Italeria 1/72 scale EH-101 Merlin HAS.1

Manufacturer: Italeri, distributed by Testor, 440 Blackhawk Park Ave., Rockford, IL 61104, 815-962-6654, www.testors.com
Kit: No. 1219
Scale: 1/72
Price:$20
Comments: Injection molded, 125 parts, decals
Pros: Good detail, folding options, excellent fit of clear parts
Cons:Some fit problems, antisubmarine warfare equipment not provided

The three-engined EH-101 Merlin was born as a replacement helicopter for the Westland Sea King that serves the naval air arms of England and Italy.

Italeri has released the Royal Navy variant of the Merlin, designated HAS.1. The kit is packed with 125 light gray and clear parts molded with clean recessed and raised panel lines. There are some ejector-pin marks in the cockpit and cabin area that you will have to fix.

Italeri's 13-step instructions include a parts map and a three-view plan for painting and decaling.

Kit assembly is straightforward, but I had a few fit problems. Watch out for the bottom seam on the main fuselage halves. Mine was offset slightly and required extra attention. Attaching the engine exhaust housing to the upper fuselage produced fairly large seams that had to be filled. The main wheel-well sponsons didn't fit tightly against the fuselage. However, I was impressed by how well the clear parts fit to the cabin.

Despite these fit problems, the kit offers good detail in the cockpit and cabin interior. The instrumentation for the cockpit and sensor operator's station are provided as decals. The cabin is packed with passenger seats and bulkheads that create a passageway between the cockpit and the rear cabin area. Unfortunately, no sonobuoy dispensers or antisubmarine weapons for the HAS. 1 are included.

In steps 9 and 12, the instructions incorrectly place the radar-warning receivers on the back end of the wheel sponsons - they should go on top. Another RWR for the end of the tail is provided but not mentioned in the instructions.

My favorite part of the model is the folding option. These are not working hinges, but the parts allow the main rotors to be folded back and the tailboom with the torque rotor folded down and to the right for stowage on carriers or frigates. You can also leave the crew entry door, located on the left side of the aircraft, open or closed. Although the instructions don't show the separate main cabin door opened, I posed mine that way.

I painted the exterior with the recommended light ghost gray, but I'm not sure that is the color used by the Royal Navy. The kit decals offer only a generic Royal Navy HAS.1 with no unit markings. The decals go on without trouble and react well with Solvaset.

When finished, the model looks fine, especially in its scrunched-up stowed position. World Air Power Journal No. 21 (Summer 1995) was my main reference for detail and color information. The model took about 20 hours to build - less than I usually spend on a kit. Despite some of its drawbacks, it was a pleasant project that most helicopter modelers will enjoy.