Westland Sea King HU.5 by chadwijm6 - Airfix - 1/48

[chadwijm6]

As I'm new to the hobby, since December 23, I've been looking at lots of kits to build. I have started to gather a bit of a collection, planes, cars, tanks (Airfix had a great deal for a mystery bundle) and 2 wooden boats, which will keep me going for months. But I do love helicopters. This airfix Sea King has been getting lots of good reviews, there are some fantastic builds on you tube. I've bought the Big Ed accessories pack from Eduard to enhance it slightly. I've decided to go with the HU.5 version of the kit, mainly because I like the colours!

[CDW]

Following along.

[Canute]

I'm in, too.

[Egilman]

It's a Whirly-bird? I'm in...

[AJohnson]

Pulling up a chair. 🍿

[Old Collingwood]

Im in also,   you shoul  have a very  plesent  journey  with  thie  kit  -  its  getting  very good  feedback  as being an excellent  kit  - possibly the  best  1 48  scale   Sea King.

 

OC.

[chadwijm6]

So I've been building up the interior. Because I've bought the Eduard accessories there's been quite a few fiddly bits, the backs of the pilots chairs for example, and then quite a lot of removing the detail that Airfix had spent a lot of time putting in to the model for the radar, cockpit controls etc. Anyway ready for primer now.

 

It is a very detailed model so far.

 

[chadwijm6]

In the meantime I've ordered one of these....

A build your own radio controlled micro plane

The owner has been very helpful with the bits I need.

 

https://microaces.myshopify.com/collections/tutor-series/products/microaces-scrappee-liaison-micro-trainer-kit

[chadwijm6]

And the first primer coat is also done

[realworkingsailor]

Always the fun of dealing with Eduard PE.
 

From my personal experience it has been more like assemble some plastic and PE components, look ahead six or seven steps in the Airfix instructions, study the Eduard instructions, wrack your brain trying to figure out how the next PE piece is supposed to be added/folded/bent, then turn the Eduard instructions over and realize that a different PE piece can only be applied two steps earlier in the Airfix instructions… try to add missed second PE piece without destroying anything done previously, then, after making a complete hash of it, go back to puzzling over the first PE piece….🙄

 

Andy

[Rik Thistle]

James,

 

An interesting and capable aircraft with a long pedigree. Looking forward to your build.

 

Richard

[chadwijm6]

5 hours ago, realworkingsailor said:

Always the fun of dealing with Eduard PE.
 

From my personal experience it has been more like assemble some plastic and PE components, look ahead six or seven steps in the Airfix instructions, study the Eduard instructions, wrack your brain trying to figure out how the next PE piece is supposed to be added/folded/bent, then turn the Eduard instructions over and realize that a different PE piece can only be applied two steps earlier in the Airfix instructions… try to add missed second PE piece without destroying anything done previously, then, after making a complete hash of it, go back to puzzling over the first PE piece….🙄

 

Andy

 

Exactly right Andy. So I have been through the Eduard instructions alongside the Airfix instructions and put a mark next to each step where the Eduard accessory should be used before I started. Bet I still miss at least one though!

[Dave_E]

I’m in! 🍿🥤😀

[CDW]

If you ever try building a ship model using a Pontos detail and photo etch set, a new high water mark will be set for photo etch sequence difficulty. The good news is, perseverence and patience usually pays dividends in either case.

 

Your work is coming along real nice.

[chadwijm6]

Quick update and a bit more painting has been done. Not at all happy with the colour of the seats so I've ordered a different blue but in the positive side I've added a bit of lighter shading to the grey flooring and I'm pleased with that.

Also today my Scrappee RC arrived, so I might start building that at the weekend (I've started a log, the link is in my signature, if you want to follow along)

 

Modelling is the hobby that keeps on giving!

[chadwijm6]

Damn these PE bits are fiddly.... Getting there though. 

Dry fit at the moment. I'm thinking I might spray a walkway through the cabin. Not exactly sticking to the reference photos but I've seen a couple like this and I think it looks good. 

 

[CDW]

Excellent cockpit! That’s eye-popping good.

[chadwijm6]

Still at dry fit stage but cabin floor is done

 

and the seats painted.

