1/48 H-60 series folding tailboom conversion?

local hobbyshop here in MI carries alot of the HH-60 noses

Jordan, That's interesting information. What's the name and location of the shop and what kind of HH-60 noses do they have? Thanks, Pete

I think they would be marketable. Why not get with Chris at Cobra Company? I bet he would be willing to carry them and help in their development. He has a bunch of SH and HH-60 converion kits.

www.cobracompany.com

I'll take a drive out there later this week and take a look at the company and the type of nose...

it's Rider's Hobby shop, Wyoming Michigan

Hi Gino, Yea I posted this idea so that I might get some comment from Chris and maybe others in the "biz". Jordan, Thanks. That would be appriciated. Pete

Hi,

Definitely take a look at the Cobra Company site. If you're working on a Hotel they've got a nice conversion kit which includes the FLIR ball and the diving board as we call it. Mine came today and I'm looking forward to getting to work on it.

I'm curious to see when we get a Sierra Armed Helo kit out there, too!

Take care,
Dan

Hey Dan, Thanks. I did know about the Cobra Company HH-60H set, but I guess my eyes are not as sharp as they used to be. Thanks for the heads up on the FLIR ball and the "diving board" (good description for that part). I found it after looking closer at the picture on Cobra's site. Now if I can only locate the tailboom thingy somewhere? Excuse my ignorance, but what does "Sierra Armed" mean? Pete

"Sierra Armed Helo" is an upgrade to the MH-60S. In an effort to get rid of the CH46 quicker and get the -S into the fleet, initial buy/production aircraft are not weaponized with a FLIR/HELLFIRE kit. Follow-on versions are planned to begin in the next few years.

Editorial: In typical Navy Helo Community fashion, we're piecemealing ourselves to death once again, instead of providing the best possible product at one time. This drives the maintainers and aircrew NUTS, as they end up having to learn multiple aircraft versions. At one time, there were up to five different SH-60B mods in the fleet. Try keeping pace with all of them!

petebuilt-

Here's the MH-60S Armed Helo configuration. It's a mission kit to the MH-60S which includes the short ESSS wings from the Army for Hellfire (and eventually other stuff, I'm sure) and a FLIR. It basicaly adds a surface warfare capability to the Sierra. Sinking patrol boats and such.



Phil

Here's a link to a press release NAVAIR put out regarding the modifications:

http://pao.navair.navy.mil/press_releases/index.cfm?fuseaction=press_release_view&Press_release_id=3021&site_id=23

It talks about some of the other stuff you can't see in the photo that will be part of the A and B kit to the basic aircraft. Notice too, the FLIR ball is now in the ball down configuration, unlike the Hotel.

Take care,
Dan

Ball down is actually the way the FLIR/Laser was designed to be employed-better field of view. Don't know why the decision was made on the SH60B/F mods to put it "upside down" when on the diving board.

Editorial: Wish I knew why the Sierra is getting armed, when there isn't any cuing system (radar) to slave the FLIR to like in the B/R models. FLIR searches are notoriously short range and difficult to do effectively without any cuing data. Once again, the helo community doing something "just because they can", without real thought to implementation or tactical application.

Cheeser,

If I remember right the story was that it came down to deck clearance out on the boat and that's why the FHS is ball-up. I can't guarantee that's the correct answer but it is the one that pops to mind.

Sensor cuing? Sounds like you must be one of those HSL guys! I'm a test guy up at Sikorsky myself.

Take care,
Dan

Dan,

You are correct, was once a LAMPS guy. Deck clearance issue sounds remotely familiar, but original mods (I think designated "FLIR CONTINGENCY KIT/FCK, or maybe it was the "Rapid Deployment Kit/RDK" -which it WASN'T) had it mounted ball-down on the stbd stub wing, with wiring through the hell hole. Just more config nightmares as NAVAIR and the HSL Wings couldn't make up their minds on how to do things the right way the first time.

So how's the S fly with the stub wings and stores on? I'm guessing it's somewhat of a pig due to the extra weight and loss of power because of the infrared supression system, unless the -401Cs and tranny have been upgraded. Just my humble opinion, but I'm betting that we'll soon be seeing inexperienced pilots spinning them off the back of the boat, just like they did when Kaman upped the weight of the SH2F without a powerplant or tranny upgrade (that should show you how long I flew LAMPS!)