Print Scale 72153:  CH-46 Sea Knight

Let me start by telling you that the sheet is actually named 'Boeing/Verton 107 part 2', but pretty much all of us know this aircraft as the CH-46. It is an aircraft that was recently retired from service, for the most part replaced by the H-60 is USN service and by the Osprey with the Marines.

There are five markings options in this sheet and three different size/style insignia. A nice set of stencils is also included along with the black walkway markings. This provides enough to do perhaps two if one is the TPS painted aircraft. You can, of course, also use kit decals for the common markings.

The first three options are overall engine grey (FS 36071). This is glossy so it helps when applying markings. These three planes are CH-46Ds, with the first from HC-8, photographed at Memphis in 1999. Next is an HC-11 plane photographed at NAS Miramar in 1987 and the third is an HC-3 plane photographed at Atlanta in 1993. This third plane, along with HC-11 were home based at NAS North Island so that had to be a very long trip for the HC-3 plane as Sea Knights are not exactly fast. These were undoubtedly for open houses in all three cases.

The fourth is a SAR bird with NAS Whidbey Island in 1972. This HH-46D has very large areas of international orange, mostly on the fin and nose with a broad stripe connecting them. It will be a tad tricky to paint.

The fifth is a TPS camouflaged HC-11 CH-46D aboard the USS Constellation in 2003. It is festooned with flames making it one of the tackiest looking helos I've ever seen. But some may well like it.

Instructions are well done with at least two small photos of each of the markings options, which is something I like to see. I've only shown the first two, but it does give you a good idea of what they are like. A full stencil guide is provided. The decals are well printed, and I have to confess my one use of these decals showed them to be not fully opaque. It remains to be seen if these are the same as the white bits do tend to blend in with the light blue backing. For kits, you have the very nice Fujimi versions, the older Airfix kit and a newer tooling by Hobby Boss. I've only built the Airfix kit so cannot really comment on the other two from a build point of view.

April 2018

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