AW101 Merlin helicopter in 1/72 Scale

Introduction - AW-101 Merlin, HMA.1 Royal Navy Helicopter

The AgustaWestland AW-101 Merlin, HM1, is a medium-lift naval helicopter. It was developed as a joint venture between Westland Helicopters in England, and Agusta in Italy to develop a strong naval helicopter

to replace their fleets of Sea King NAval helcipoters. This requirment defined a modern naval multi-role helicopter with very good range, carrying weight, loiter capability, and speed. The name "Merlin" is

used for the aircraft in several nations that had adopted it, including Great Britain, Denmark and Portugal. Most aircraft are manufactured in two factories, on in Yeovil, England, and the other in Vergiate,

Italy. License building is also occurring for variants in Japan and the United States, though those are not naval applications.

Originally designated as EH101, when Westland Helicopters and Agusta merged to form AgustaWestland, the aircraft was redeignated as AW101. The first helicopter flew in 1987.

Thereafter, several pre-production aircraft were assembled into the early 1990s. Flight testing were suspended for six months following the crash of the second pre-production aircraft in January 1993. After

evaluating the crash, the aircraft was approived for further flit testing in June 1993. Ultimately nine prototypes were built and tested thoroughly.

In February 1995, Great Britain formally placed its first order for a 22 aircraft. This order was then followed by Italy ordering 16 aircraft in Inctonber of that year.

Deliveries to Great Britan began in 1997 to the Royal Air Froce and the following year to the Royal Navy. Production continued and in 1999 the aircraft went into operational service with the Royal Navy.

In addition to replacing Sikorsky S-61 Sea Kings, the AW-101 has replaced other helicopters like the Boeing Vertol CH-113 Labrador. In service it has proven its multi-role capabilities by performing anti-

submarine warfare, medium-sized transport duties, ship-based utility operations, air-sea rescue, and other, roles, including VIP transport duties and versions for commercial applications.

But the Royal Navy uses it princpally as an anti-submarine warfare helciopter having issues its first order for a total of 44 ASW aircraft. Initially its designation was HAS.1 but that has now changed to

the HM1. All aircraft for the intial order were delivered to the Royal Navy by the end of 2002, and were formed into four Fleet Air Arm squadrons: 814 NAS, 820 NAS, 824 NAS and 829 NAS, all based at RNAS

Culdrose in Cornwall.

The Royal NAvy was planning to do away with the Westland Lynx naval helicopter in favor of an all Merlin fleet, which would have mean more orders. instead, in the 2010 Defense Review, the UK government

indicted that the future naval helicopter fleet consist of the Merlin and the Wildcat, a new development of the Lynx.

In the meant time, a modernization and sustainment of the Merlin began. Thirty of the orginal aircraft were upgraded to a new Merlin HM2 standard as a result of the Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme.

The HM2 has a new mission system, a new digital cockpit, electro-optical camera, and multi-static processing for the sonar system. The HM2 performed its first ship-borne test flight in September 2012 and

achieved initial operational capability in June 2014. It is now possible that earlier airframes, which were intially not scheduled to be upgraded, may be updated nonetheless..

The Merlin HM1 and HM2 pperate from the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, Type 23 Duke class frigates, Type 45 Daring class Destroyers, and several Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA)

vessels including the Fort Victoria-class class. Forteen of the HMS aircraft will be assigned to the new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier.

Further developments of the aircraft have led to a new version that will be able to carry an airborne early warning (AEW) pod under procurement through the Crowsnest programme to replace the Sea King ASaC7.

In May 2015, The Minister of defense and Lockheed Martin UK (as the prime contractor for Crowsnest), selected Thales as the chosen bidder to provide the radar and mission system that will make up the heart

of the Crowsnest capability.

The Royal Navy, as of 2015 operates the following AW101 Merlin squadrons: 814 Naval Air Squadron, 820 Naval Air Squadron, 824 Naval Air Squadron, 829 Naval Air Squadron, 845 Naval Air Squadron, and 846 Naval

Air Squadron.

with its range, speed, capability of carrying up to four torpedos and/or other naval armamnets, and particularly ith its sensor capabilities, the AW101 Merlin is considered on of, if not the best ASW

helicopter available.

Characteristics:
Crew: 3–4
Capacity: (Merlin HM1)
- 26 troops (45 passengers) or,
- 6 tonnes of payload, or
- 16 stretchers (with sonar removed) for Merlin HM1
Capacity: (Merlin HM2)
- 30 troops (38 passengers) or,
- 5 tonnes of payload, or
- 4 stretchers (with sonar removed) for Merlin HM1
Length: 19.53 m-fuselage length (64 ft 1 in)
Rotor diameter: 18.59 m (61 ft 0 in)
Height: 6.62 m (21 ft 8¾ in)
Disc area: 271.51 m² (2,992.5 ft²)
Empty weight: 10,500 kg (23,149 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 14,600 kg (32,188 lb)
Powerplant: 3 × Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322-01 turboshafts, 1,566 kW (2,100 shp) (take-off power) each
Never exceed speed: 309 km/h (167 knots, 192 mph)
Cruise speed: 278 km/h (150 knots, 167mph)
Range: 833 km (450 nmi,[177] 517 mi)
Endurance: 5 hours
Service ceiling: 4,575 m (15,000 ft)
Armament:
- 4 × Sting Ray homing torpedoes or
- Depth charges
Navigation systems: BAE Systems LINS 300 ring laser gyro, Litton Italia LISA-4000 strapdown AHRS

