious signs of poor quality, and a reasonably challenging build for a novice .
I apologise for building yet another Sea king, but for me I don't have another choice at the moment
The Mk50 was the first fully uprated version of the Sea King HAS.1 to fly (30 Jun 1974), incorporating many features of the RN HAS.2. 10 ordered by Australian Navy, with deliveries from Autumn 1974. RAN Sea King serials are N16- plus the Westland airframe build number (as opposed to the c/n).
Sea King Mk.50 replaced the Westland Wessex HAS.31 as the RAN's ASW Helicopter. During the first five years of operation, a number of aircraft were lost due primarily to a loss of Main Gear box oil. Two more Sea Kings (the MK.50A) were acquired from Westlands in 1980 and had increased internal cabin space. Following the 1982 retirement of the carrier HMAS Melbourne, by Jan 2004 Australian Sea Kings could still operate from the replenishment vessel HMAS Success (OR 304), the landing ship heavy HMAS Tobruk (L 50) and the amphibious transport ships HMAS Kanimbla (L 51) and HMAS Manoora (L 52).
3 further examples ordered at Mk50A standard as attrition replacements in early 1980s.
RAN Sea King Mk50 fitouts typically included Racal ARI 5955/2 lightweight radar, Racal Navigation System RNS252, Racal Doppler 91, ADF Bendix/King KDF 806A and Tacan AN/ARN 118. All serving Mk50 airframes were further upgraded to Mk50A standard through a mid-life extension (LOTE) project, signed on 1 Jul 1994. The Sea King fleet was used in the anti-submarine warfare and submarine training role. In 1995, the AQS-13B sonar was removed and from that point, the Sea Kings main role was changed to maritime utility support.
RAN Sea King "07" S/N N-16-118 Chassis number WA793 has the following individual history: "First Flight 03/01/75. Previously G-17-7. Delivered 18/02/75. Delivered 02/03/75. On board HMAS Melbourne, 'Spithead Deployment' 28/04/77 to 04/10/77 with HS817. RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset UK. 25-28 June '77 to participate in mass flypast for Queens Silver Jubilee celebrations, due to bad weather 07 did not take part. Exercise 'Highwood' 5-20 July '77, North Sea VERTREP from RFA Stromness to HMAS Melbourne. First Sea King to undergo LOTE. Large crack found in fuslage 97? major repairs undertaken. Then the Gulf aboard HMAS Success for 2.5 years. In Timor onboard HMAS Tobruk. Participated in the largest amphibious assault since WW2, where 100+ troops and equipment were inserted into the southern coastal town of Suai. Noted with toned down markings 24/02/02. In the Gulf aboard HMAS Kanimbla during 03-04/2003 on operation Bastile/Falconer. On 13 April 2003 with L/CDR Moggach(P)RAN and crew the aircraft suffered an input coupling bearing failure in the main transmission whilst conducting a low level recce sortie over Iraq's Al Faw peninsular.The crew managed to nurse the aircraft 18nm to a Royal Navy base at Az Zubayr where an emergency landing was made.The aircraft had 2 engines and a main rotor gearbox changed in Iraq as a result.Between the 25/2/03 and the 25/3/03 during Operations in the North Arabian Gulf, Shark 07 has flown 112.5 hours. The aircraft was also fitted with a 7.62 mm cabin mounted machine gun with 1000 rounds of link ammunition and armoured seats for the crew.
Served with with 817 Squadron as Shark 07.
Took part in final Sea King flight formation prior to retirement 15/12/2011.
To be preserved FAA Museum Nowra"
The replacement for the Sea King was meant to be the Kaman Seasprite. This light ASW Helo has not proven equal to the task, and Australia at this moment is in the unfortunate position of having no dedicated airborne ASW assets. The navy is using Sea Hawk utility helos as a stopgap with results as good as can be expected, but nowhere near as good or effective as the best days of the Sea King. The RAN was once considered one of the foremost ASW expert forces s in Air /surface ASW co-operation. We seem to have given that advantage away at this moment
The last 5 operational Sea Kings withdrawn from service in December 2011
I intend to paint my sea king in the colours applied as they existed 1976-2002
Attachments
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