WOW668 MH60 Seahawk ‘Blackjacks’

Description

WOW668 and WOW670 MH60 Seahawk

In 1997, the US Navy decided to replace its venerable CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters. In 1998, the Navy awarded a production contract to Sikorsky for the CH-60S, after sea demonstrations with a converted UH-60. The variant first flew on 27 January 2000 and it began flight testing later that year. The CH-60S was redesignated MH-60S in February 2001 to reflect its planned multi-mission use. The MH-60S is based on the UH-60L and has many naval SH-60 features. Unlike all other Navy H-60s, the MH-60S is not based on the original S-70B/SH-60B platform, with its forward-mounted twin tail-gear and single starboard sliding cabin door. Instead, the S-model is a hybrid, featuring the main fuselage of the S-70A/UH-60, with large sliding doors on both sides of the cabin and a single aft-mounted tail wheel, and the folding tail pylon, engines, drivetrain and rotors of the S-70B/SH-60. It includes the integrated glass cockpit developed by Lockheed Martin for the MH-60R and shares some of the same avionics/weapons systems..

The Seahawk deployed aboard aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, Maritime Sealift Command ships, and fast combat support ships. Its missions include vertical replenishment, medical evacuation, combat search and rescue, anti-surface warfare, maritime interdiction, close air support, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and special warfare support. The MH-60S is to deploy with the AQS-20A Mine Detection System and an Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS) for identifying submerged objects in coastal waters.

It is the first US Navy helicopter to field a glass cockpit, relaying flight information via four digital monitors. The primary means of defense is door-mounted machine guns such as the M60D, M240D, or GAU-17/A. A “batwing” Armed Helo Kit based on the Army’s UH-60L was developed to accommodate Hellfire missiles, Hydra 70 2.75 inch rockets, or larger guns. The MH-60S can be equipped with a nose-mounted forward looking infrared (FLIR) turret to be used in conjunction with Hellfire missiles. It also carries the ALQ-144 Infrared Jammer.

The MH-60S is unofficially known as the “Knighthawk”, referring to the preceding Sea Knight, though “Seahawk” is its official DoD name.^] A standard crew for the MH-60S is one pilot, one copilot and two tactical aircrewmen, depending on the mission. With the retirement of the Sea Knight, the squadron designation of Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) was retired from the Navy. Operating MH-60S squadrons were re-designated Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC). The MH-60S was to be used for mine clearing from littoral combat ships, but testing found it lacks the power to safely tow the detection equipment.

The SH-60F entered operational service on 22 June 1989 with Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 10 (HS-10) at NAS North Island. SH-60F squadrons planned to shift from the SH-60F to the MH-60S from 2005 to 2011 and were to be redesignated Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC).

As one of the two squadrons in the US Navy dedicated to Naval Special Warfare support and combat search and rescue, the HCS-5 Firehawks squadron deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003. The squadron completed 900 combat air missions and over 1,700 combat flight hours.
The majority of their flights in the Iraqi theater supported special operations ground forces missions.

We have 2 versions of the Seahawk available, WOW670 in the colourful livery of the ‘Tridents’ and the other WOW668 in the livery of the ‘Black Jacks’, take your pick of either or both if you want something very unique in 1/30 scale. Both models are priced at $1200 each, but are discounted to $1100 for the next few days plus postage and packing. The figures and accessories are not included please note.