Sea King HC.Mk 4 Airfix 1:72

If you have any corrections or update, please send me e-mail.

In December 2015 Airfix released new tool Sea King HC.4 in 1:72.
This is probably the best HC.4 so far, because Airfix used LIDAR (laser scanner) to scan the original 1:1 airframe and convert it to CAD design and produce 1:72 kit.
Unfortunately, the kit is not great in details and also the scribing is so so, definetly not something you could expect in 21st century ....
If you want to build proper HC.4 Sea King from Gulf war from Airfix kit, you need to make some "tweaks" to the kit.
Following is a table with "lumps and bumps" configuration, as there were few setups thanks to ongoing upgrade of electronics etc.

Configuration of antennas, accesories and camouflage schemes

All the information in the table below is based on available pics !! And, yes, it could changed while in Gulf, there is just not the photo proof, yet.

ser. no.	D9+C17	F20+F21	E15	A5+A7	RWR setup	F15+F16	C11	C9+F28	camouflage	note

ZA291 VN				yes	3		yes	yes	pink	*2, RWR setup from info only
ZA293 VP	yes	yes		yes	1 (3 in 1993)		yes	yes	pink	EAPS + ALQ frame during washdown
ZA296 VK		yes	yes	yes	1 (later 2)	yes	yes	yes	pink	F.O.D. ramp
ZA298 WA/WJ				yes			yes	yes	pink
ZA310 VQ		no	no	yes	1	no	yes	yes	pink	F.O.D. ramp
ZA312 B	yes	no	no	yes	2	yes	yes	yes	pink	invasion stripes
ZA313 E	yes	no	no	yes	2 (3 in 1992)	yes	yes	yes	pink	invasion stripes
ZA314 WD/WM	yes	no	no	yes	2	yes	yes	yes	pink	*1
ZD476 VJ	yes	yes	yes	yes	1	yes	yes	yes	pink	AN/ALQ-157 on pic with F.O.D. only
ZD477 A	yes	no	no	yes	2 (3 in 1993)	yes	yes	yes	pink	invasion stripes, M-130 on invasion stripes pic only
ZD478 VM	yes	yes	no	yes	1	yes	yes	yes	pink
ZD480 C	yes	no	no	yes	2 (3 in 1992)	yes	yes	yes	pink	invasion stripes
ZE425	yes	yes	yes	yes	3	no	yes	yes	pink
ZE427 WB/WK	yes	no	no	yes	2	yes	yes	yes	pink	EAPS + invasion stripes with "WK"
ZE428 WC/WL	yes	no	no	yes	2	no	yes	yes	pink	EAPS + invasion stripes with "WL"
ZF117 D	yes	no	no	yes	2 (3 in 1993)	yes	yes	yes	pink	EAPS + M-130 + invasion stripes, orange ID panel behind rotor head
ZF118 VL	no	yes	yes	yes	2	yes	yes	yes	green	F.O.D. ramp
ZF119 VO	yes	yes	yes	yes	2	yes	yes	yes	green	F.O.D. ramp or EAPS
ZG820 F	yes	no	no	yes	2 (3 in 1992)	yes	yes	yes	pink	invasion stripes, orange ID panel behind rotor head
ZG821 WE/WN	yes	no	no	yes	2 (3 in 1993)	no	yes	yes	pink	invasion stripes on "WN" only
ZG822 WF/WO	yes	no	no	yes	2		yes	yes	pink

*1 - as WD - no invasion stripes, no EAPS, no F.O.D. ramp, no chaff/flare, no IR jammer
*2 - there is no pic of ZA291 in Gulf setup, only info that it had everything installed
NOTE: where there is no info of "yes/no", there are no pics to prove it.

Abbreviations: (antennas and other "lumps and bumps")

ZA314
ZA314

01 - front small RWR "Prophet" - in kit moulded on part no. F12
02 - HF antenna - every airframe had this antenna installed - in kit parts no. A5+A7 (antenna masts) + thin wire for the antenna itself
03 - lower UHF antenna - every airframe had this antenna installed - in kit part no. C9
04 - DME antenna - every airframe had this antenna installed - in kit moulded on parts no. A1+A2
05 - rear small RWR "Prophet" - not in the kit (they should be, they are part of the rear hemisphere if the airframe has the front hemisphere antennas)
06 - VOR/ILS localiser antenna - every airframe had this antenna installed (on both sides of the fuselage) - not in the kit (they are in Revell kit)
07 - upper UHF/VUHF - every airframe had this antenna installed - in kit moulded on part A1 BUT it is wrong shape - compare and trim by pictures
08 - Trimble NAVSTAR GPS - every airframe had this antenna installed (except ZA310 - maybe installed later ? no photo proof yet) - NOT moulded in the kit
09 - V tac antenna - every airframe had this antenna installed - in kit part no. F28
10 - I band transponder - in kit moulded on part no. A1

