The Flickr Diecasthelicopter Image Generatr

This is a 1/72 scale diecast model of a Spanish Navy Sea King helicopter, which I sourced on eBay for approximately £10. I have carefully dismantled, stripped and re-painted the model into grey and red. It has been finished with waterslide transfers to depict the Royal Navy Search & Rescue service livery.

This model now represents XV705, flying as callsign Navy/Rescue 177 from HMS Gannet, Prestwick. Together with XZ589, Sea King of RAF Search & Rescue (SAR), D Flight, 202 Sqn at Lossiemouth, they provided air SAR covering Scotland, large parts of the North Sea, south to the Isle of Man & Lake District, west to Northern Ireland and 200 miles west of Ireland. This is now a privatised service, contracted on behalf of HM Coastguard, to Bristow.

This is a 1/72 scale diecast model of a Spanish Navy Sea King helicopter, which I sourced on eBay for approximately £10. I have carefully dismantled, stripped and re-painted the model into grey and red. It has been finished with waterslide transfers to depict the Royal Navy Search & Rescue service livery.

This model now represents XV705, flying as callsign Navy/Rescue 177 from HMS Gannet, Prestwick. Together with XZ589, Sea King of RAF Search & Rescue (SAR), D Flight, 202 Sqn at Lossiemouth, they provided air SAR covering Scotland, large parts of the North Sea, south to the Isle of Man & Lake District, west to Northern Ireland and 200 miles west of Ireland. This is now a privatised service, contracted on behalf of HM Coastguard, to Bristow.

This is a 1/72 scale diecast model of a Spanish Navy Sea King helicopter, which I sourced on eBay for approximately £10. I have carefully dismantled, stripped and re-painted the model into grey and red. It has been finished with waterslide transfers to depict the Royal Navy Search & Rescue service livery.

This model now represents XV705, flying as callsign Navy/Rescue 177 from HMS Gannet, Prestwick. Together with XZ589, Sea King of RAF Search & Rescue (SAR), D Flight, 202 Sqn at Lossiemouth, they provided air SAR covering Scotland, large parts of the North Sea, south to the Isle of Man & Lake District, west to Northern Ireland and 200 miles west of Ireland. This is now a privatised service, contracted on behalf of HM Coastguard, to Bristow.

This is a 1/72 scale diecast model of a Spanish Navy Sea King helicopter, which I sourced on eBay for approximately £10. I have carefully dismantled, stripped and re-painted the model into grey and red. It has been finished with waterslide transfers to depict the Royal Navy Search & Rescue service livery.

This model now represents XV705, flying as callsign Navy/Rescue 177 from HMS Gannet, Prestwick. Together with XZ589, Sea King of RAF Search & Rescue (SAR), D Flight, 202 Sqn at Lossiemouth, they provided air SAR covering Scotland, large parts of the North Sea, south to the Isle of Man & Lake District, west to Northern Ireland and 200 miles west of Ireland. This is now a privatised service, contracted on behalf of HM Coastguard, to Bristow.

This is a 1/72 scale diecast model of a Spanish Navy Sea King helicopter, which I sourced on eBay for approximately £10. I have carefully dismantled, stripped and re-painted the model into grey and red. It has been finished with waterslide transfers to depict the Royal Navy Search & Rescue service livery.

This model now represents XV705, flying as callsign Navy/Rescue 177 from HMS Gannet, Prestwick. Together with XZ589, Sea King of RAF Search & Rescue (SAR), D Flight, 202 Sqn at Lossiemouth, they provided air SAR covering Scotland, large parts of the North Sea, south to the Isle of Man & Lake District, west to Northern Ireland and 200 miles west of Ireland. This is now a privatised service, contracted on behalf of HM Coastguard, to Bristow.

This is a 1/72 scale diecast model of a Spanish Navy Sea King helicopter, which I sourced on eBay for approximately £10. I have carefully dismantled, stripped and re-painted the model into grey and red. It has been finished with waterslide transfers to depict the Royal Navy Search & Rescue service livery.

