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Rotary Wing
Discuss helicopters and other rotary wing aircraft from any era.
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Kaman SH-2F Seasprite
Phantom2
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Östergötland, Sweden
Joined: April 18, 2006
KitMaker: 708 posts
AeroScale: 678 posts
Posted: Friday, April 06, 2007 - 02:42 AM UTC
Hi all!

I found this very interesting kit when I attended the IPMS Stockholm show last weekend;




Naturally, I couldn´t resist it, so I bought it on the spot as the price was good! (Resistance IS futile!)

The kit Is a Reboxed Matchbox kit, moulded in a light grey plastic and have very nice ( no trenches!) engraved panel lines and a superb decal sheet.

I have searched the net and googled, but there´s not much to find.
Sure, I got the story behind the prototype, but no build-reviews or photo walkarounds.

Anybody here who have built this kit, your opinions about it, any pics of the helicopter?

Maybe my next (and second) build in the Guardian Angels Campaign?

Please let me know what you know or think about this, prototype and kit!

Happy Easter to all!

Stefan E

betheyn
Staff MemberSenior Editor
AEROSCALE
#019
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: October 14, 2004
KitMaker: 4,560 posts
AeroScale: 2,225 posts
Posted: Friday, April 06, 2007 - 02:55 AM UTC
Hi Stefan,
A quick search uncovered this build review .
Hope it helps a bit.
I remember building one of these as a kid, but I'm sure it was 1/72nd scale and for the life of me can't remember who made it .
Andy
Grumpyoldman
Staff Member_ADVISOR
KITMAKER NETWORK
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Florida, United States
Joined: October 17, 2003
KitMaker: 15,338 posts
AeroScale: 836 posts
Posted: Friday, April 06, 2007 - 03:01 AM UTC
If my feeble mind recalls correctly it was good old Airfix who did the 1/72 scale one, and it was a pretty decent kit. ---- well for it day!!!
betheyn
Staff MemberSenior Editor
AEROSCALE
#019
_VISITCOMMUNITY
England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: October 14, 2004
KitMaker: 4,560 posts
AeroScale: 2,225 posts
Posted: Friday, April 06, 2007 - 03:08 AM UTC

Quoted Text

If my feeble mind recalls correctly it was good old Airfix who did the 1/72 scale one, and it was a pretty decent kit. ---- well for it day!!!

Your probably right there Dave. I think I managed to build their entire range of 1/72nd kits in my youth, badly in fact, I might add .
Andy
Cesspool
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Michigan, United States
Joined: August 23, 2004
KitMaker: 12 posts
AeroScale: 6 posts
Posted: Friday, April 06, 2007 - 06:19 AM UTC
I'd buy it! The exhaust stacks alone are worth gold to me!
Too lazy to scatch them. . .

Phantom2
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Östergötland, Sweden
Joined: April 18, 2006
KitMaker: 708 posts
AeroScale: 678 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 08, 2007 - 01:08 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

If my feeble mind recalls correctly it was good old Airfix who did the 1/72 scale one, and it was a pretty decent kit. ---- well for it day!!!

Your probably right there Dave. I think I managed to build their entire range of 1/72nd kits in my youth, badly in fact, I might add .
Andy


Hi all!

Andy, Thanks for the link, exactly what I was looking for!

Dave and Andy;

Airfix 1/72 Kaman Seasprite was indeed one of the better kits in their range!
According to my "Airfix-bible" it was released for the first time in 1983, so It´s a quite new kit!

This Is a neat chopper, and the kit Is very nice, so I´ll start building It as soon as I have finished some of the other Campaign-builds (5builds at the moment!).

Thanks again for Your help!

Cheers!

Stefan E
grandadjohn
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Arizona, United States
Joined: October 24, 2006
KitMaker: 33 posts
AeroScale: 27 posts
Posted: Monday, April 09, 2007 - 05:26 AM UTC
Built that unit about 20 years ago, not a bad kit for it's day
AH1Wsnake
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Wisconsin, United States
Joined: March 27, 2005
KitMaker: 33 posts
AeroScale: 12 posts
Posted: Friday, April 13, 2007 - 02:40 PM UTC
Follow this buildup over at FSM using the Cobra Company sets.

--Andy
SGTJKJ
#041
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Kobenhavn, Denmark
Joined: July 20, 2006
KitMaker: 10,069 posts
AeroScale: 3,788 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 15, 2007 - 06:25 PM UTC
Hi Stefan

Cool kit. I understand that you could not resist it What are the decals options in the kit? Only the one on the box art or also some low visibility schemes?

