Made in Ukraine

Introduction:

The evil owner of Skyway Models does a very good job of keeping a continuous supply of new and novel kits coming into his shop. And so it was with this new Seasprite from Clear Prop. Now, I’m normally not a rotor-wing kinda guy but the abundant detail and beautiful surface inscribing on this kit made me stop and pause. That was my mistake. Well, you know how this story ends. Suffice to say my stash recently grew by one 1/72 helo kit. And I have no regrets. This is a beautiful kit that screams to be built. This review provides multiple zoomed pics of surface details and inscribing in an attempt to do them justice.

Background:

The Kaman SH-2 Seasprite is a ship-based helicopter originally developed and produced by the Kaman Aircraft Corporation. It has been typically used as a compact and fast-moving rotorcraft for utility and anti-submarine warfare missions.

Development of the Seasprite had been initiated during the late 1950s in response to a request from the United States Navy, calling for a suitably fast and compact naval helicopter for utility missions. Kaman’s submission, internally designated as the K-20, was favourably evaluated, leading to the issuing of a contract for the construction of four prototypes and an initial batch of 12 production helicopters, designated as the HU2K-1. Under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system, the HU2K was re-designated H-2, the HU2K-1 becoming the UH-2A. Beyond the U.S. Navy, the company had also made efforts to acquire other customers for export sales, in particular the Royal Canadian Navy; however, the initial interest of the Canadians was quelled as a result of Kaman’s demand for price increases and the Seasprite performing below company projections during its sea trials. Due to its unsatisfactory performance, from 1968 onwards, the U.S. Navy’s existing UH-2s were remanufactured from their originally-delivered single-engine arrangement to a more powerful twin-engine configuration.

In October 1970, the Seasprite was selected by the U.S. Navy as the platform for the interim Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) helicopter, which resulted in greatly enhanced anti-submarine and anti-surface threat capabilities being developed and installed upon a new variant of the type, designated as the SH-2D/F. Accordingly, during the 1970s and 1980s, the majority of the existing UH-2 helicopters were remanufactured into the improved SH-2F model. In this configuration, the Seasprite extended and increased shipboard sensor and weapon capabilities against several types of enemy threats, including submarines of all types, surface ships and patrol craft that may be armed with anti-ship missiles.

The Seasprite served for many decades with the U.S. Navy. Highlights of its service life included operations during the lengthy Vietnam War, in which the type was primarily used to rescue downed friendly aircrews within the theatre of operations, and its deployment during the Gulf War, where Seasprites conducted combat support and surface warfare operations against hostile Iraqi forces. In more routine operations, the Seasprite was operated in a number of roles, including anti-submarine warfare (ASW), search and rescue (SAR), utility and plane guard (the latter being performed when on attachment to aircraft carriers). The type was finally withdrawn in 2001 when the last examples of the final variant, known as the SH-2G Super Seasprite were retired. During the 1990s and 2000s, ex-U.S. Navy Seasprites were offered to various nations as a form of foreign aid, which typically met with mixed interest and a limited uptake.

Operational History:

In 1962, the initial UH-2 model commenced its operational service with the U.S. Navy. The U.S. Navy quickly determined that the helicopter’s capabilities were greatly restricted by its single engine; thus, the service ordered Kaman to retrofit all of its Seasprites into a more capable twin-engine arrangement instead; when furnished with a pair of engines, the Seasprite was capable of attaining an airspeed of 130 knots and operating at a range of up to 411 nautical miles. The U.S. Navy would operate a total fleet of nearly 200 Seasprites to perform a variety of missions, ranging from anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations, search and rescue (SAR) and utility transport. Under typical operational conditions, several UH-2s would be deployed upon each of the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carriers in order to perform plane guard and SAR missions.

The UH-2 was introduced in time to see action in the Tonkin Gulf incident in August 1964. The Seasprite’s principal contribution to what would escalate into the lengthy Vietnam War between the Soviet-backed North Vietnamese and the United States-backed South Vietnamese, was the retrieval of downed aircrews, both from the sea and from inside enemy territory. The type was increasingly relied upon to perform the retrieval mission as the conflict intensified, such as during Operation Rolling Thunder in 1965. During October 1966 alone, out of 269 downed pilots, helicopter-based SAR teams were recorded as having enabled the recovery of 103 men.