This model now represents XV705, flying as callsign Navy/Rescue 177 from HMS Gannet, Prestwick. Together with XZ589, Sea King of RAF Search & Rescue (SAR), D Flight, 202 Sqn at Lossiemouth, they provided air SAR covering Scotland, large parts of the North Sea, south to the Isle of Man & Lake District, west to Northern Ireland and 200 miles west of Ireland. This is now a privatised service, contracted on behalf of HM Coastguard, to Bristow.

When I finished the Air Ambulance EC135, my mind turned to the RAF Sea Kings used for Search & Rescue. As I’ve never yet tried to build an Airfix or similar kit (watch this space…), I found a Spanish Armada Sea King for cheap on eBay, dismantled and re-painted it. I have added extra lookout windows at the rear on both sides, and a search radar dome on the spine.

The “CRAB RESCUE” decals on the front doors are based on the real aircraft, “Crabs” being the inter service nickname given to the RAF. This allegedly comes from the blue colour of the first RAF uniforms matching the colour of mercuric oxide jelly, widely used at the time to treat lice. In reality either RAF personnel or Navy/Army colleagues used black tape to change the RAF to “CRAB”.

XZ589, a Sea King HAR3, was built by Westland Helicopters as WA855 and delivered to the RAF in May 1978, part of the first batch of 15 HAR3’s dedicated to Search and Rescue (SAR). 589 spent many years of its working life with D Flight of 202 Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth. While a military service, since 1975 over 95% of rescues by 202 Sqn were civilian. D Flight at Lossiemouth recorded their 5000th rescue in 2001 - a fallen climber with a shoulder injury, and the 5th tasking of that day. (Record keeping only began in 1983).

The HAR3 Sea King flies with a crew of 4; Aircraft Captain, Co-Pilot, Radar/Winch Operator & Winchman (trained to Paramedic level). Additionally it is capable of carrying 6 stretchered casualties, or 18 independently mobile survivors.

In 2006 the Westminster Government decided to privatise helicopter search and rescue. The Department for Transport granted Bristow Group the contract on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The last recorded rescue by D flight was a 31st of March 2015 request from Police Scotland to assist Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team with no one found. The 1st of April 2015 saw Bristow formally take over helicopter SAR taskings. Sadly there was no final fly past and a party, planned to celebrate the crews and their service at Lossiemouth, was cancelled. Bristow now provide this service for HM Coastguard using more modern aircraft, namely the Sikorsky S92 and Leonardo AW189.

When I finished the Air Ambulance EC135, my mind turned to the RAF Sea Kings used for Search & Rescue. As I’ve never yet tried to build an Airfix or similar kit (watch this space…), I found a Spanish Armada Sea King for cheap on eBay, dismantled and re-painted it. I have added extra lookout windows at the rear on both sides, and a search radar dome on the spine.

The “CRAB RESCUE” decals on the front doors are based on the real aircraft, “Crabs” being the inter service nickname given to the RAF. This allegedly comes from the blue colour of the first RAF uniforms matching the colour of mercuric oxide jelly, widely used at the time to treat lice. In reality either RAF personnel or Navy/Army colleagues used black tape to change the RAF to “CRAB”.

XZ589, a Sea King HAR3, was built by Westland Helicopters as WA855 and delivered to the RAF in May 1978, part of the first batch of 15 HAR3’s dedicated to Search and Rescue (SAR). 589 spent many years of its working life with D Flight of 202 Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth. While a military service, since 1975 over 95% of rescues by 202 Sqn were civilian. D Flight at Lossiemouth recorded their 5000th rescue in 2001 - a fallen climber with a shoulder injury, and the 5th tasking of that day. (Record keeping only began in 1983).

The HAR3 Sea King flies with a crew of 4; Aircraft Captain, Co-Pilot, Radar/Winch Operator & Winchman (trained to Paramedic level). Additionally it is capable of carrying 6 stretchered casualties, or 18 independently mobile survivors.