I searched the net for some pictures for you. Hope you can use some of them.

















Phantom2
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Östergötland, Sweden
Joined: April 18, 2006
KitMaker: 708 posts
AeroScale: 678 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 15, 2007 - 08:05 PM UTC
Hi all!

First a great Thanks to all who have given much info about this neat chopper!

@Jesper;

Thanks for the pics, they will be useful!

There was only two color options in this box;

First the boxart;
This is a Seasprite from the "Magickans", I believe the pic with the helicopter #135/1321 shows a machine from the very same sqn?
all dark grey with Hi-Viz markings.
My option vill be this one for sure!

The other option is a all light grey machine, with low-viz markings, a very drab and boring option (in my opinion!).

Seems like I have to find the Cobra-sets and get the build rollin, eh!

I´m getting more and more fond of this little sucker!

Cheers!

Stefan E
alpha_tango
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Germany
Joined: September 07, 2005
KitMaker: 5,609 posts
AeroScale: 5,231 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 15, 2007 - 09:53 PM UTC
Hi Stefan

Swanny (Matt Swan) has just put the article on his own site:

http://www.swannysmodels.com/SeaSprite.html

If I run into that kit, I will probably buy it too ....

cheers

Steffen
Phantom2
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Östergötland, Sweden
Joined: April 18, 2006
KitMaker: 708 posts
AeroScale: 678 posts
Posted: Monday, April 16, 2007 - 12:48 AM UTC
Hi Steffen and all!

Tonight I orderd the Cobra sets as I believe they will enhance this kit considerably.

This kit has got a life on It´s own now....

Time to get some research done ( ) so I can get started with the build when the parts arrive!

Cheers!

Stefan E
empeter
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Texas, United States
Joined: November 27, 2005
KitMaker: 10 posts
AeroScale: 7 posts
Posted: Monday, April 16, 2007 - 02:27 AM UTC

Quoted Text

This is a Seasprite from the "Magickans", I believe the pic with the helicopter #135/1321 shows a machine from the very same sqn?
all dark grey with Hi-Viz markings.
My option vill be this one for sure!

Here are more pics of aircraft in that same squadron (HSL-32), including two more of 1321.







SGTJKJ
#041
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Kobenhavn, Denmark
Joined: July 20, 2006
KitMaker: 10,069 posts
AeroScale: 3,788 posts
Posted: Monday, April 16, 2007 - 01:00 PM UTC
Thanks for the info, Stefan. I would definently also go for the colourfull option. Otherwise one might not be able to find the low vis version after it is finished.
Cesspool
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Michigan, United States
Joined: August 23, 2004
KitMaker: 12 posts
AeroScale: 6 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 - 04:50 AM UTC


This is different! Just thought I'd put this in as a change of pace.
alpha_tango
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Germany
Joined: September 07, 2005
KitMaker: 5,609 posts
AeroScale: 5,231 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 - 11:58 AM UTC
Hello Stefan

I hope you have your Cobra Co. parts (or get them soon). According to a message at Cybermodeller yesterday, Cobra Company is selling their stocks and closing the business ... too bad.


Quoted Text

A note from Chris Miller announced the closure of Cobra Company. He writes: "Due to a sharp decline in business, Cobra Company has shut down. This year has been very slow and in the last two months Cobras' bottom line was not met. The bleeding had to be stopped and what equity Cobra has with "in stock" items is being cashed in. Once the dust has settled things will have to be looked at closely to determine if or when resumption of business can be undertaken. Thanks for you support of Cobra Company products."


best wishes

Steffen
Phantom2
_VISITCOMMUNITY
Östergötland, Sweden
Joined: April 18, 2006
KitMaker: 708 posts
AeroScale: 678 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 03, 2007 - 01:01 PM UTC
Hi Steffen!

Thanks for the heads up!

Seems like I was lucky as I got my parts last week!

I got both the Interior and the Exterior sets for my Seasprite, and they are every bit as good as I ever could imagine.
These parts will make this chopper into something extra!

I also got a beautiful decal sheet for the SH-60B Seahawk!

I´m very sad they went "belly up", as they had some really cool stuff there!
Hopefully they can return to business someday!

I have started cutting and cleaning the resin pieces from their casting lugs, and as soon all that is done, construction of the kit will be imminent!

Cheers!

Stefan E
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