Let's only hope. Last month we saw the test shots of the kit, and here we see the box art. It’s not the Pave Low many were hoping for, but we can always turn to Cobra Company’s resin conversion set to convert it. I’m sure it’ll be better than the Revell of Germany kit, and if it’s anything from the past Academy Helicopter kits, the level of detail should be most welcomed.

Looks awesome. Hope it comes out as nice in plastic. As a note, it can't easily be made into a PAVE LOW helo. PAVE LOWs are C and D fuselages. They are quite different with 6 blades as opposed to 7, 2 engines instead of the E model's 3, and a smaller, straight tail, not the E model's angled tail plane. The C and D has smaller sponson tanks too. Not the really same helo.

You can see some of the differences in the MH-53J PAVE LOW III below.

Looks great, thanks for the update . I can't wait for this modern 'E' version. Although, couldn't they use another drawing for the box art?? It looks as if the starboard engine has suffered a catastrophic failure.....





( P.S.....I know it's a fire on the ground)

It has come to my attention that the link that I had posted on the new Academy 1st quarter release, I had not posted where the link of the news came from. While looking for new aircraft releases I stumbled across the news of Academy new kits over on Aircraft Resource Center, 9th post down.

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=75943

The real source of the news came from IPMS Deutschland,

http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/news.html

The real source of the news came from IPMS Deutschland, I would like to apologize to alpha_tango
(Steffen Arndt) for bringing to my attention.

Joe

as I already wrote you personally I did not want an apology or something. It would have been nice if you just could have slipped it in the news post. The original Info came from Academy Deutschland. So I do not own the info. I liberately shared it on "my" site and on Hyperscale from where it spread.

As you used the pictures from the IPMS Deutschland site a hint where the Info came from would have been nice.

no hard feelings and keep up posting news from all over the web --- just tell us where you got it from so we can monitor if you got it right

I am also excited about the CH-53. I just have to wait for the right variant to do the CH-53 GS in Afghanistan configuration (maybe a kitbash with the Revell)

best regards

Steffen

webmaster IPMS Deutschland

Just a little note on the box art: The markings on the aircraft represt an aircraft from HMH-461 "Ironhorse" over Iraq. That squadron (based out of MCAS New River, NC) hasn't been to Iraq for OIF. However, some of their aircraft have been to Iraq as part of composite squadrons in which the markings would be diffent.

At the altitude depicted on the box, the EAPS (Engine Air Particle Seperators) would have their doors open on the front.

It's just a couple of small things, but I'm really looking forward to this kit. I've begun collecting reference pics to post for my fellow modelers. I just need to find a spot on the web to post them.

Success with a CH-53E kit will be all about weathering. They're all very dirty machines.

Chris

Ridle,
Welcome to Armorama. I am assuming youare the same RidleUSMC at FSM.

You can send whatever you have to Don Busack at Prime Portal. He is always looking for more referance pics to post. Great guy too. Check out his site.

I am SO getting one of these when I get back stateside. Been a long time coming, but it looks like we're finally getting our voices heard on some of the new kits we'd like to see. Only problem is, what do I ask for next?

I'll be interested in all the refs you can provide Chris. Always nice to have somebody who works on the real thing to ask questions.