Revell's HH-53C 'Vietnam Rescue' kit Opinion's? Accuracy? Resource's?

Check Hyperscale's and Aircraft Resource Center's galleries for some nice build-ups of it.  I built one a long time ago.  It is a pretty nice kit.  The exterior is detailed pretty well, but the interior is lacking.  Cobra Company and Meteor make a few upgrade/conversion sets for it.  You can also convert it to an MH-53J Pave Low as well.  Irecommend it.

Good luck.

Hi Tread , I  have to admit The H-53 is my favourate helicopter . I've built 9 H-53's in 1/72 scale and I have Academy's 1/48 H-53 in my stash to build , plus this Revell version I've had for about 15 years now . She's currently going through her 4th strip and re-paint , so despite all that bashing up over the years she's still standing . I hadn't gone any further with the helo for about a year now , only because I didn't have any replacement decals for her . I was thinking of using the spare decals in Academy's H-53 kit or even the spare VIP decals in Academy's CH-46E Sea Knight kit , However I now have some spare white MARINES decals from some Monogram UH-1C Huey kits I'm currently working on , so I'm thinking of re-building her as an early CH-53A Sea Stallion and using the early style engine intakes you get in the kit . I have to agree with you as to how far kit manufacture's have come with their tooling over the years , but this kit is still pretty good despite it's age . The hobby store in my neck of the woods has them for $55 , I'm thinking of buying another . I sure do like the 53's

Please forgive my indulgence everyone but I couldn't help but want to post a group pic of my 1/72 scale H-53 collection . There's two Airfix kits , USAF and a early Marines helo's [ I'm yet to add the Marines decals , they'll come from a H-34 Seahorse kit .] Theres a "API-Zabawka" chinese nock-off , of Fujimi's Navy RH-53D mine sweeper and the rest are Italeri kits . I also have in my stash to build 3 Italeri 1/72 HH-53C and 2 MH-53E Sea Dragons  , 1 Revell MH-53J Pave Low , 1 Fujimi HH-53C . Kind regards John

Gino my ol' compadre'!!

 How good it is to yak with you again :-)  As has always been your 'style' you are the first to step up to help...good to know some things are a constant.  Thx pard'.

 Thx for the reference's, I will check them this evening and see what I can see.  As to the one you built "a long time ago, don't suppose you have any pics here or over at Aeroscale still do you?  And finally, can you expand on the Pave Low conversion specifics by chance?

Thx again Gino,

Tread.

Semper Fi 

Howdy Helo 53,

 By your callsign I don't suppose any of us are unsure of your allegiance are we? ;-)

Many thx for supplying such great pics of your work. And the fact that you have built them all in 1/72nd scale is remarkable.  I must admit,these old eyes of mine will not allow me to work in such a small scale.  My hat's off to you!

And your pic of your 'collection' is nice to see as well....I wonder how much shelf space would be required to hanger those in 1/48th, never mind 1/35th!

You say your LHS has them for $55., are you talking about the Academy kit or the 'Vietnam Rescue' kit?

Tread.

Semper Fi. 

Good to see you on the boards again too.  To make a super-detailed MH-53J Pave Low III...

...you will need the Cobra Company conversion set, weapons set, interior detail set. 

I guess Metoer Productions is now out of business.  They used to have a weapons and cockpit set as well.  I think the Cobra Company sets are better though.

As to my CH-53C, it was made a looonnnggg time before digicams and has since been donated to an AF JROTC detachment.  Last I saw it, it was hanging proudly from the ceiling on a perpetual CSAR mission.

My apologies for not being more specific about the 1/48 H-53 in my LHS . It's a Revell RKO4577 1/48 Sikorsky CH-53G $55.50 [AUS]. To be perfectly honest I dont know if the kit has decals to suit the USAF like their original version did . cybermodel.com has a review of a newer release 1/48 scale Revell CH-53G[GS] , with 3 German decal options but it has a different box/code number . In any case if I do decide to buy another one I will probably have to scrounge around for some decals to make a U.S. military version . Kind regards John

If you're planning on doing the MH-53J/M, you'll need the CH-54G/GS kit.  It has the correct composite rotor blades for the Pave Low.  If you're just doing an A through D model -53, the stock kit will be fine. 

My HH-53C is rolling along nicely. No major issues with the subassemblies.  Now I've just gotta find the cash to get all of the Cobra Company stuff for it!

Jon

Cobrahistorian wrote:

If you're planning on doing the MH-53J/M, you'll need the CH-54G/GS kit.  It has the correct composite rotor blades for the Pave Low.  If you're just doing an A through D model -53, the stock kit will be fine.  My HH-53C is rolling along nicely. No major issues with the subassemblies.  Now I've just gotta find the cash to get all of the Cobra Company stuff for it! Jon

Howdy  Cobrahistorian,

 Many thx for pointing out the composite rotor blade detail for the Pave Low...

Did you mean this kit?  

Although my original plan, {and my leaning} is to build a 'Nam era bird, the Pave Low option is indeed intriguing :-)

Thx again fellas,

Tread.

Semper Fi. 

That's the one! 

(Man, did I type CH-54 on that last post?! My proofreading skills are slipping!)

The Paves had composite blades with tapered tips.  I started building the Vietnam-era bird and realized I needed an MH-53 as well, so I splurged and got the G/GS kit too. 

Jon