Lancfan's new Airfix Royal Navy Sea King HAS.2 **FINISHED**

[lancfan]

My builds for the GB will be a type 4 boxing of the venerable Airfix Sea King in NASA
recovery markings and the latest boxing of the same kit to be built side by side.
The subject of this build will be of the latest boxing of the same kit now numbered A03043 and finished using model Alliance decals for an aircraft of 824 NAS, on board HMS Ark Royal in 1974, this is the usual box and sprue shot ready for sunday.


David.

[ShaunW]

A very interesting comparison. I've never built this version of the Airfix Sea King.

[lancfan]

Had a late start due to finishing off my Heinkel 111 SB and Mirage GB models but am back on track now, first report tomorrow.

David.

[lancfan]

Here we go then, this is one of two examples of the same kit that have been moulded decades apart. This kit is the 2013 release of this venerable model and should make a good comparison to the original boxing from the then recent tool.
There are a number of differences between the two kits as the mould was modified to depict the later marks of Sea King at some point and this new kit will have to be changed to more resemble the original parts to model an early Royal Navy aircraft which would be very similar to the US Navy SH-3D Sea King of the original kit. Here is one fuselage side from each kit showing the differences to be attended to before and during assembly.


The first step was to blank off the rearmost spotter's windows using the surplus parts 88 & 89 from the kit sprues, these were then filed flush and the two side windows to be kept which stood proud of the fuselage side were filed flush to the fuselage and repolished, the surplus port side forward window was blanked off, filled & sanded flush.


David.

[splash]

Hi Alan, thanks for the heads up on the modifications, this new ASR version of the Sea king kit does not have the inflatable radar or the late dorsal unit, the sand box is also missing. It is also cheaper than the AEW versions.


David.

[lancfan]

The interior is complete and the fuselage is about to be glued together, this is the counterpart to the picture I lost for my "old" Sea king build.


This is the close of play last night with the fuselage halves glued together.


Work continued today to bring this model up to the same state as the USN model including the rectification on the side door, the engine cowling did not fit at all well on this kit and had to be enlarged with plastic card before it would fit, the nose area was troublesome and has here been widened with plastic card and strapped up to hold it down using a block of balsawood to keep the shape for the canopy to fit as the glue dries.


David.

[Molly-new]

the engine cowling did not fit at all well on this kit and had to be enlarged with plastic card before it would fit, the nose area was troublesome and has here been widened with plastic card and strapped up to hold it down using a block of balsawood to keep the shape for the canopy to fit as the glue dries.

David.

When you buy a new kit you would expect it to fit better.

[lancfan]

Chip, don't forget that when the old kit was released the tool was new and this new release is from what is now a very old tool.


David.

[Molly-new]

That is one of the reasons I prefer the old classic kits to re-releases.

[lancfan]

The model now has a canopy, unlike the original kit in the foreground this kit needed work to build correctly, the nose being especially troublesome.
Image Lost.

David

[TomW]

The differences between Old and New are quite marked, I hadn't realised that Airfix had modified the Sea King tooling this much David, quite an eye-opening build. Keep up the good work.

Regards

Tom

[lancfan]

The differences between Old and New are quite marked, I hadn't realised that Airfix had modified the Sea King tooling this much David, quite an eye-opening build. Keep up the good work. Regards

Tom

Looking at various builds of recent issue Airfix Sea Kings and how badly they go together in different ways and to varying degrees I think it possible that there are currently two sets of toolings for this model with differently modified and added parts for different versions. Don't forget that this was a very popular model with global appeal and must have been a real cash cow for them so two (or more) moulds would have been a sensible way to keep up with demand.




David

[lancfan]

The sponsons have been assembled and sanded down ready for final assembly, checking images on a walkround (thanks for the link Splash) I spotted a close up of the grill covered outlet at the rear of the engine cowling.
I simulated this with a small curved piece of sandpaper carefully slid into the outlet and locked in place with cyano. The next task will be to fit the radome and the various antenaes and prime the model.


David.

[thomasweir]

Looking at various builds of recent issue Airfix Sea Kings and how badly they go together in different ways and to varying degrees I think it possible that there are currently two sets of toolings for this model with differently modified and added parts for different versions.
David

The original SH-3D tooling was modified to turn it into the RAF's HAR3 way back in 82/83. It has been a popular seller and has been boxed by Heller as well so the tooling is pretty much worn out. Anything produced after 2009 is a very tired product with ill fitting parts and plenty of flash. The only saving grace is the new sprue with additional parts to make the AEW, HAR 5 and the as yet unreleased HAS 5.

Its a pity Airfix did not include this additional sprue in their latest release to allow current HAR3/3A's to be built rather than an example from twenty years ago.

MPC also boxed Airfix's Sea King and their last release of it back in 82 was a RN Sea King HAS 1.

Good progress with your builds

[splash]

David seeing your progress with these Seakings has given me the push I need, so I'm raiding my stash to find a Seaking to make a Mk4, if it all goes wrong I'm blaming you.

Regards Splash