As an avid helicopter modeler, I was ecstatic when Italeri announced that they would release a model of the Sikorsky H-19/S-55. Up until the release of this kit, the only other viable alternative was the Airfix kit, which is over thirty years old, under-scale, and possessed of suspect detailing. Having previously built Italeri’s H-34 and RAH-66 models, I had high hopes for this kit, and I was not disappointed. 

The kit is moulded in crisp grey plastic, and has very good surface detailing. A good cockpit interior is provided, along with bench seats for the troop compartment. The clear parts are also good, and the decals are of very high quality. Marking options are for two USAF machines in the Italeri kit; one in natural metal with yellow banding, or one in light gray with an orange nose and tail band. The Revell-Germany kit is essentially the same model, but with the early-version “straight” tail-boom. It provides options for one US Coast Guard or one KLU (Dutch Navy) aircraft. 

I built the model almost straight from the box, construction-wise, although I deviated significantly in the finishing department. My model is built as a replica of a Westland Whirlwind Mk.2, the British license-built equivalent of the H-19B.

Significant changes I made to the model are as follows:

• Cockpit side windows were vacu-formed using kit parts as masters and the cabin windows were made with Krystal Kleer.

• Portside 3-person troop seat was replaced with a 4-person seat from the Italeri Wessex.

• Etched steel treadplate used to simulate soundproofing mat on troop cabin roof.

• Turning the front landing gear to starboard to give a more active look to the model.

• Masking tape seatbelts with etched buckles and wire loops on all seats.

• A curved piece of styrene tubing was added under the nose to simulate the engine exhaust collector pipe.

• Antenna wires from black Lycra thread.

• Rotorhead components sanded down to reduce thickness, and the rotor mast shortened.

The kit was finished with Model Master enamels; pre-shading was done with flat black, then the yellow was applied. This was clear coated with Acryl gloss, then the decals and umber oil paint wash were applied. Final sealing was done with Acryl satin.

The decals were made or scrounged from various sources. The fuselage roundels and rescue titles came from the Italeri Wessex. Due to the curvature of the tail-boom stiffening ribs, each roundel on the model had to be made from two Wessex roundels cut across at 60% of their diameter, then overlapped.

The serial codes were printed onto plain paper from my PC then put onto blank decal paper using a Xerox-type copy machine. The T-shaped nose marking was copied onto blank decal paper from an old and yellowed ESCI decal sheet by the same method. The tail-rotor warning markings were sourced from an Airfix Whirlwind kit. 

Overall, this kit is a joy to build, and I heartily recommend it. The S-55/H-19 saw service with all branches of the US military, and dozens of other countries, so the marking possibilities are wide open. Even a beginning modeler can produce a unique model just by changing the paint scheme and coming up with appropriate decals. 

Keith Goodman took the attached photos at the 2001 Squadron Scalefest in Dallas, TX.

Keith maintains his own website www.kgwings.com.

My own helicopter-specific website can be found at <http://lonestar.texas.net/~zakutwo>

Tony Morgan