H-19 SAR Bird

Man I've got to start spell checking my posts. That's what I get for trying to rush out my post.

No proble m wit hthe spelling, salbando. We all make nystakes.

I've never been a huge fan of Revell kits from past experience. The fit is never quite right, decals are brittle, the list goes on. I'd probably go with the Italeri, but to me it's the lesser of 2 evils.

demono69

Hmmm,
Every SAR aircraft that ever served in Alaska?
You of course have made room for the USCG SAR aircraft that serve(d) on Kodiak Island, Annette Island and Sitka right?
Sadly, there is no model of the HH52A Seaguard helicopter, so you will have to make due with the HC130, HH3F, HH65A, HH60J, and even the HH19 and HU16E.
Quite an impressive undertaking. I wish you luck, finding the kits may prove to be the hardest part.

Don
ASM1USCG (ret)

Are you talking 1/72 or 1/48's. If it's 1/72, Revell Germany gets it's spures from Italiari. So the same basic kit, Diferent dicals, instructions and, some kits new sprues. H-34 kit is an example, from RG, the kit gives you the "V" strut landing gear, that the US Navy used.. The Italiari kit has the "J" gear. The H-19 from RG is of a USCG copter and a Dutch copter. The Italiari kit is of two US Air Force birds. Good luck

Hey Air5,
I was thinking of 1/72 and was kinda predisposed to the italari since I'm doing a USAF SAR bird, but I didn't realize there were any H-19's in 1/48. Since I'm partial to detailing, please give me the gouge on the 1/48 examples out there.

dkmacin,
My collection was going to be primarily DOD assets, but I am going to add on our coastie bretheren. Might even add a CAP Beaver but that'll have to wait awhile. I actually have most of the models, but I admit converting two C-130H's to one HC-130P and one HC-130N is going to be fun. The decals will also be a challenge and I'll be making my first attempt at producing my own. Toss in skis for helo's and some vivid arctic paint jobs should make for a nice collection. I'll be sure to post my progress on this forum along with bench reviews, etc..

BTW, anybody got any photos of red and white Hueys? I know the Army used this paint scheme up here back in the 70s and even early 80s.
"That Others May Live"

You would do well to add civilian SAR aircraft that serve in Alaska too.
North Slope Burrough has a great rescue team, we worked with them in 88 looking for some lost whalers.
As for only DOD SAR birds. . .OUCH!
Many a AIr Force, Marine, Army and Navy pilot had gone through CG rescue pilot training in Alabama when I was there. . .they didn't take to the low hover too well, as far as that goes, some didn't like the high hover either!

Don

dkmacin,
I didn't want for this to turn into an inter-service rivalry thing. Look, for the record I can personally attest to the fact that it takes everyone ANG, USAF, USA, USCG, NSB SAR, CAP, and the hundreds of other professional and volunteer SAR folks up here in Alaska to get the job done. I have and continue to work with all of them on a regular basis. I simply said that my collection is going to be oriented towards DOD SAR assets that were and have been used in Alaska. It's a historical thing. Yes, I'm eventually going to add historical and current USCG assets. Yes I'm planning on adding CAP, State Troopers, NSB SAR (if I can find a B-214ST model), etc...
Speaking as a USAF SAR dude I know we all tend to take sides with respect to who is more important, who does more, who is better at what. But here's the honest bottom-line....We're all in the business of saving lives......period.
Now, I joined this forum in order to get help on my modeling endeavors, and to possibly pass on information that I have, and continue to aquire in my military career. Maybe even to make a few friends.....definately not enemies. We all know that currently we've got that area covered.
I look forward to your imputs in the future as one SAR dude to another.
BTW, the coldest I've ever been was when I just returned from Kuwait, and was selected to do a little training up at Barrow with the NSB SAR folks. -78 with the windchill!

"That Others May Live"

A little inter service rivalry is a good thing, and I meant no slight to any member of any service who has the intestinal fortitude to put on the wings and go aviation, ESPECIALLY the SAR Folks.
I suppose I am a little spring loaded to the chip on the shoulder thing because of my service in the USCG, and that goes double now that the SEC DEF has come out and said he doesn't want the USCG to have anything to do with the department of defense in our country. The USCG has always been the red headed step child of the US Armed Forces, and the SEC DEF's words stung more than a little. Being in the USCG affords the opprotunity to train at the other services bases and with the other services, I trained at Jump School and Rescue Swimmer School with Marines and Navy folks, did the exact same things they did. We jumped in the water with PJ's out of Selfridge field in the late 80's, (Their gear put ours to shame!!).
I have also lost close friends who went out and never came back, enough said.
I guess I really wanted to wave the CG ensign and make sure everyone sees that the White and Orange gets recognized, not cut down another service. What we do is hard enough, to be willing to do it with the possibility of someone shooting at you takes a special breed. Though I may razz another service, you have my respect.

Barrow! That's where we were with NSB looking for the whalers. Found them and had to stay in Barrow for the night. . .PARTY! Then we found out Barrow was a dry town even at Pepe's. Got to watch Monday night football even though it was Thursday. . .

Don

Don,
I'm on your freq. Yeah, I know a little about being a red headed stepchild. Helo (SAR) dudes in the USAF have always taken a back seat to the jet jockeys. That is of course until someone goes down, and then it's "you guys are the greatest". DOD SAR is definately a purple entity giving lots of opportunities to work with our sister services. I love the way the USMC does TRAP. They don't just go and pick someone up, they go and take ground, hold it, recover people-aircraft-whatever, and then leave. Kind of a heavy footprint but ti works when the situation calls for it. One of the most impressive things I ever saw was a Jayhawk crew that flew out to Cold Bay at night in extremely snotty weather (ducks were walkin, and it was snowing sideways). They flew out from Kodiak, refueled and went out to conduct a high risk night hoist recovery of a fisherman on a boat. Big brass ones! But you and I (as well as lots others) could probably write a book with "war stories".
The SAR community is so small that whenever we lose someone, you probably knew them and it hits close to home.

Bravo Zulu

The best ever (for me) was when a C130 found two fishermen in the Bering. We were on a cutter 90 miles north, Seas running 20-30 feet and wind just a howling.
We found those two and three more. Five survivors in the cabin, me and the basket, cozy. Anyway The captain of the vessel told me when they saw the 130 they knew they were found. We relayed that to the 130 crew who were still in the area, got a big response to that. Then the captain said; "When we saw the chopper we knew we were saved." That relay to the 130 boys only brought about the old double click.
Just after we landed at St Paul island the wind died to nothing, the sun came out and it was a beautiful day.

Don

Back on point about kits. Old, and I mean OLD Revell did an " in box " scale H-19. Well actualy two. nominaly 1/48th or 1/50 (maybe). One was issured in Dark Blue plastic. the other was Orange plastic and had floats. But that was years ago. Good Luck
Air5

Testors and Revell, both have H19 kits in 1/72. One has the options for floats, but I'm not sure which one it is.

Don

Thanks guys for all the help. I'm gonna go with the Italari H-19B SAR bird on wheels and am planning on detailing it a bunch:
interior-which I hear is pretty sparse to non-existent
engine grill work-I plan on using screening although it may be tough
cockpit-which I hear doesn't even have the collective stick

Oh well, that's the great thing about this hobby...always room for improvement!