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CD48053 - US Navy SH-2F Seasprite


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  • 1 month later...

Hi Eli,

I finished most of the design work by using the Matchbox kit, but will need the kit to finish a few elements that need to fit specific kit parts. Since this manufacturer does not co-operate with me, I need to wait until the kit is generally available. I will post the final layout as soon as the kit is available somewhere on the planet and I can get my hands on one.

Edited by KursadA
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I have a few, but I have not placed the stencilling on them yet. There is some pretty extensive stencilling on these helicopters that make them look particularly busy and attractive (I drew mine with the help of walkaround photos of the Seasprite displayed on USS Hornet, possibly the only one in existence that still has its original stencilling). I'd rather post complete profiles this weekend than posting some threadbare ones now. I have artwork for HSL-30 thru HSL-35, HSL-37 and HSL-74. I have not decided which ones will be on the sheet yet, but it looks 4 or 5 individual units can be featured.

Edited by KursadA
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HI Kursad

Sounds great. I may have missed your post on this if you did one, but were you even thinking of some of the other operators like the RAAF? I know you would require some references but just thought I would ask.

Thanks for keeping me broke :)

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Sounds great. I may have missed your post on this if you did one, but were you even thinking of some of the other operators like the RAAF? I know you would require some references but just thought I would ask.

I am certainly interested in doing the Australian and Polish markings, but I believe they operate the SH-2G version which can not be built OOB from this kit. I am sure Kitty Hawk will do the SH-2G at some point. When they do, it is highly likely that they would include decals of adequate quality for both users. Kitty Hawk's decal designer is actually very proficient, so competing with the kit decals for such small niches is not a very straightforward decision(In contrast, providing markings for Trumpeter kits is like shooting fish in a barrel).

Edited by KursadA
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(In contrast, providing markings for Trumpeter kits is like shooting fish in a barrel).

Now that's funny :) but so true unfortunately. In most cases I do nto even care what the decals included int he Trumpeter kit are since I know I probably going to end up tossing them in to my left over decal bin. So sad.

Hey, keeps you in the decal business and for that I am very grateful. I think I need to invent a pill where I don't have to sleep so that I can build models when I get home from work :rolleyes:

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I laid out the stencils, so here are some -incomplete- drafts for some of the options that should give you an idea. These are missing some unit badges, sonobuoy door art, etc; I will finalize the rest after I receive my kit tomorrow.

I started this project last year with the Matchbox kit in mind, so the Kitty Hawk kit was a nice surprise. Since the kit is now available, I will prioritize this sheet and release it in the March batch.

sh2fdraft.jpg

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I laid out the stencils, so here are some -incomplete- drafts for some of the options that should give you an idea. These are missing some unit badges, sonobuoy door art, etc; I will finalize the rest after I receive my kit tomorrow.

I started this project last year with the Matchbox kit in mind, so the Kitty Hawk kit was a nice surprise. Since the kit is now available, I will prioritize this sheet and release it in the March batch.

Kursad,

Be sure to check the rotor blade sprue when you get yours. Mine arrived today and I saw that the nose sprue was folded over and putting pressure on the rotor stubs causing a few of them to bend. They should be okay because of the way they attach to the hub but look like they could easily break if too much pressure from the other parts is put on them.

-Peter

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I just received the kit in good shape (thanks for the heads-up about the rotor sprue, Peter) and I have to say I am impressed! I don't have scale drawings or plans to check its accuracy, but overall dimensions match published numbers and the kit has lots of impressive detail. The very subtle surface rivet detail is very good, and I hope it won't disappear under a coat of paint. One omission I can see right away is the lack of sonobuoy launchers - the kit just provides a cover, and does not allow the option of showing the sonobuoy launcher array without the cover. It could be a relatively quick project for a resin aftermarket business.

I assure you you will want to use my decals if you'd like to build this kit, though - it will certainly be an improvement over the relatively bland kit sheet choices. I hope to wrap up the overall layout sometime this weekend.

Edited by KursadA
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I have included markings for the walkways on top of the nacelles as well as the MAD bird, which might be difficult to paint correctly.

While doing the layout today, I took a closer look at the transmission cover..I think this is a big deal folks - it won't be easy to correct this as the shapes are a bit different. I don't know how they missed this one: The kit only provides a SH-2G transmission cover and can not be built as an accurate SH-2F out of the box unless this is corrected. Note the relative positions of the front edge of the transmission cover (marked with a red line) to the doors and windshield:

sh2fc.jpg

I will be going ahead with the decal sheet project, but I hope this gets corrected somehow: either by KH or an aftermarket company.

Edited by KursadA
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Here is the final draft of the sheet - I will do the final checks, refine the sonobuoy cover artwork elements and send it to be printed this week. It should be available in the first weeks of March (There is a second page with numbers and other white markings). There will be nine overall Engine Gray SH-2F options on the sheet, each from a different squadron. Limited run.

cd48053final.jpg

Edited by KursadA
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The decals look great, can't wait to order a set.

As far as the transmission cover goes, it looks like it needs to go back 1/4 of an inch. The clear roof above the cockpit will require a filler piece in addition to the forward doghouse. I'm going to look at the kit part profile at some point in the next day or so.

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Decals look good and I will get a set.

Hopefully like you say we can re-profile the cover and move it back a bit.

Think maybe a G is on the cards as well and they made a mistake.

I am a little surprised we did not get the third seat and sensor station for the back.

Julien

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here are some dry fit shots, looks like it will go together well (though the interior isn't in it).

The biggest issue with fixing the doghouse is not reshaping the kit part but the clear parts. The red marks are crudely drawn but are in the approximate spots.

The pencil line shows where the real thing should meet the top of the fuselage based on Kursad's photos.

DSC_0190_zpsd3025ecd-1.jpg

Better contrast of that same spot

DSC_0189_zpsc9c74da7-1.jpg

The clear part has a cut out where the doghouse sits and it cuts into where the rest of the windows should be. From the photo's I've seen the windows should be a parallelogram in shape.

DSC_0192_zpsa1700e73.jpg

I think I might just take the easy out of filling the forward grill openings and make due.

Hope this helps.

Peter

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Full list of options on this sheet (CD48053) are:

-SH-2F BuNo. 151313, HSL-30

-SH-2F BuNo. 150155, HSL-31

-SH-2F BuNo. 151321, HSL-32 ("Invader Zulu")

-SH-2F BuNo. 151912, HSL-33

-SH-2F BuNo. 150156, HSL-34

-SH-2F BuNo. 150152, HSL-35 ("Ned Kelly's Starship")

-SH-2F BuNo. 151658, HSL-36

-SH-2F BuNo. 150143, HSL-74

-SH-2F BuNo. 149017, HSL-84 ("Blood, Guts, and Butts")

Four of the options (HSL-32/35/74/84) have sonobuoy launcher cover art.

Coming in early March as promised earlier - I will hopefully get to do the profiles in the next two weeks.

Edited by KursadA
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