In 2006 the Westminster Government decided to privatise helicopter search and rescue. The Department for Transport granted Bristow Group the contract on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The last recorded rescue by D flight was a 31st of March 2015 request from Police Scotland to assist Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team with no one found. The 1st of April 2015 saw Bristow formally take over helicopter SAR taskings. Sadly there was no final fly past and a party, planned to celebrate the crews and their service at Lossiemouth, was cancelled. Bristow now provide this service for HM Coastguard using more modern aircraft, namely the Sikorsky S92 and Leonardo AW189.

When I finished the Air Ambulance EC135, my mind turned to the RAF Sea Kings used for Search & Rescue. As I’ve never yet tried to build an Airfix or similar kit (watch this space…), I found a Spanish Armada Sea King for cheap on eBay, dismantled and re-painted it. I have added extra lookout windows at the rear on both sides, and a search radar dome on the spine.

The “CRAB RESCUE” decals on the front doors are based on the real aircraft, “Crabs” being the inter service nickname given to the RAF. This allegedly comes from the blue colour of the first RAF uniforms matching the colour of mercuric oxide jelly, widely used at the time to treat lice. In reality either RAF personnel or Navy/Army colleagues used black tape to change the RAF to “CRAB”.

XZ589, a Sea King HAR3, was built by Westland Helicopters as WA855 and delivered to the RAF in May 1978, part of the first batch of 15 HAR3’s dedicated to Search and Rescue (SAR). 589 spent many years of its working life with D Flight of 202 Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth. While a military service, since 1975 over 95% of rescues by 202 Sqn were civilian. D Flight at Lossiemouth recorded their 5000th rescue in 2001 - a fallen climber with a shoulder injury, and the 5th tasking of that day. (Record keeping only began in 1983).

The HAR3 Sea King flies with a crew of 4; Aircraft Captain, Co-Pilot, Radar/Winch Operator & Winchman (trained to Paramedic level). Additionally it is capable of carrying 6 stretchered casualties, or 18 independently mobile survivors.

In 2006 the Westminster Government decided to privatise helicopter search and rescue. The Department for Transport granted Bristow Group the contract on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The last recorded rescue by D flight was a 31st of March 2015 request from Police Scotland to assist Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team with no one found. The 1st of April 2015 saw Bristow formally take over helicopter SAR taskings. Sadly there was no final fly past and a party, planned to celebrate the crews and their service at Lossiemouth, was cancelled. Bristow now provide this service for HM Coastguard using more modern aircraft, namely the Sikorsky S92 and Leonardo AW189.

When I finished the Air Ambulance EC135, my mind turned to the RAF Sea Kings used for Search & Rescue. As I’ve never yet tried to build an Airfix or similar kit (watch this space…), I found a Spanish Armada Sea King for cheap on eBay, dismantled and re-painted it. I have added extra lookout windows at the rear on both sides, and a search radar dome on the spine.

The “CRAB RESCUE” decals on the front doors are based on the real aircraft, “Crabs” being the inter service nickname given to the RAF. This allegedly comes from the blue colour of the first RAF uniforms matching the colour of mercuric oxide jelly, widely used at the time to treat lice. In reality either RAF personnel or Navy/Army colleagues used black tape to change the RAF to “CRAB”.

XZ589, a Sea King HAR3, was built by Westland Helicopters as WA855 and delivered to the RAF in May 1978, part of the first batch of 15 HAR3’s dedicated to Search and Rescue (SAR). 589 spent many years of its working life with D Flight of 202 Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth. While a military service, since 1975 over 95% of rescues by 202 Sqn were civilian. D Flight at Lossiemouth recorded their 5000th rescue in 2001 - a fallen climber with a shoulder injury, and the 5th tasking of that day. (Record keeping only began in 1983).

The HAR3 Sea King flies with a crew of 4; Aircraft Captain, Co-Pilot, Radar/Winch Operator & Winchman (trained to Paramedic level). Additionally it is capable of carrying 6 stretchered casualties, or 18 independently mobile survivors.

