The Sikorsky HH-60D was a second prototype for the current HH-60G Pave Hawk. It was developed to test the combat rescue equipment, specifically the air to air refuelling and mission electronics. It is lacking the radar and some additional equipment. Like the UH-60A from which it was derived, it has the usual seats in the cabin that would be removed in production aircraft. It also has the large pylon mounted fuel tanks which would not exactly be the best thing to have attached when operating in hostile environments. This was replaced by a cabin mounted and protected fuel tank. The HH-60D was armed. The HH-60 is a member of the Sikorsky S-70 family.

The production aircraft, the HH-60G Pave Hawk's primary mission is insertion and recovery of special operations personnel, while the HH-60G Pave Hawk's core mission is recovery of personnel under hostile conditions, including combat search and rescue. Both versions conduct day or night operations into hostile environments. Because of its versatility, the HH-60G may also perform peacetime operations such as civil search and rescue, emergency aeromedical evacuation (MEDEVAC), disaster relief, international aid and counter-drug activities. This aircraft is soon to be replaced by the HH-60W thanks to a contentious contract given to Sikorsky and Lockheed.

Hasegawa did a couple of H-60 variants which included this HH-60D. According to Scalemates, this kit was originally issued in 1991 and is still currently available, though it has never been updated to HH-60G specs (which would make it a lot more desirable in my opinion). I had thought that I'd built this kit in the late 1980s, but it turns out it was the nearly identical Fujimi kit as both Hasegawa and Fujimi released H-60 kits about the same time frame.

The kit itself is nicely done with the typical engraving style of the time. The cockpit has a pair of seats, foot pedals and cyclic control. It does not include the collective, a failing of many helo kits of this era, though it would be easy enough to add with plastic rod if you so wished. There are two crewmen to place in the seats along with a decal for the instrument panel. The back area has a full range of passenger seats as well as side facing seats for the door gunners. These figures are also included. If you wanted to do a model closer to the real deal, then the passenger seats should be removed and the mounting holes filled.

With the fuselage built, the fuselage halves are closed. There are qute a few clear parts to install and all fit from the outside. Main gear is well done and one can have the main and small side doors open. In fact, if you want the properly portray this aircraft with the door gunners, the small doors will have to be open. You can also pose the cockpit doors open or closed.

The rotor assembly is well done for the scale, though there is no rotor droop molded in. If one wants to install the pylons and wing tanks this can be done. The door guns fit on posts on a window frame and the refueling probe fits on the lower right under the door. The tail wheel is molded in with a fuselage half and there is no heat shield for the exhaust.

Instructions are Hasegawa's fold out type with Gunze paint references. The lone option is in Euro I and the decals will require hot water when applying. 

I have always found it interesting when two major kit manufacturers come out with the same kit relatively close to each other, but apparently this one sells well enough to keep it in production. I'm unaware of any aftermarket update sets for this, though it would be nice to have it if  one wanted to do an HH-60G. Looking at the parts layout, I see no reason why, if you wanted, that a standard UH-60A could not be done with what comes in the box. You'd need aftermarket decals, but those should be a bit easier to locate.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_HH-60_Pave_Hawk

September 2019

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