1/48 Revell HO4S-3 (Sikorsky S-55)

by Dirk Derks

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From 1954 until 1964 the Royal Netherlands Air Arm (MLD) operated three Sikorsky helicopters. Besides there registration numbers also names were carried on one side of the clam door (Jezebel-Salome-Cleopatra).; Assigned to either the naval Air Station "Valkenburg" (search and rescue); or the aircraft carrier "Karel Doorman" for plane guard duties during launch and recovery operations. Being single engined and slightly under powered they were unreliable. Two helicopters crashed; the single survivor made it into the aviation museum.; It was here that I saw the S-55 for the first time. I decided to build one in scale. Second hand I found the mentioned Revell kit. I completed the whole construction almost straight from the box. I used the Waldron punch and die set; together with Evergreen to slightly update the cockpit. For soundproofing the cabine and the area directly behind the pilots I used thin foam. This you can find in the supermarket. When you order sliced Dutch cheese it gets packed on this material. It has (sometimes) already the punctured soundproof structure on it.; Airbrushed with xtra colour medium grey and sky. Decals from the box were applied with the help of set and sol. The whole model was finished off with a thin layer of Glitsa parquet varnish. (70% spiritus/30% Glitsa.); The showcase is manufactured by ERTL and the street is from Evergreen.

Dirk

Photos and text © by Dirk Derks