I’ve been looking for a model of the CH-46 Sea King and the only version I have been able to find is the Academy model and the AirFix model. I know that it would be possible to buy different Decals but I have never done this before. This model is for my Father-in-Law as he was a crew member of a CH-46 back in the 60’s. I would like to get the model kit AND the decal kit to go with it to make it into a Navy flyer and not a Marine flyer.
Can someone talk me through this and lead me where I need to go for the decals? Or, if anyone knows of a different model manufacturer, that would be appreciated.
Hey John, You can get the Hasegawa kit…it’s in 1/48th and build up real nice with out problems. No interior and has three decals options, two colorful (high-viz) and one low-viz.
You can find them on Ebay or a on-line shop, they go for like 40-45 dollars. A good price.
Thanks Mother for the quick response but the Helicopter I am looking for is the Twin Rotor, smaller version of the CH47 Chinook type copter. I think the Navy called it the Sea King and the Marines called it the Sea Knight. THe pic you posted, I think was an SH3 “Sea King”. They aren’t very original when it comes to names. Or I could be completely off as far as the name but I do remember it being a CH-46, I flew in quite a few of them when I was in the Navy/Marines.
Edit: I found a picture on the site from another modeler that pretty much shows what I’m looking for. It’s labeled as a Sea Knight so I guess I was wrong on the name.
Oh god…what the heck was I thinking. Um Hobby Boss just released two new 46’ers. I have two on the way here. I have seen a in box review over at AeroScale…
I’d say get the last Academy CH-46D kit, then you’ll have to chase down some aircraft aftermarket decals. There are none for the out for the 46, I have heard that some one has plans on printing a set.
If you’re looking at 1/72 scale kits, Fujimi made a series of CH-46 kits back in the 80’s, which should still be available. Fairly basic, interior-wise, but it’s nicely moulded and has recessed panel lines.
Edit: I just checked out the link above to the HobbyBoss kit and noticed that one of the aircraft represented by this kit (the Navy version with “Mars” markings) is the same as one of the options in the Fujimi kit.
As has alkready been mentioned, what you are looking for is a model of a CH-46 SeaKnight. In naval use the designation was UH-46 due to a difference in missions but still carried the moniker of “Sea Knight”
If your father in-law crewed them while in the Navy during the '60s, more than likely he was crewing UH-46As or perhaps UH-46Ds, I don’t believe the Navy ever got CH-46Fs and the CH-46Es were not introduced into the fleet until around 1977 or 1978.
The only downside to using the Academy kits is that the rotor heads and blades are all set up for CH-46Es regardless of what it says on the outside of the box. Other than that, the series is very good and gives excellent results when completed. (BTW, the color scheme on the rotor blades is OD on top, black on the bottom with yellow tips, and stencil data on the underside of each blade close to the blade root. This was standard for all metal blades used on CH-46s)
The Fujimi kits are very nice and Eduard makes a good PE set that will help with the cockpit. I haven’t seen the Hobbycraft Kit and the photos of the Hobby Boss kit seem to indicate a knockoff of the Fujimi kit with some minor changes, even the decal sheet is copied (incorrectly)
I wouldn’t waste any time on the AirFix kit, (also branded as MPC) I built one once about 25 years or more ago and it only slightly resemebled the aircraft that I crewed.
Decals may be somewhat hard to come by, There were at least two sheets released years ago for Navy and Marine Corps aircraft, both in 1/72nd, and most decal sheets that come in the various releases are somewhat lacking to include the Academy ones.
Thanks Folks for all the insight. I ordered the Navy Version CH/HH-46 Academy model yesterday. My FiL was attached to the Navy Test Pilot School back in the early-mid 60’s and the model he flew in was essentially a test bed platform for alot of different things. My wife was trying to ask him questions about it withut being real obvious. He had mentioned in the past that he’d love to find a model of his old helicopter so he could build it for our son(he’s 3). My wife had the idea of getting the model for him for Father’s day and she had just let me know about it the other day.
I really appreciate the help you guys have given me and I will be here alot in the coming months. I used to build models alot when I was a kid back in the 70’s but got out of the hobby after Cars and Girls began to devour alot of my time. It’s something that I really want to get back into but I want to do alot better than I used to do. I’m currently in the process of buying equipment and supplies. My first major project will be a B36 peacemaker that I bought a few years ago.
Wow, I read the articles and reviews and think I made the right choice. I might even have to get the Bull Frog odel myslef for old times sake. I flew out of New River quite alot in the back of a 46 when I was in the Navy.
Joe, loved the reviews and build critique.
Thanks again. It’s really got my interests renewed in modeling.
I crewed '46s with HMM-162 at New River from mid '76 to the end of '77 then went to Oknawa and was with HMM-164 until I got out of the Marines in 1980.
I haven’t been back to Jacksonville since '77, but would be curious to see what kind of changes have been made.
well I do have a 1/72 scale CH-46D of HC-3 DET 103 “Hotel California” and I got the Eduard set for it but I will also try something different. I am planning on tacking on the flight deck then tacking the bench seats on and cutting them down and adding wire bracing to make them look like the bench seats on a real CH-46 much like the way the seats are in the Academy 1/35 scale UH-60 Blackhawk kit.
Zotz Decals is about to release a sheet of Navy CH-46Ds which will cover two dark gray birds from HC-3 and the aforementioned “flaming” bird from HC-11. Preview here:
Hey John, I live here in Jacksonville now no more 46’s flying any more but New River is all CH53’s and Osprey’s I watch them fly over my house M-F 8am to 12am LOL
If you want to know more about what the base looks like now I work on Lejeune and get around
I was in HMM-164 in Vietnam. Ooh rah. By the way do know where I can get some 1/72 scale decals for my Sea Knights?
Hello Bob , I was in Marine detachment on the Hancock for Operation Frequent Wind in 1975, I flew a couple of Missions in a CH 46 during that time, my MOS being an 0331(machinegunner). Just curious is why I posted.
do you happen to have any photos from Vietnam? I’d love to see them, to build an accurate model of a Vietnam Sea Knight some day. References of the helos of this type from the sixties are pretty hard to come by on the net. Thanks in advance and have a nice day
