The Seahawk is a twin-engine helicopter. It is used for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, drug interdiction, anti-ship warfare, cargo lift, and special operations. The Navy's SH-60B Seahawk is an airborne platform based aboard cruisers, destroyers, and frigates and deploys sonobouys (sonic detectors) and torpedoes in an anti-submarine role.  The SH-60J is the Japanese version of the SH-60B, differences are no IR jammers, no data link antenna and the some sensors on the nose are missing.

I bought this kit in a toy store, the problem with toy stores is that most models are their one the shelf for at least ten year or something. I thought this was a new kit but when I arrived home, I noticed that the instructions and the decals were dated from 1987. This kit is as old as I am! It probably was the first SH-60 kit released by Hasegawa. 

Inside the box are 66 parts on five sprues, one clear, the are moulded in soft white plastic, no flash. It is a variant of their UH-60 series with a different fuselage, the windows are placed different from the UH-60 and there are all kinds of sensors and a radar moulded in the main body parts. The fit is good like we expect from Hasegawa. The detail is engraved, but some places are still raised, the surface detail isn’t accurate, a lot of panel lines are missing and all the rivets are missing (that’s one thing I love about Revell's Sea King), but what to expect from a kit out of the eighties. For the interior detail is the superb Eduard set needed, the only thing nice about the inside are the try figures, they are different from each other. The Eduard set is needed anyway because the kit lacks detail everywhere.

 This being a SH-60 J boxing, is resulting in the fact that the only decals provided are for the Japanese Navy. When this kit was released (1987) the Seahawk was not ready in the service, so this is infect a prototype boxing. Also a problem is that there are almost no references on Japanese Seahawks, so I can’t check if the markings are right.

Decals are provided for Number one and two from the 51^st squadron JMSDF (that must be something like: Japanese Marine Self  Defence Force). The paint scheme is typical Japanese, white (FS17875) with a grey (FS16440) belly. I think this model will stand beautiful next to the Italeri MH-53E with Japanese markings.

 This kit boxing isn’t available anymore and I think that is because it is inaccurate, why else wouldn’t Hasegawa re-release a kit from their own country. But still this is the best SH-60B/J available, I haven’t seen the Italeri kit jet but I think this is the best one. 

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