Quite a few seatbelts to fit next!

 

 

It is another lovely kit from Airfix. 

 

[Old Collingwood]

Very nice work.

 

OC.

[Canute]

Like the color of your web seats much better than the US birds. 👍 Usually ours were faded red.

[chadwijm6]

After the disaster that was the Scrappee today, burning out a motor, I'm pleased that I've still got my sea king.

 

Interior is done and now assembling the pod that Airfix use for cockpits and interiors on their new tooling kits, the spitfire had a similar process.

 

I've weathered the blue seats a bit, using acrylic washes for the first time, to try and give them a 'been out at sea' look. I'm not unhappy with it but I think I prefer using oils.

 

 

[realworkingsailor]

28 minutes ago, chadwijm6 said:

After the disaster that was the Scrappee today, burning out a motor, I'm pleased that I've still got my sea king.

Yeah, when it comes to electronics, once you release the magic smoke, it’s all over…. They usually only have one good puff in them….

 

Andy

[chadwijm6]

7 minutes ago, realworkingsailor said:

Yeah, when it comes to electronics, once you release the magic smoke, it’s all over…. They usually only have one good puff in them….

 

Andy

 

So true!!

[chadwijm6]

All gluing today.

I have to say the fit on this kit is exceptionally good from Airfix.

 

And I'm never buying PE bits again. Masks, yes, tiny bits of metal, No.

 

 

[CDW]

Turning out to be a very impressive model. I like Airfix kits, particularly the newer releases.

I agree with you, James, about photo etch to a certain extent. There are times when it's helpful and adds detail not available with the kit parts, but more often than not, I end up not using much of the set parts because they specifically do not add detail or realism to the kit. It's as if the parts are there simply as a "parts count", to make it appear the set is a bigger value for the money spent than it actually is. Many partially used photo etch sets sit idly in my spares box. I do admit however, sometimes the parts became useful in some other build the set was never intended for. For the most part, I try to stay away from buying photo etch sets unless I think it's something too important to pass up. Most of the time, it's not.

[davec]

James - I think your work looks great, and the photoetch you have used, especially the instruments, really add to the model.  I also agree with CDW that a lot of the  photoetch in the sets isn't very helpful.  Some of the prepainted instruments are way better than paint and decal and some of the  folded metal looks way better than thick molded plastic.  Some definitely doesn't.  Picking and choosing which to use definitely makes sense.  I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the model come together.

[chadwijm6]

3 hours ago, davec said:

James - I think your work looks great, and the photoetch you have used, especially the instruments, really add to the model.  I also agree with CDW that a lot of the  photoetch in the sets isn't very helpful.  Some of the prepainted instruments are way better than paint and decal and some of the  folded metal looks way better than thick molded plastic.  Some definitely doesn't.  Picking and choosing which to use definitely makes sense.  I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the model come together.

 

4 hours ago, CDW said:

Turning out to be a very impressive model. I like Airfix kits, particularly the newer releases.

I agree with you, James, about photo etch to a certain extent. There are times when it's helpful and adds detail not available with the kit parts, but more often than not, I end up not using much of the set parts because they specifically do not add detail or realism to the kit. It's as if the parts are there simply as a "parts count", to make it appear the set is a bigger value for the money spent than it actually is. Many partially used photo etch sets sit idly in my spares box. I do admit however, sometimes the parts became useful in some other build the set was never intended for. For the most part, I try to stay away from buying photo etch sets unless I think it's something too important to pass up. Most of the time, it's not.

 

I agree with you both on this. The instrument panel I've had from Eduard for this and the spitfire have been worth it for sure, excellent detail that I'm sure I couldn't have achieved with decals. But looking at this kit and then looking at the PE, Airfix have added so much detail that I'm not sure it's worth it. But on some kits I'm sure it i would be. I think I'll just be selective in future

 

And thanks for the nice comments. 

[chadwijm6]

I think he looks cool in black

 

 

[Old Collingwood]

50 minutes ago, chadwijm6 said:

I think he looks cool in black

 

 

Special Ops   SAS  Bird.

 

OC.

[chadwijm6]

The grey is on, but hidden at the moment, just trying to get the orange to right shade. I think I'm about there.