During the 1970s, the conversion of UH-2s to the SH-2 anti-submarine configuration provided the U.S. Navy with its first dedicated ASW helicopter capable of operating from vessels other than its aircraft carriers. The compact size of the SH-2 allowed the type to be operated from flight decks that were too small for the majority of helicopters; this factor would later play a role in the U.S. Navy’s decision to acquire the improved SH-2F during the early 1980s.

The SH-2F fleet was utilized to enforce and support Operation Earnest Will in July 1987, Operation Praying Mantis in April 1988, and Operation Desert Storm during January 1991 in the Persian Gulf region. The countermeasures and additional equipment present upon the SH-2F allowed the type to conduct combat support and surface warfare missions within these hostile environments, which had an often-minimal submarine threat. In April 1994, the SH-2F was retired from active service with the U.S. Navy; the timing corresponded with the retirement of the last of the Vietnam-era Knox Class Frigates that were unable to accommodate the new and larger SH-60 Sea Hawks, which were used to replace the aging Seasprites.

In 1991, the U.S. Navy had begun to receive deliveries of the new SH-2G Super Seasprite; a total of 18 converted SH-2Fs and 6 new-built SH-2Gs were produced. These were assigned to Naval Reserve squadrons, the SH-2G entered service with HSL-84 in 1993. The SH-2 served in some 600 deployments and flew 1.5 million flight hours before the last of the type were finally retired in mid-2001.

New Zealand

The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) replaced its Westland Wasps with an initial batch of four interim SH-2F Seasprites (formerly operated by the U.S. Navy), operated and maintained by a mix of Navy and Air Force personnel known as No. 3 Squadron RNZAF Naval Support Flight, to operate with ANZAC class frigates until the fleet of five new SH-2G(NZ) Super Seasprites were delivered. In October 2005, the Navy air element was transferred to No. 6 Squadron RNZAF at RNZAF Base Auckland in Whenuapai. RNZN Seasprites have seen service in East Timor. 10 of the 11 SH-2G(A)s rejected by the Royal Australian Navy were purchased in 2014 to replace the five RNZN SH-2G(NZ) Seasprites that had required either a MLU (Mid Life Upgrade) or replacement due to corrosion issues, maintenance problems and obsolescence. Kaman modified the ex-Australian aircraft and renamed them SH-2G(I), with the last one being delivered to New Zealand in early 2016. Eight of the aircraft are flying with the ninth and tenth aircraft being attritional aircraft used for spares etc. The 11th aircraft is held by Kaman as a prototype and test aircraft. The five SH-2G(NZ) have been sold to Peru. A SH-2F (ex-RNZN, NZ3442) is preserved in the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum, donated to the museum by Kaman Aircraft Corporation after an accident while in service with the RNZN.

Exports

During the late 1990s, the United States decided to offer the surplus U.S. Navy SH-2Fs as foreign aid to a number of overseas countries. Among those to be offered the type included Greece, which had been offered six, and Turkey, which had been offered 14, but they rejected the offer. Egypt opted to acquire four SH-2F under this aid program, they were mainly used for spares in to support of their existing fleet of ten SH-2Gs. Poland chose to acquire the later SH-2G variant.

General Characteristics:
• Crew: 3 (Pilot, Co-pilot/Tactical Coordinator (TACCO), Sensor Operator (SENSO))
• Capacity: 1 pax with litter patient (with LAMPS installed) / 4 pax and two litter patients (with Sonobuoy launcher removed)
• Length: 38 ft 4 in (11.68 m) nose and blades folded
• Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m) to top of rotor head
• Empty weight: 7,040 lb (3,193 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 12,500 lb (5,670 kg) normal max
• Maximum overload take-off weight: 13,300 lb (6,000 kg)
440px HH 2C HC 7 • Fuel capacity: 396 US gal (330 imp gal; 1,500 l) internal fuel tanks; 120 US gal (100 imp gal; 450 l) auxiliary external fuel tanks.
• Powerplant: 2 × General Electric T58-GE-8F turboshaft engines, 1,350 shp (1,010 kW) each
• Main rotor diameter: 44 ft 0 in (13.41 m)
• Main rotor area: 1,520.53 squared feet (141.262 m2) 4-bladed main and tail rotors
• Rotor blade section: – root: KM23014.86; tip: KM23011.47