In 2006 the Westminster Government decided to privatise helicopter search and rescue. The Department for Transport granted Bristow Group the contract on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The last recorded rescue by D flight was a 31st of March 2015 request from Police Scotland to assist Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team with no one found. The 1st of April 2015 saw Bristow formally take over helicopter SAR taskings. Sadly there was no final fly past and a party, planned to celebrate the crews and their service at Lossiemouth, was cancelled. Bristow now provide this service for HM Coastguard using more modern aircraft, namely the Sikorsky S92 and Leonardo AW189.

The base model, an eBay bargain adapted for my own needs. As my main area of interest are buses & coaches of Scotland, these emergency service models just need to close close enough to the real thing for me to be happy.

When I finished the Air Ambulance EC135, my mind turned to the RAF Sea Kings used for Search & Rescue. As I’ve never yet tried to build an Airfix or similar kit (watch this space…), I found a Spanish Armada Sea King for cheap on eBay, dismantled and re-painted it. I have added extra lookout windows at the rear on both sides, and a search radar dome on the spine.

The “CRAB RESCUE” decals on the front doors are based on the real aircraft, “Crabs” being the inter service nickname given to the RAF. This allegedly comes from the blue colour of the first RAF uniforms matching the colour of mercuric oxide jelly, widely used at the time to treat lice. In reality either RAF personnel or Navy/Army colleagues used black tape to change the RAF to “CRAB”.

XZ589, a Sea King HAR3, was built by Westland Helicopters as WA855 and delivered to the RAF in May 1978, part of the first batch of 15 HAR3’s dedicated to Search and Rescue (SAR). 589 spent many years of its working life with D Flight of 202 Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth. While a military service, since 1975 over 95% of rescues by 202 Sqn were civilian. D Flight at Lossiemouth recorded their 5000th rescue in 2001 - a fallen climber with a shoulder injury, and the 5th tasking of that day. (Record keeping only began in 1983).

The HAR3 Sea King flies with a crew of 4; Aircraft Captain, Co-Pilot, Radar/Winch Operator & Winchman (trained to Paramedic level). Additionally it is capable of carrying 6 stretchered casualties, or 18 independently mobile survivors.

In 2006 the Westminster Government decided to privatise helicopter search and rescue. The Department for Transport granted Bristow Group the contract on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The last recorded rescue by D flight was a 31st of March 2015 request from Police Scotland to assist Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team with no one found. The 1st of April 2015 saw Bristow formally take over helicopter SAR taskings. Sadly there was no final fly past and a party, planned to celebrate the crews and their service at Lossiemouth, was cancelled. Bristow now provide this service for HM Coastguard using more modern aircraft, namely the Sikorsky S92 and Leonardo AW189.

When I finished the Air Ambulance EC135, my mind turned to the RAF Sea Kings used for Search & Rescue. As I’ve never yet tried to build an Airfix or similar kit (watch this space…), I found a Spanish Armada Sea King for cheap on eBay, dismantled and re-painted it. I have added extra lookout windows at the rear on both sides, and a search radar dome on the spine.

The “CRAB RESCUE” decals on the front doors are based on the real aircraft, “Crabs” being the inter service nickname given to the RAF. This allegedly comes from the blue colour of the first RAF uniforms matching the colour of mercuric oxide jelly, widely used at the time to treat lice. In reality either RAF personnel or Navy/Army colleagues used black tape to change the RAF to “CRAB”.

XZ589, a Sea King HAR3, was built by Westland Helicopters as WA855 and delivered to the RAF in May 1978, part of the first batch of 15 HAR3’s dedicated to Search and Rescue (SAR). 589 spent many years of its working life with D Flight of 202 Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth. While a military service, since 1975 over 95% of rescues by 202 Sqn were civilian. D Flight at Lossiemouth recorded their 5000th rescue in 2001 - a fallen climber with a shoulder injury, and the 5th tasking of that day. (Record keeping only began in 1983).

