I did an Italeri UH-60A six years ago as a Desert Storm unit and have an urge to do a black ops one. I am looking at an MH-60T SOAR in 1/72. Is the Italeri kit best to start with? Here is my old 1/72 Italeri UH-60A.
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Your UH-60A looks pretty nice.
As to the MH-60T, it is not a SOAR helo, but the USCG version.
The latest SOAR version is the MH-60M. Not sure who has the best in 1/72, or even if anyone does as M model in 1/72 or any scale.
Nice. You may be happier with a kitbash of the Italeri and Hasegawa kits.
I don’t think you’ll find parts for the M variant. My SOAR walk around doesn’t even have updated photos. (but will soon)
Here is a set for the M, not sure what kit is needed for the base.
The set looks incomplete for an M model, especially a current one. It doesn’t have the new step sponsons for the landing gear and doesn’t have the UES (Upturned Exhaust System), among a few other M-specific parts. The only M parts it seems to have are the downturned blade tips. Everything else is L and earlier parts to update it to a SOAR bird.
Thanks, I typed before I thought. I was suppose to write MH-60K NOT T or M. OOOPPPPSSSS my goof ala senior moment, sorry.
I will go with the MH-60M as Italeri only does the K in 1/48? So to do a 1/72 M I need a lot of resin updates? I have a show case full of 1/72 aircraft and really don’t want to mix it up with 1/48 or 1/35
I have a 1/72 Hobbyboss MH-60J Jayhawk on order and will do that first.
The Italeri 1/72 MH-60K is pretty nice. Most of the parts are the same as the UH-60A, with a sprue or two of the new K-specific parts. Of note though, the upswept ESSS wings were only tested and not accepted by the US Army. Actual MH-60Ks (which are now retired) had standard, single-point ESSS wings, but they were no usually installed.
Actual MH-60K.
An easier option would be to build an older MH-60L. This is/was the main version used in OP Gothic Serpent (Black Hawk Down), Somalia '93. This type was used up until the late 2000 teens. Depending on the mission, it may or may not have the nose radar, FLIR, or refueling probe installed.
MH-60L
They can be outfitted as MH-60L DAP (Direct Action Penetrator) gunships as well with the addition of the ESSS wings and weapons hung on them.
It can be built using the Italeri 1/72 UH-60 “Night Raid” kit, sort of. It is missing the nose radar, FLIR, fueling boom, and folding square tail stabilator.
For a better option, go up to the 1/48 Italeri UH-60/MH-60 Black Hawk “Night Raid” kit. It is more complete and has all the parts for a SOAR MH-60L.
More info on Op Gothic Serpent MH-60s.
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Thank you, that"Night Raid" is as I remember the same as the Italeri UH-60A Deserthawk kit. I used the “Night Raid” kit to do a UH-60A MEDEVAC, a FL National Guard one that over flies my house but not as often as the USCG MH-60T’s from Clearwater-St Pete.
I’ve built a couple MH-60 SOAR helos over the years.
MH-60L DAP using Academy 1/35 kit
MH-60A “Super 65” using Kitty Hawk MH-60L 1/35 kit.
https://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/16/t/186009.aspx?page=1
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