Coast Guard HH60 kit availability

Modeling Subjects Helicopters
1

Are there any kits currently available in 1:48 or 1:35/32 of the U.S. Coast Guard HH-60 JayHawk?

I searched this forum for “Coast Guard” and I came up with some info from 2005 and before. From these old posts I found the Cobra conversion kit for the Italeri 1:48 SH-60 B - which I just picked up yesterday at a LHS. Unfortunately, I’ve never converted anything before and I’m not sure how to begin [%-)]. Does Cobra provide Instructions as to how to modify the Italeri kit with it’s resin parts?

Any help/info would be appreciated[8)]!

2

Unfortunately, there are no kits in any scale of a USCG HH-60J. The Cobra Company conversion is nice and does include pretty good directions. It does not include decals though. Fireball Modelworks has a set of decals to build any USCG HH-60J out there though. Fireball also does a 1/72 conversion set too. Hawkeye Models out of Australia also has HH-60J decals.

Good luck.

3

HeavyArty-

Thanks for the info!

I bookmarked Fireball Modelworks as well as Cobra Company’s home pages.

Now I just need the guts to do my first conversion [X-)]!

Thanks again!

4

Having made two HH-60J Jayhawk models, one in 1/48 and the other in 1/72, the Cobra Company in 1/48 and the 1/72 Fireball Modelworks conversion sets are the way to go. They will take a little work and patience, but you can produce a very nice model in each scale. I would recommend the Fireball Modelworks decals for both scales. They are supurb in quality and accuracy. Don’t fear the conversion process. Just take your time, follow the directions, pay attention to details and use good reference materials. You’ll do fine.

1/48 Italeri with Cobra Company conversion and Hawkeye decals

1/72 Italeri with Fireball Modelworks conversion

5

As with any resin conversion kit, don’t expect the pieces to fall together. If you haven’t attempted one, just bring a bottle of patience to your modeling table. Aftermarket companies in general kind of bank on the fact that guys who order their conversion kits already have a good knowledge base on the subject. So, the instructions don’t necessarily spell everything out, nor are there diagrams explaining every small detail’s exact placement. Not knocking any aftermarket bits at all, just bringing your attention to the fact that resin accessories are definitely not “shake & bake,” and the modeler is expected to have done some of his own research on the matter.

So collect as many reference photos as you can, and search the forums here for good info as well. I have a bunch of Cobra Company aftermarket sets, and the quality in each of them is bar-none!

Andy

6

If you bought an HH-60J conversion from a hobby shop in Maine, I’d like to know who it is. I have not sold any kits to a hobby shop in Maine and ALL of Cobra Company kits come with extensive instructions for use. You may have purchased a copy of Cobra Company goods.

Chris Miller

Chief Snake

Cobra Company

7

Chris,

I read it as he just bought the SH-60B kit and was asking about your kit. He is contemplating buying it, but hasn’t yet.

8

AH, guess you can read it a little differently the way it’s written.

Chief Snake

9

Chief Snake -

I bought the Italeri SH60-B seahawk kit on Saturday and am contemplating purchasing the Cobra conversion kit. I’ve only built kits OOB and only built one helo (that was over 20 years ago) so I am not sure if my skills are up to a conversion…however, I’d really like to have a USCG bird in my collection.

I figured the folks in this section of the forum would be able to point me in the right direction and they have!

Sorry if there was confusion.

10

The only cutting required is for replacing the left side windows and it’s pretty straight doing. If you can feel comfortable with multiple mediums, styrene, resin, metal, vac, then you’ll have no real problems. Consider this as working with a styrene kit that has fit issues that require patience.

Chief Snake