Westland Sea King HC.4

When it entered service in 1961, the Sea King was the world's most advanced helicopter of its type, and offered the US Navy one of the most flexible platforms at the time.
In the UK, an existing licensing agreement between Westland Helicopters and Sikorsky to build their helicopters in the UK was extended to include the SH-3 Sea King not long after the prototype's first flight. Even at this early stage, the incredible potential of this new helicopter was clear, and Britain wanted its own Sea Kings.
Outwardly, the Sea King helicopters manufactured by Westland shared the same classic lines of the US helicopter, but inside they were very different machines with numerous modifications tailored to British requirements.
The Westland Sea King was selected by the Royal Navy to meet its need for an anti-submarine warfare helicopter, replacing the venerable Westland Wessex in that role.
60 machines were ordered in the summer of 1966.
Known as the 'King of the Junglies', ZA298 was the Sea King HC.4 that served the longest.
For over 30 years it saw action in the wars in the Falklands, Bosnia, Iraq and most recently Afghanistan.
A special variant of the Westland Sea King, the HC.4 was the Royal Navy's troop transport and supply helicopter, replacing the Wessex HU.5 helicopters, and a development of similar aircraft produced for the Egyptian and Qatari air forces.
Eventually 42 new-build helicopters were produced in this configuration, and by their nature they were never far from the operational area.
The Junglie, as it was affectionately known, was deployed in combat zones all over the world during its 36 years of service, serving with distinction from the Falklands War to the British deployment in Afghanistan.

Plastic model kit
 

• Excellently reproduced riveting and overlapping panels
• Interior included
• Foldable rotor blades and tail
• Undercarriage without stabilizing fin, unique to the HC.4 variant
• New interior parts including extended cabin and additional seats
• Option for open/closed doors
• GPMG machine gun mount
• New cockpit detail parts
• Additional antenna and countermeasures detail parts, matching the HC.4

Decal options:

• Westland Sea King HC.4, ZA298 ‘King of the Junglies’, No.846 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy, HMS Fearless, Operation ‘Corporate’, Falkland Islands, 1982
• Westland Sea King HC.4, ZA312, No.845 Naval Air Squadron, Operation ‘Granby’/Desert Storm, Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy, King Khalid Military City, Saudi Arabia, January-February 1991
• Westland Sea King HC.4, ZD480, No.845 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy, Croatia, 1995
• Westland Sea King HC.4, ZF122, No.845 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, Somerset, 2013

Scale 1:48

unbuilt / unpainted

Paint and glue not included