The HAR3 Sea King flies with a crew of 4; Aircraft Captain, Co-Pilot, Radar/Winch Operator & Winchman (trained to Paramedic level). Additionally it is capable of carrying 6 stretchered casualties, or 18 independently mobile survivors.

In 2006 the Westminster Government decided to privatise helicopter search and rescue. The Department for Transport granted Bristow Group the contract on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The last recorded rescue by D flight was a 31st of March 2015 request from Police Scotland to assist Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team with no one found. The 1st of April 2015 saw Bristow formally take over helicopter SAR taskings. Sadly there was no final fly past and a party, planned to celebrate the crews and their service at Lossiemouth, was cancelled. Bristow now provide this service for HM Coastguard using more modern aircraft, namely the Sikorsky S92 and Leonardo AW189.

When I finished the Air Ambulance EC135, my mind turned to the RAF Sea Kings used for Search & Rescue. As I’ve never yet tried to build an Airfix or similar kit (watch this space…), I found a Spanish Armada Sea King for cheap on eBay, dismantled and re-painted it. I have added extra lookout windows at the rear on both sides, and a search radar dome on the spine.

The “CRAB RESCUE” decals on the front doors are based on the real aircraft, “Crabs” being the inter service nickname given to the RAF. This allegedly comes from the blue colour of the first RAF uniforms matching the colour of mercuric oxide jelly, widely used at the time to treat lice. In reality either RAF personnel or Navy/Army colleagues used black tape to change the RAF to “CRAB”.

XZ589, a Sea King HAR3, was built by Westland Helicopters as WA855 and delivered to the RAF in May 1978, part of the first batch of 15 HAR3’s dedicated to Search and Rescue (SAR). 589 spent many years of its working life with D Flight of 202 Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth. While a military service, since 1975 over 95% of rescues by 202 Sqn were civilian. D Flight at Lossiemouth recorded their 5000th rescue in 2001 - a fallen climber with a shoulder injury, and the 5th tasking of that day. (Record keeping only began in 1983).

The HAR3 Sea King flies with a crew of 4; Aircraft Captain, Co-Pilot, Radar/Winch Operator & Winchman (trained to Paramedic level). Additionally it is capable of carrying 6 stretchered casualties, or 18 independently mobile survivors.

In 2006 the Westminster Government decided to privatise helicopter search and rescue. The Department for Transport granted Bristow Group the contract on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The last recorded rescue by D flight was a 31st of March 2015 request from Police Scotland to assist Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team with no one found. The 1st of April 2015 saw Bristow formally take over helicopter SAR taskings. Sadly there was no final fly past and a party, planned to celebrate the crews and their service at Lossiemouth, was cancelled. Bristow now provide this service for HM Coastguard using more modern aircraft, namely the Sikorsky S92 and Leonardo AW189.

When I finished the Air Ambulance EC135, my mind turned to the RAF Sea Kings used for Search & Rescue. As I’ve never yet tried to build an Airfix or similar kit (watch this space…), I found a Spanish Armada Sea King for cheap on eBay, dismantled and re-painted it. I have added extra lookout windows at the rear on both sides, and a search radar dome on the spine.

The “CRAB RESCUE” decals on the front doors are based on the real aircraft, “Crabs” being the inter service nickname given to the RAF. This allegedly comes from the blue colour of the first RAF uniforms matching the colour of mercuric oxide jelly, widely used at the time to treat lice. In reality either RAF personnel or Navy/Army colleagues used black tape to change the RAF to “CRAB”.

XZ589, a Sea King HAR3, was built by Westland Helicopters as WA855 and delivered to the RAF in May 1978, part of the first batch of 15 HAR3’s dedicated to Search and Rescue (SAR). 589 spent many years of its working life with D Flight of 202 Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth. While a military service, since 1975 over 95% of rescues by 202 Sqn were civilian. D Flight at Lossiemouth recorded their 5000th rescue in 2001 - a fallen climber with a shoulder injury, and the 5th tasking of that day. (Record keeping only began in 1983).

