Kaman SH-2F Seasprite, HSL-33 Seasnakes, US Navy.
Airfix 1/72
The Airfix Seasprite is a superb model, definitely one of Airfix' best.
The Seasprite was the US Navy's equivalent of the Westland Lynx; never quite as capable,
successful or numerous, nevertheless, it continues in service today with the Egyptian,
New Zealand and Polish Navies, nearly 50 years after it first flew. Although the
Australian Navy recently tried to bring it into service for their smaller ships,
they were very disappointed by the performance of their early deliveries and cancelled
the entire order in 2007.
The Seasprite started life as a SAR and utility helicopter, but an up-engined variant,
fitted with radar and carrying ASW weaponry was selected in the 1970s as the basis
of the US Navy's LAMPS (Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System). With its emphasis on
Carrier Battle Groups and high-end ASW, the USN was never entirely sold on the light
and small Seasprite and it retired them in favour of the far more capable and larger
SH-60 Seahawk in 1993.
Link to Seasprite Build Page
Vertol 107 HKP-4, Royal Swedish Navy, 2008.
Airfix 1/72 with minor modifications (Torpedo Rails, float struts, radar dome).
The Boeing Vertol 107 design was selected by the US Marines in early 1961 as the
CH-46 Sea Knight assault helicopter and is expected to remain in service until 2014,
when the last squadrons will have converted to the MV-22 Tilt Rotor aircraft.
In Swedish service, the aircraft is known as the HKP-4; as well as its normal assault
and cargo role with the Swedish Air Force, Swedish Navy Vertols are used as Anti-Submarine
helicopters, fitted with a radar dome on the rear ramp and capable of carrying depth-charges
and homing torpedoes. 107 variants were also built under licence by Kawasaki in Japan.
Bell AH-1W Sea Cobra, VX-5 NAS China Lake, USMC/USN, 1990
Italeri 1/72
The Bell Huey Cobra was the original Western attack helicopter. Based on the airframe
of the proven UH-1 Huey utility helicopter, it entered service toward the end of
the Vietnam war. The improved AH-1W version was created for the US Marines in the
early 1980s, and features twin engines and a longer tail boom.
As of 2010, the USMC still had 167 AH-1Ws in service.
Kamov Ka25 Hormone, Red Banner Northern Fleet, Murmansk, 1987.
Airfix 1/72, largely out of the box. Scratch detailed interior:
Kamov OKB's contra rotating rotor designs are well suited to the anti-submarine role,
allowing aircraft to hover safely and in extreme weather conditions. Based ashore
and at sea, the Hormone was the main Soviet and Eastern Block ASW platform during
the Cold War .
Kamov Ka27 Helix A, Russian Federation Northern Fleet, Murmansk, 2010.
Zvezda 1/72, with modified decals:
The Helix was introduced in the 1970s as an upgrade to overcome the bad weather and
night operation limits of the Hormone. The external dimensions of the earlier aircraft
were retained to enable compatibility with existing ships and their hangars, whilst
fitting much more powerful engines and rotor blades as well as a significantly bigger
cabin to carry additional ASW equipment and systems.
Eurocopter EC135. Western Counties Police Air Operations Unit,
Filton Airfield, Bristol, 2008.
This is the delicate and nicely detailed 1/72 Revell EC135VIP, modified into my local
Western Counties Air Operations Unit Police Helicopter. The EC135 is widely used
by Police Forces across the world, and this particular one is a common site over
the skies of the Avon & Somerset and South Gloucestershire Policing areas, and seems
to spend a disproportionate amount of time hovering around my house! Link to Build
Page
Moscow Helicopter Plant Mil Mi-17 (NATO Codename Hip-H)
Ukrainian Army Aviation, Azovstal Steelworks, Mariupol, March 2022
Hobby Boss 1/72 with own decals and scratch additions. (Link to build page)
The highly successful Mil Mi-17 helicopter is a development of the Soviet era Mi-8
troop carrier that first flew in 1961. The improved and up-engined Mi-17 followed
in 1975, entering active service 5 years later, with over 12,000 built to date. Designated
by NATO as the "Hip-H" it remains in active service around the world, with new aircraft
being ordered as recently as 2021. In Russian service it is known as the Mil Mi-8MT,
with the Mi-17 designation reserved for export aircraft.
Ukraine is (or was) a major user of the Mi-17 with most operated by the Ukrainian
Army Aviation, although a smaller number belong to the Ukrainian Air Force. After
5 months of Russian attacks, It is not clear how many Ukrainian Hips remain operational,
although it is reported that many more are being supplied by friendly countries to
replace losses.
Moscow Helicopter Plant Mil Mi-24V (NATO Codename Hind-E)
Ukrainian Army Aviation, Eastern Ukraine, 2015
Hobby Boss 1/72 with own decals and scratch additions. (Link to build page)
The Mi-24 was designed by the USSR in the mid 1960s as a heavily armed helicopter
gunship that could also ferry Soviet troops across the battlefield. Using the same
underlying components as the Mi-8 Hip transport helicopter, it entered Soviet service
in 1971 and has served with most Soviet client states through to the present day.
The airframe has been constantly updated with new weapons and sensors, evolving
into the the most recent Mi-35 export variants. Although it is fast in level flight,
the large airframe is not the most manoeuvrable design, especially when fully loaded,
or carrying a troop load (of up to 10 ).
Ukraine has operated the Mi-24 since it gained its independence, inheriting many
former Soviet aircraft. and it is estimated that around 34 Mi-24s remained in service
at the end of 2021. Prior to the 2022 Russian Invasion, a detachment of Ukrainians
Mi-24s flew thousands of combat missions supporting UN peacekeepers in Congo, Liberia,
and Sierra Leone.
During the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea and related destabilisation of the Donbas
region, Ukrainian Mi-24s suffered high losses at the hands of Russian-backed (and
armed) rebels. The Ukrainians have generally remained tight-lipped about Mi-24 operations
during the current war, although it is known that they were very active during the
counter assault that defeated the initial Russian attack on Hostomel Airport near
Kyiv. Mi-24s also conducted the strikes against the Belgorad oil facilities within
Russia, as well as escorting the famous relief missions into besieged Mariupol.
More recently, several of Ukraine’s neighbours have offered to transfer their own
Mi-24s to the Ukrainians, with ex-Czechian aircraft arriving and commencing operations
in early 2023.
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