Westland Sea King HC.4

When the Westland Sea King entered service with the Royal Navy in 1969, it was probably never envisaged they would be needing the HC.4, more commonly known as the Commando. Ten years later, following a request from the Egyptian Air Force for a Sea King without its amphibious configuration, there being little need of this in the desert, Westland came up with the Sea King Commando. In fulfilling the Egyptian Air Force's requirement, the Sea King’s side floats were removed and replaced with stub sponsons to carry the main undercarriage. With an operational range of up to 600 nautical miles, without refuelling, and seating for up to 28 fully equipped troops, the Commando was soon to be adopted by Royal Navy, in particular, by the Naval Air Squadrons (NAS) for troop transport and commando assault operations. The Royal Navy designated the Commando the HC.4 and used it in all major operations around the world; the Falklands, the Balkans, both Gulf Wars, Sierra Leone, Lebanon and Afghanistan. 

ZA314 / WT Giving a lift to some troops; note Paras not Marines in this instance 

I was inspired to build this HC.4, and the earlier HAS.2, to recognise the role they both played in Falklands War, and yet, when it came to adding the final decals, I followed the Airfix plans to the letter, depicting it as helicopter ZA314 / WT from 848 (Training) NAS, based at Yeovilton, Somerset in 2011. I've visited the Fleet Air Arm Museum on the Yeovilton base many times, and may even have been buzzed by ZA314 as I've walked the East Devon coast, where their helicopters are frequently seen and heard on their training flights. 

ZA314 was assigned to 848 (Training) NAS in 2007, from 845 squadron, having themselves received it from 846 NAS in 2000. ZA314 came into service in September 1982, and while too late to be used in the Falklands War, a number of personnel from 848 (Training) NAS, did get to serve in the Falklands; not, however, with the Sea King HC.4, but the Wessex HAS.3, and not with 848 NAS but with 847 NAS! 847 NAS was one of the squadrons urgently reformed to provide the additional anti-submarine capability required to protect the Taskforce from Argentine submarines. Coincidentally, I have a scale model of the Wessex HAS.3, all lined up for one of my next builds. 

Junglie door gunner in training

Factoid: since their operations in Borneo during the 1960s, the Commando Helicopter Force are affectionately known as the Junglies, while their siblings in the Anti-submarine Force, are known as the Pingers, this being the sound made by their submarine searching sonar

A must read book from the view of Junglie

During my research into the Falklands back story of Westland Commando, and before I went with the Airfix 2011 scheme for my HC.4 build, I came across a fascinating book, Special Forces Pilot: A Flying Memoir of the Falkland War by Richard Hutchings, published in 2009. 

Richard (Dick) Hutchings was a Commando helicopter pilot, awarded the DSC with 846 NAS during the Falklands War. In a very story telling style, he pulls back the covers on some very covert missions. These include the raid on Pebble Island, to destroy Pucara aircraft - the nemesis of the helicopter force - a mission which resinates with the iconic Special Air Service (SAS) desert raids on Axis bases during the Second World War, some 40 years earlier. He also describes the role the Junglies played in pioneering night flying, when a small number of the Commando pilots took delivery of the first ever night vision goggles, only released from development for Special Forces to use in covert operations against the Argentines. 

A few key Falklands War locations and dates

The most enlightening and final story of the book, was the reveal of hitherto undisclosed material relating to Operation Mikado. This was the ill-fated, Special Forces mission to destroy the Exocet carrying Super Étendard aircraft and their supply of missiles at Rio Grande airbase in Argentina. Dick shares his first hand experience of this incredulous and audacious mission, which, had it been successful, would have saved the British ships and crew of both HMS Sheffield and the Atlantic Conveyor from the devastating effects of this weapon. As it was, the story remained a secret for many years after the War. Indeed, it does not even get a mention in my usual goto Falklands War tome, Max Hasting's Battle for the Falklands. I assume, even though Max was an embedded reporter within the Taskforce, by publishing in his book in 1983, it was far too soon after the War for such secrets to be released. 

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The model:

Brand:       Airfix
Title:         Westland Sea King HC.4
Number:    A04056
Scale:        1:72
Type:         Full kit
Released:  2015 | Initial release - new tool