The HAR3 Sea King flies with a crew of 4; Aircraft Captain, Co-Pilot, Radar/Winch Operator & Winchman (trained to Paramedic level). Additionally it is capable of carrying 6 stretchered casualties, or 18 independently mobile survivors.

In 2006 the Westminster Government decided to privatise helicopter search and rescue. The Department for Transport granted Bristow Group the contract on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The last recorded rescue by D flight was a 31st of March 2015 request from Police Scotland to assist Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team with no one found. The 1st of April 2015 saw Bristow formally take over helicopter SAR taskings. Sadly there was no final fly past and a party, planned to celebrate the crews and their service at Lossiemouth, was cancelled. Bristow now provide this service for HM Coastguard using more modern aircraft, namely the Sikorsky S92 and Leonardo AW189.

When I finished the Air Ambulance EC135, my mind turned to the RAF Sea Kings used for Search & Rescue. As I’ve never yet tried to build an Airfix or similar kit (watch this space…), I found a Spanish Armada Sea King for cheap on eBay, dismantled and re-painted it. I have added extra lookout windows at the rear on both sides, and a search radar dome on the spine.

The “CRAB RESCUE” decals on the front doors are based on the real aircraft, “Crabs” being the inter service nickname given to the RAF. This allegedly comes from the blue colour of the first RAF uniforms matching the colour of mercuric oxide jelly, widely used at the time to treat lice. In reality either RAF personnel or Navy/Army colleagues used black tape to change the RAF to “CRAB”.

XZ589, a Sea King HAR3, was built by Westland Helicopters as WA855 and delivered to the RAF in May 1978, part of the first batch of 15 HAR3’s dedicated to Search and Rescue (SAR). 589 spent many years of its working life with D Flight of 202 Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth. While a military service, since 1975 over 95% of rescues by 202 Sqn were civilian. D Flight at Lossiemouth recorded their 5000th rescue in 2001 - a fallen climber with a shoulder injury, and the 5th tasking of that day. (Record keeping only began in 1983).

The HAR3 Sea King flies with a crew of 4; Aircraft Captain, Co-Pilot, Radar/Winch Operator & Winchman (trained to Paramedic level). Additionally it is capable of carrying 6 stretchered casualties, or 18 independently mobile survivors.

In 2006 the Westminster Government decided to privatise helicopter search and rescue. The Department for Transport granted Bristow Group the contract on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The last recorded rescue by D flight was a 31st of March 2015 request from Police Scotland to assist Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team with no one found. The 1st of April 2015 saw Bristow formally take over helicopter SAR taskings. Sadly there was no final fly past and a party, planned to celebrate the crews and their service at Lossiemouth, was cancelled. Bristow now provide this service for HM Coastguard using more modern aircraft, namely the Sikorsky S92 and Leonardo AW189.

When I finished the Air Ambulance EC135, my mind turned to the RAF Sea Kings used for Search & Rescue. As I’ve never yet tried to build an Airfix or similar kit (watch this space…), I found a Spanish Armada Sea King for cheap on eBay, dismantled and re-painted it. I have added extra lookout windows at the rear on both sides, and a search radar dome on the spine.

The “CRAB RESCUE” decals on the front doors are based on the real aircraft, “Crabs” being the inter service nickname given to the RAF. This allegedly comes from the blue colour of the first RAF uniforms matching the colour of mercuric oxide jelly, widely used at the time to treat lice. In reality either RAF personnel or Navy/Army colleagues used black tape to change the RAF to “CRAB”.

XZ589, a Sea King HAR3, was built by Westland Helicopters as WA855 and delivered to the RAF in May 1978, part of the first batch of 15 HAR3’s dedicated to Search and Rescue (SAR). 589 spent many years of its working life with D Flight of 202 Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth. While a military service, since 1975 over 95% of rescues by 202 Sqn were civilian. D Flight at Lossiemouth recorded their 5000th rescue in 2001 - a fallen climber with a shoulder injury, and the 5th tasking of that day. (Record keeping only began in 1983).

