Hello again, everyone.
For this week's update/highlight, we'll have some cooperation with a NATO ally, and be joined by the Royal Navy.
Though too large for a Spruance's hanger, given the Spruance is the only NATO ship modeled at the moment she'll have to do for our landing pad.
This is the American designed, but British-built variant of the
Sea King.
Made by Sikorsky as the SH-3 Sea King for the US Navy, it was also licensed to the UK manufacturer Westland as the
Westland Sea King for the Royal Navy.
Identifiable by the six-bladed tail rotor and larger dome on the spine, this is the HAS.5 variant.
It could carry 4 Mk. 44, Mk. 46, or Sting Ray torpedoes, or 4 depth bombs, giving it a rather formidable armament.
As an aside, one little detail I'm rather happy with is the automatically-switching "rig for red" lighting.
It has a top speed of 113 knots, just one knot faster than the Soviet Ka-25 Hormone, though with a range of 1,200 km, it has three times the range.
An upgraded version built largely off of the HAS.2 variant, the HAS.5 comes standard with MEL Super Searcher radar, Racal MIR-2 Orange Crop ESM and sonobouy tubes.
Many served in this configuration in the Falkland Islands Conflict.
Some were later modified to carry the AN/ASQ-81 MAD. This aircraft in particular is modeled as one with such a modification.
More images:
Keep in mind, graphics are subject to upgrade, especially with regard to certain details...
I apologize again that this update was late, but thank you for joining us. Please feel free to comment and discuss below!