Here is an in-box review of the 1/72 Whirlybits Sikorsky S-61N conversion set. It requires the Revell Germany Sea King kit for the majority of the additional parts. The S-61N has a strong Irish connection. It was first operated in Ireland by Irish Helicopters Ltd to support various off-shore instalations and later in the SAR role. The SAR contract was then taken over by Bond Helicopters (which was later aquired by CHC). The Irish Air Corps also leased a SAR S-61N for a period. Six S-61Ns are currently resident in Ireland on the Coast Guard contract with four manning the bases in Shannon, Dublin, Waterford and Sligo (with two maintenance relief machines). A pair of KLM S-61Ns (leased by Irish Helicopters) also supported the Papal visit in 1979. Decals are available for IAC and Irsh Coast Guard machines from Max Decals.
The Whirlybits conversion set is quite comprehensive and the version I bought was the SAR one (WBA72050), which is based primarily on the SAR machines operated in the past by Bristows. There are plenty of small differences between the Bristow S-61Ns and the CHC SAR S-61Ns used in Ireland. Bristow converted their 61s at their maintenance facilities in the UK while CHC converted theirs to a slightly different specification at its workshop in Stavanger in Norway. Things like winches, FLIR turrets and aerial fits are all different between the two companies as well as the long range fuel tanks fitted internally. The CHC Ireland S-61Ns recently underwent an upgrade which has seen them gain new equipment again. The IAC version is based on the first SAR version fielded by CHC. Even with the differences between the two operators, the conversion set as supplied is a fine basis for any Irish S-61N.
The conversion set included two fuselage halves in resin, with all doors opened up in their respective fuselage halves. Also supplied in resin are two sets of sponsons (one plain set and one with pop-out floats fitted), bulkhead, two of the doors, the cockpit floor, the front engine housing, a stairs, the tail pylon and tailplane and a set of rotor blades. The rotor blades can be replaced by plastic ones from the Airfix or Fujimi kits. The blades in the Revell kit are the new composite ones while the S-61N has the older metal blades. One bag of white metal parts contains the SAR equipment (FLIR and winch) and aerial fit. The second bag has the radar nose, engine intake guard and additional aerials and sponson supports. A sheet of plastic card is supplied for the cabin floor as is a template to accurately cut it out. A large etched-brass sheet includes the forward sliding door, innstrument panels and various aerials, rotor head and undercarriage leg details and grab handles. Other than the cabin floor, no detail is supplied for the main cabin, so a SAR cabin or passenger cabin will have to be detailed from the spares box or require some scratch building. The decal sheet covers three Bristow machines:
The Bristow Old Scheme; This is for a North Sea Oil Rig "Taxi" used in the seventies and eighties and is probably the paint scheme normally associated with the S-61N in Bristow service.
The Bristow New Scheme; This is again for an oil rig support machine. I think there are still a few S-61Ns in service in this role with Bristow and this is their current scheme.
The MCA Scheme; This is the Bristow SAR scheme many will be familiar with from the various English TV shows highlighting the work of the Coast Guard in the UK. A lot of the stenciling from this scheme also apply to the Irish SAR machines and will supplement the Max Decals markings already available.
This conversion set is not cheap at £36 sterling but it is a very comprehensive set. It is a vast improvemnt over the old Transport Wings conversion set and given that the S-61N is unlikely to ever be produced in plastic by one of the big manufacturers, this is the ultimate S-61N kit that is likely ever to be released and is highly recommended. It would be a very good basis for a superdetailing project.
BM.