Radar: Selex Galileo Blue Kestrel 5000 maritime surveillance radar
ECM: Racal Orange Reaper ESM
Sonar: Thomson Marconi Sonar AQS-903 acoustic processor, Thomson Sintra FLASH dipping sonar array, and Active/passive sonobuoys

To date, over 130 aircraft have been built for several nations including the UK, Italy, Denmark, Canada, and the US. Of these, alnost seventy are operated by the UK.

What's in the Box - January 17, 2016

Italeri makes decent models and has been doing so for many years. This 1/72 scale model of the AW101 Merlin is no exception.

TYhere is a lot of detail in this model and a number of very nice options.

The aircraft is modled in light gray, with athere elarge sprues in that color and another sprue in clear plastice for the main canopy and numerous windows on the aircraft.

The aircraft can be built with the landing gear up or down. The main and tail rotor can be built to spin. The folding rear portion of the aircraft can be built to either operate, or shown folded or

extended. The entire crew area is detailed very well with the poilot and co-pilot, the coordior back to the ASW technicains space with a detailed consoile for those two operators. In addition, the aft

compartment is shown with seats for additional personnel.

LOts of detail on the model too with all sorts of antennae and sensors for the ASW and maritime role.

All together , there are over 170 parts for this model.
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There is a very good decal set with 76 decals. These decals are very well done and should make for an excellent presentation.

The instructions are done very well, with an excellent paint scheme for the Royal Navy helicopter depitced here. Thought eh color scehem is not in fuill color, oit is nonehtless well done.

Here is the model with its box, the parts, the decals and the instructions:


This should be a fun build. I have always admired the eqipment used by the UK, particularly the Royal Navy. They are not as large as they once were, but they do produce excellent equipment that is world class and very squared away.

The Build Cabin, Rotar mechanics, Canopy and windows, fuselage - January 19, 2016

I started the model by gathering all the parts and then assembling the cabi oif the aircraft. The model kit details out the entire cabin with very deent detail for the cockpit, the anti-submarine warfare technicain areas, and the aft cabin. Good controls and decent seats for all four of the crew, and then with dual sets for six other personnel as required.. Decent decals for the instrumentation, as well as the safety harnesses on all of the sets.

I would gather and assemble parts that could be painted together, paint the idividual parts as required, let them dry, place any decals required, and then assemble the cockpit area.

I then gathered the parts for the fuselage and painted them. The cabin I just completed will be inserted into the fuselage. I also had to prepare the forward landing gear bay and the main rooto assemble (without the blades) and place these within the one side of the fuselage.

In addition, there are numerous windows and the forward cockpit that had to be painted (the cockpuit) and then carefully inserted into their required positions. In order to represent the newer aircraft, a

couple of cut outs had to be made and then alternate glass used for tthose windows...all of which is supplied in the kit.

Then I inserted all of this into one side of the fuselahge.

The it was time to assemble the two sides of the main fuselage, clamp and hold them in place. Once they dried, I attached the nose cone, and the main canopy for the cockpit.


Once this was all dry, the main fuselage, the cabin, and the rotor mechanics are looking very good!


Yep...looking very good indeed.

In my next session I have a lot of detailing to do for the main fuselage including the main gear well pods on either side, the armament of the four torpedos, the landinggear, and numerous sensors around the aircraft.

Until then.

The Build Gear wells, Exhaust, Tail, Landing gear, Details, Torpedoes - January 21, 2016

Got quite a bit done in this session.

I started by painting, assembling and installing the distinctive main landing gear well pods for each side of the aircraft. The main landing gear retract into these pods while in flight. I also built,

painted and installed the engine exhausts on either side.

Then it was time to assemble the folding tail assembly. The kit comes with the ability to build this so it folds as it does in real life when stroing the helicopter on deck or in its hanger. Care has to be

taken in removing the hinge assembly from the fret and then gluing the parts together so the assembly will actually hnig. But once yyou do that, things look pretty good.


I then painted and assembled the actual landing gear and installed thjem on the aircraft. The fron gear have double wheels and are installed in the front landing gear well, where they would retract in

flight. Each of the main gear is installed into the pods we just built. I also added the large antennae array on the aft portion of the fuselage, just in front of the folding tail.

This is looking good with most of th efuselage and details complete.


Then it was time to move on. I started by assmebling and installing the steps on the pilot's side entry to the aircaft. The steps fold down and the upper half of the hatch folds up to allow crew to enter the aircraft.

I intend to show the aircraft as it would look on deck, just prior to take-off with the hatch still opened. Once this was built and installed, I began assembling the four Stringray Torpedoes that the aircraft is capable of carrying.