Performance:
• Maximum speed: 143 kn (165 mph, 265 km/h) at sea level
• Cruise speed: 130 kn (150 mph, 240 km/h)
• Range: 367 nmi (422 mi, 680 km) with maximum fuel
• Endurance: 5 hours with 2 external tanks
440px UH 2 Seasprite HC 7 over the Tonkin Gulf 1970 • Service ceiling: 22,500 ft (6,900 m)
• Hover ceiling IGE: 18,600 ft (5,700 m)
• Hover ceiling OGE: 15,400 ft (4,700 m)
• Rate of climb: 2,440 ft/min (12.4 m/s)

Armament:
• Hardpoints: 2× side fuselage mounted stub/pylon stations
• Missiles: Non-US aircraft carry a variety of guided missiles, including the AGM-65 Maverick (often used in the anti-ship role) and dedicated anti-ship missiles.
• Torpedoes: 2× Mk 46 or Mk 50 ASW torpedoes

Avionics:
• LN 66HP radar
• Improved tactical navigation and communications suites
•
(Edited from Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaman_SH-2_Seasprite

In the Box:

I’ve been very impressed with all of the recent Clear Prop kits but this Seasprite is a beautiful piece of work and a cut above most of their releases. Although this is a limited production kit, little extra effort will be required to deal with flash and parts clean up. Similarly, after testing fitting a few of the larger components, I suspect little trial and error when it comes to the overall fit of the model. The surface details are particularly crisp and scale appropriate. This is a beautiful kit.

Parts layout and engineering are conventional suggesting this will be a straightforward build. As usual, assembly begins with the cockpit, particularly the seats where PE harnesses and side panels augment the styrene components. The main, overhead, and side panels are provided on the nicely printed decals. In addition to the nicely detailed cockpit and cabin is the beautifully inscribed cabin floor, which can be made visible through the poseable side door.

The David Union DU300 Mini-Drill: A Quality Tool.

In addition to the DU300 Mini-Drill and Hand Router each kit includes:

Power supply and cord
Universal Collet-less Chuck
Extra Chuck w/ Collets
2 Drill Bits, 5 Grinding Burs, 3 Mandrels, Mini-Saw, Polishing Tip

All for $97.50 Delivered (free shipping):

Order Here.

The completed cockpit/cabin is captured between fuselage halves thence the belly and dorsal sections are added. The exhaust and upper engine section, composed of halves, are next in sequence. The surface detail on these parts is beautifully done and will look awesome under paint and wash. The completed engine section is then added to the fuselage followed by the small rear vertical, which is composed of halves. Like the engine section, the surface details on the aft portion of the fuselage are beautifully rendered.

Harder-Steenbeck Infinity Solo:

-0.15mm Tip

–Lever-Limiting Tail Piece w/ Memory

-Free Shipping

–Free Mix Kit-101

0.5mm Wide Lines Right Out of the Box!

$237.85 Delivered

Next up is the surprisingly complicated main gear; each comprised of 7 parts. The fuselage is largely complete with the addition of the two-piece nose.

The windscreen and window/door parts are clear and nicely molded with scale-appropriate framing.

The main rotor head is amazingly detailed; the result of incorporating multiple PE parts. As an example, each blade utilizes 8 parts where it joins to the rotor head. This assembly will look stunning when complete. In contrast, the tail rotor is composed of just one nicely molded part and one piece of PE.

Color and Markings:

The decals, by Decograph, are well printed with good registration and color density. Airframe stencil data and markings for four airframes are provided as follows:
1) UH-2A (Bu.No. 149744), USS Oriskany, 1968.

2) UH-2A (Bu.No. 149764), NAS Atsugi, 1967.

3) UH-2B (Bu.No. 150146), USS Catskill, 1968.

4) UH-2B (Bu.No. 150154), NAS Atsugi, 1965.

Detail Sets from Clear Prop:

72015 Die-Cut Masks

72021 Resin Exhaust

72016 Resin Wheels

Conclusion:

This is a beautiful kit without the detail sets. The styrene parts feature beautifully inscribed details with little-to-no flash, the windscreen/window parts are clear and nicely molded, and the level of detail provided in the cockpit/cabin is amazing. Ditto that for the detail on the main rotor head assembly. The Seasprite may not be as well known as the Sea King but this kit certainly does the type justice. I see no issues lying in wait other than a beautifully detailed model of a lesser-known but historically significant aircraft. Well done, Clear Prop; Keep ‘em coming. Highly Recommended!

–John

Review kit provided by Skyway Models via my retirement fund, again.