Hi.

After being away from modelling a couple of years I decided to build something different from armour so I ended up with a Blackhawk.
I´m sure these questions have been asked before, and I`ve been searching the forum but I couldn´t really find what I was looking for.

My base is Italeri "MH-60K Blackhawk SOA" in 1/48 with Eduard detail sets for this kit and my questions right now are as follows:

1. Is this a good start for building a SOAR Blackhawk and how much have to be changed, added or/and scratchbuilt?

2. Is the whole interior, seats, belts floor, roof, rear compartment completely black?

Pictures or any other reference material is much appreciated.

//

Torbjörn

It sounds like a pretty good starting point. Here is a review of it.

For the interior colors, only the front cockpit is flat black. Everything forward of the step up in the floor is black.



The rear cabin is all a medium grey color, with the aux fuel tanks (if carried) being flat black.

MH-60L cabin, MH-60K is in the same scheme.



The exterior color should not be grey with black markings as the kit instructions show. All 160th SOAR aircraft are flat black on the exterior with OD green markings. You can get great replacement decals from Werner's Wings in their 160th SOAR Decals sets Part 1 or Part 2.



Here is a full walk-around of an MH-60L for reference. An MH-60K is in the same colors and pretty much the same set-up.

I've since learned that the Task Force are not actually flat black. They are a darker version of FS34031. The mixture ration given to me by a Night Stalker is two parts FS 34031 and one part flat black. They do fade to the grey side of the house relatively quickly.

Your mileage may vary
Floyd

Interesting. It still looks like black to me. I think that may still be the best way to represent it on models.

Thanks, that was really useful. What is the difference between the L and K versions? The extra fuel tank, how is it connected to the aircraft itself and how big would it be in 1/48? It seems a bit more interesting than just plain seats.

Both the L and the K models can carry the aux fuel tanks. The difference between the two is in the external sensors and weather/terrain radars carried.

You can see the difference around the nose and how the radars are mounted. The K has a bunch more sensors and a more advanced terrain-following radar.

MH-60L


MH-60K


The MH-60L can also carry the ESSS Wings and weapons in the DAP (Direct Action Penetrator) Gunship configuration. K models cannot be converted into DAPS.

MH-60L DAP



Also, SOAR aircraft don't usually carry any troop seats in the rear. This leaves more room for gear and troopers. The gunner' seats may be carried, but are also often not used w/the gunners sitting on ammo cans instead.

The AUX tanks (there are two, side by side) are pretty big and fill pretty much the whole area along the back wall to just into the cargo door openings. There are hoses and fitting on the top that go back into an opening in the rear wall.

Thanks again. I don´t think it will be to difficult to scratchbuild the fuel tanks but the rear compartment roof whith the fast rope things will probably be a bigger challenge.