Kit Details:

Revell 1:72 Agusta-Westland EH-101 Merlin HM.1 mod. no 04410

History:

The European Helicopter Industries consortium (now renamed Agusta Westland) was created in the late 1970s by Agusta of Italy and GKN Westland in the UK to develop a new NATO helicopter of advanced design as a replacement for the shipborne Sea King anti-submarine helicopter; this requirement was mainly driven by the British and Italian navies. A series of nine prototype and development aircraft (PP1- PP9) were ordered, PP1 being built by Westland’s as the development machine for the Royal Navy’s HAS1 (later redesignated HM1, note: Italeri’s offering is using old type designation, we’ll get to that later) maritime anti-submarine variant which was first flown in October 1987. PP2 was the first Italian Navy prototype. British Merlins are fitted with 3 x Rolls Royce Turboméca RTM 322 turbo shafts with a combined rating of 6,789 shp. The PP7 – PP9 prototypes featured revised configurations to include a rear loading ramp, with PP8 becoming the first British Development Merlin HC3 for the RAF.

Forty Four Merlin HM1s have been ordered and these will mainly be used in the underwater warfare and surface warfare roles based aboard the RN Invincible class carriers and various frigates (such as Type 23 Duke class). Its secondary roles include SAR, replenishment, troop transport and CasEvac. It is fitted with an advanced automatic flight control system and an electronic cockpit instrument system using high definition full colour CRT displays; other equipment includes the powerful Blue Kestrel search radar, AQS-950 active dipping sonar (FLASH), Orange Reaper ESM, AQS 903 passive sonics, Link 11 (data link) and a rescue winch. A distinctive feature is the five-bladed main rotor, fitted with Westland’s advanced technology swept BERP tips. Considerable use of light alloys and composite materials provide a modular and damage tolerant structure.

First entering RN service with No.700M Intensive Flying Training Unit (IFTU) at RNAS Culdrose in September 2000, No.824 Squadron, Culdrose, became the Merlin Advanced and Operational Training Unit followed by the first operational squadron, No.814 (‘Tiger’) Squadron, currently aboard the carrier HMS Ark Royal. For the 2002 Culdrose air show one 814 Sqn. machine (the subject of this kit, btw) was given a full set of dark grey ‘tiger’ stripes, this special scheme has been retained during the carrier’s operational deployment in February 2003. With an all-weather performance and long range capabilities, the Merlin HM1 has a maximum cruising speed of 278 km/h (173mph). Armament include up to four Sting Ray homing torpedoes or depth charges and two 7.62mm general purpose MGs (most probably door mounted). 

What’s in the box:

First, the box is typical Revell, with impressive (and informative) boxart. Total part count is 159, mounted on 3 light grey and one clear sprue, all nice and crisp, hardly any flash and ejectors/pins seen. Only 4 parts are not to be used. The Instruction sheet is also typical of Revell (I'd say I have never seen anything different from this company), with 16 A4 size pages, 47 nicely exploded steps (2 for colours and markings), and colours from A to Q (17, that is). Decals are also nice and in register and they do show high quality. All are nicely bagged (not the instructions, of course), with clear parts separately. Also, all details are nicely engraved with some raised, where appropriate (it looks like Tamigawa, though my guess is that Somebody has used the Italeri’s Merlin HAS1 as a basis, but only as a basis). Very nice remark on the front page is: “Revell AG thank the following for their generous assistance during the preparation of this kit: the Public Relation staff and members of Nos. 814 and 824 Naval Air Squadrons, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, UK, and Agusta-Westland Helicopters at Yeovil.” So, my best guess is that Revell has knocked off the basics from Italeri (it seems so, due to the parts break-up, mainly the fuselage) and this time (thanks to the Revell for that) gone even further, correcting many Italeri’s mistakes. So stay tuned!

Build up of the Model:

• The usual stuff, office and cabin, seats could be banged up to look even more convincing, there’s a separate cabin for sensors operators, display panels could be painted, but as there are decals provided and area is small enough (in 72nd scale, that is) these will do fine, main office has collective and pitch, instrument panel is decal only (But as glass is clear and BIG, some spicing up will be a must for more serious modeller). Otherwise the cabin looks nice, it even has a separate roof with rotor head base on the topside. Also one must pay attention to the instructions in order to drill the right holes out. It seemed a lot of plastic to me, so nose weight will not be needed this time.
• Nose gear bay is a single separate piece, so there’s not too much detail inside, so some plumbing will fit in nicely.
• Fuselage (split vertically) has some nice features in it, like separate sides (probably for using same basic mold for RN and RAF versions), also I noted that the engine cowling has a hinge (!) so this could be shown open (between intake and exhaust) with an engine inside (if one makes one, you’ll see it when you complete the model). Basically the fuselage is split into 3 main areas – nose (separate nosecone) and main fuselage, tail section (from the engine exhausts to the folding tail rotor section) and that folding tail rotor section, all nice and crisp.
• Doors are optional parts, open or closed, both sides. One side having a big sliding door, the other a small entrance door (with steps as a separate part inside) splitting horizontally. 
• 2 engines are separate, third (and middle one) being molded into the fuselage from the beginning. Outer ones have intakes molded into fuselage sides, but with separate cowling and exhaust section (4 total, each).
• Main gear sponsons are made up of 4 parts (not including gear – separate wheel and leg in each case), upper plate, lower plate, sides and ESM sensor.
• As mentioned, another option is a folding tail rotor section (and it’s movable, hinge made of 3 parts), made up of 2 sides, stabiliser, rotor hub and again, ESM sensor.
• Major difference from Italeri’s Merlin – mountings for 4x Sting Rays and torpedoes, the latter mounted as a single unit and each torpedo made up of 4 parts. Also included are some missing antennas and surprise-surprise, mirrors, each made up of 2 parts and fitted to the canopy. Short and basic – what you see on the boxart, you get.
• Antennae fit looks great (can’t say that all are there, though, as I’m not much of an expert in this field), but there are many of them. Most prominent Blue Kestrel Radar, and also dipping sonar (shown only in retracted position).
• Another nice option is a folding main rotor, also movable (though outer blades should droop a lot more than depicted, as I have heard, but best to check your references). Main rotor is made up of 14 parts + 5 blades. Tail rotor is made up of 2 parts.

Options:

Options, as mentioned, are a folding main rotor and tail rotor section, optional open or closed doors. Another option provided, but not used, is the possibility to depict an open engine cowling to display the engines, but to achieve that, one must first build those engines! Also one can show a fully laden helo, or one without stores (torpedoes etc).

Versions:

• No. 814 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, HMS Ark Royal, February 2003. This is the one with very nice tigerstripes (dark greys over light) that makes quite an effective camouflage (deliberately?)
• No. 824 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, RNAS Culdrose, UK, January 2003. This is plain standard RN grey.

Accuracy, recommendations

The model seems to be slightly underscale (being a bit smaller than it should be), but it’s hard to fully judge by not putting it together first. Otherwise it is very highly recommended (I would rate it at least 95%). My initial thought was to use this one as a basis for a diorama, especially when I managed to get some cars (like BMW  X5 and some MBs) in 1:72nd scale to be used in conjunction with it. What can I say, it looks like it has some delicate fitting parts in it, due a lot of smaller parts, but it looks a likely proposition to be buildable by beginners. Though it is marked Skill 4, extreme novices should take a slow pace and it should just about fall together by itself (shake and bake?)!