ZD479
ZD479

01 - I band transponder - in kit moulded on part no. A1
02 - V tac antenna - every airframe had this antenna installed - in kit part no. F28
03 - VOR/ILS localiser antenna - every airframe had this antenna installed (on both sides of the fuselage) - not in the kit (they are in Revell kit)
04 - M-130 chaff/flare - mounted on both sides of rear fuselage - it is possible, that during the conflict, all airframes had them installed - no photo proof for every airframe - check the pics - in kit parts no. F15+F16
05 - fuel dump - every airframe had this installed - in kit part no. C5
06 - VAIR - every airframe had this installed - in kit part no. C8
07 - DME antenna - every airframe had this antenna installed - in kit moulded on parts no. A1+A2
08 - ADF "towel rack" antenna under the fuselage - every airframe had this antenna installed - in kit part no. C11
09 - Decca navigation unit - every airframe had this antenna installed - in kit part no. C28 - NOT IN INSTRUCTIONS !!!
10 - Trimble NAVSTAR GPS - every airframe had this antenna installed (except ZA310 - maybe installed later ? no photo proof yet - photo proof on pic from 1992) - NOT moulded in the kit
11 - upper UHF/VUHF - every airframe had this antenna installed - in kit moulded on part A1 BUT it is wrong shape - compare and trim by pictures
12 - AN/ALQ-157 IR jammer frame - not every airframe had installed either just the IR jammer frame or the frame with IR jammer - it is possible, that during the conflict, all airframes had them installed - no photo proof for every airframe - check the pic - in kit parts no. F20+F21 - in the exterior PE set from Eduard, but wrong type !! (the sides has round lightening holes, but in Gulf the frames had one big lightening hole)

bottom arrangement of antennas from the kit instructions

01 - I band transponder
02 - V tac antenna
03 - fuel dump
04 - M-130
05 - ADF antenna
06 - lower UHF antenna
07 - lower VHF antenna
08 - anti-collision beacon
09 - Chelton UHF homing antenna
10 - radar altimeter antenna
11 - controllable co-pilot spotlight
12 - fixed floodlights
13 - DME antenna
14 - doppler antenna
15 - ILS marker

Other things, for detail check other pics on my site:

EAPS - Engine Air Particle Separator - special sand/dust filter on engine intake - from pictures, some airframes had them installed, some had only the F.O.D. ramp and some had even removed the F.O.D. ramp - it is possible, that during the conflict, all except the shipborn airframes (ZF118 and ZF119), had them installed - no photo proof for every airframe - in kit parts no. D9+C17 - upgrade it with parts from Eduard set 72617 - 1,2,3,4,5 and 34
AN/ALQ-157 IR jammer - not every airframe had installed either just the IR jammer frame or the frame with IR jammer - it is possible, that during the conflict, all airframes had them installed - no photo proof for every airframe - check the pics - in kit part no. E15
GPMG and the pintle mount - every airframe had the fitting to use the GPMG - there is a photo proof of using them in Gulf - the pintle mount in the kit is correct, the gun is M2 version, UK airframes had GPMG, so replace it with e.g. Airwaves AES72127

There were 3 types of RWR setup:

1 - NO RWRs at all - check THIS (kit part F12) and: 1 - remove, 2 - fill and sand, 3 - leave (ILS/glide slope antenna), 4 - remove and sand
2 - "Prophet" older RWRs - small antennas on lower part of the nose + small antennas just ahead of the tail wheel - check THIS (kit part F12) and: 1 - remove, 2 - fill and sand, 3 - leave (ILS/glide slope antenna), 4 - leave. The kit is missing the small antennas mounted just ahead of the tail wheel - see THIS just below the M-130 mount - antennas are on both sides of the fuselage !!
3 - "Prophet" newest RWR - long nose mounted antennas (above the old antenas) (kit parts no. F22+F23 - NOT IN INSTRUCTIONS !!!) + long rear side fuselage mounted antennas (in the kit parts F24 + F25) - airframes ZA291 and ZE425 ONLY !! - check THIS (kit part F12) and: 1 - remove, 2 - install kit parts no. F22+F23 here, 3 - leave (ILS/glide slope antenna), 4 - leave. Additional pics of the front and rear antennas - FRONT and REAR

Additional pics of the modern HC.4 with great details HERE

Updates for the kit:
Eduard - 72617 exterior, 73545 interior, CX437 canopy mask, SS545 ZOOM

Additional info and configuration regarding the kit:

F11 - commando step - not so nice, replace it with PE parts from upcoming Eduard PE sets (parts 72617/6 and 9)
F3, C1, C2, C3 - seats in cargo compartment - all machines had them installed
C7 - Chelton UHF homing antenna - oval antenna cover with two protruding rods under the nose - remove the rods as they are not seen on the pictures which are available
E13 - "BriteStar" IR lamp - one info I have is that they installed only one on one side (which ?) for Gulf ops - not installed according to pictures
F26+F27 - door mounted gun - in kit it is M2 version, UK airframes had GPMG, so replace it with Airwaves AES72127
B7+C29+D13 - winch assembly - all pics shows it installed on every airframe
C24+C25 - F.O.D. ramp
main rotor blades - correct composite version for Gulf airframes
the kit is missing rear view mirrors (not in Eduard PE)
the kit is completely missing rivets
the kit has nearly toy-like rotor head, rebuild it or replace it (from Revell or Fujimi)
the kit is completely missing the cargo sling assembly, I will try to find the picture and how to replicate it

Additional info about camouflages:

orange ID panel on the spine behind the rotor on engine housing - known pictures of ZF117/D and ZG820/F, there is no photo proof for additional airframes, but probably all had them painted
the large patches of fresh desert pink color on some helos are oversprayed UK flags
in one picture, some helos had the UK flag painted under the nose, on they way to Gulf, then probably resprayed desert pink again
ZF118/VL had the nose and fuselage sprayed UK flag during whole conflict

If you want to build proper Gulf war Seaking HC.4 from Airfix kit, you should NOT USE parts:

C10 - antenna
F31+F32 - probably some modern antennas ? - not installed according to pictures
F17/F18 - nose mounted RWR antennas - newest type, not used in Gulf
B12 - 5 bladed tail rotor - all Gulf Sea Kings had 6 bladed tail rotors
F33 - RWR mounted under the tail - not installed on Gulf war airframes