The HAR3 Sea King flies with a crew of 4; Aircraft Captain, Co-Pilot, Radar/Winch Operator & Winchman (trained to Paramedic level). Additionally it is capable of carrying 6 stretchered casualties, or 18 independently mobile survivors.

In 2006 the Westminster Government decided to privatise helicopter search and rescue. The Department for Transport granted Bristow Group the contract on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The last recorded rescue by D flight was a 31st of March 2015 request from Police Scotland to assist Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team with no one found. The 1st of April 2015 saw Bristow formally take over helicopter SAR taskings. Sadly there was no final fly past and a party, planned to celebrate the crews and their service at Lossiemouth, was cancelled. Bristow now provide this service for HM Coastguard using more modern aircraft, namely the Sikorsky S92 and Leonardo AW189.

When I finished the Air Ambulance EC135, my mind turned to the RAF Sea Kings used for Search & Rescue. As I’ve never yet tried to build an Airfix or similar kit (watch this space…), I found a Spanish Armada Sea King for cheap on eBay, dismantled and re-painted it. I have added extra lookout windows at the rear on both sides, and a search radar dome on the spine.

The “CRAB RESCUE” decals on the front doors are based on the real aircraft, “Crabs” being the inter service nickname given to the RAF. This allegedly comes from the blue colour of the first RAF uniforms matching the colour of mercuric oxide jelly, widely used at the time to treat lice. In reality either RAF personnel or Navy/Army colleagues used black tape to change the RAF to “CRAB”.

XZ589, a Sea King HAR3, was built by Westland Helicopters as WA855 and delivered to the RAF in May 1978, part of the first batch of 15 HAR3’s dedicated to Search and Rescue (SAR). 589 spent many years of its working life with D Flight of 202 Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth. While a military service, since 1975 over 95% of rescues by 202 Sqn were civilian. D Flight at Lossiemouth recorded their 5000th rescue in 2001 - a fallen climber with a shoulder injury, and the 5th tasking of that day. (Record keeping only began in 1983).

The HAR3 Sea King flies with a crew of 4; Aircraft Captain, Co-Pilot, Radar/Winch Operator & Winchman (trained to Paramedic level). Additionally it is capable of carrying 6 stretchered casualties, or 18 independently mobile survivors.

In 2006 the Westminster Government decided to privatise helicopter search and rescue. The Department for Transport granted Bristow Group the contract on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The last recorded rescue by D flight was a 31st of March 2015 request from Police Scotland to assist Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team with no one found. The 1st of April 2015 saw Bristow formally take over helicopter SAR taskings. Sadly there was no final fly past and a party, planned to celebrate the crews and their service at Lossiemouth, was cancelled. Bristow now provide this service for HM Coastguard using more modern aircraft, namely the Sikorsky S92 and Leonardo AW189.

When I finished the Air Ambulance EC135, my mind turned to the RAF Sea Kings used for Search & Rescue. As I’ve never yet tried to build an Airfix or similar kit (watch this space…), I found a Spanish Armada Sea King for cheap on eBay, dismantled and re-painted it. I have added extra lookout windows at the rear on both sides, and a search radar dome on the spine.

The “CRAB RESCUE” decals on the front doors are based on the real aircraft, “Crabs” being the inter service nickname given to the RAF. This allegedly comes from the blue colour of the first RAF uniforms matching the colour of mercuric oxide jelly, widely used at the time to treat lice. In reality either RAF personnel or Navy/Army colleagues used black tape to change the RAF to “CRAB”.

XZ589, a Sea King HAR3, was built by Westland Helicopters as WA855 and delivered to the RAF in May 1978, part of the first batch of 15 HAR3’s dedicated to Search and Rescue (SAR). 589 spent many years of its working life with D Flight of 202 Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth. While a military service, since 1975 over 95% of rescues by 202 Sqn were civilian. D Flight at Lossiemouth recorded their 5000th rescue in 2001 - a fallen climber with a shoulder injury, and the 5th tasking of that day. (Record keeping only began in 1983).

The HAR3 Sea King flies with a crew of 4; Aircraft Captain, Co-Pilot, Radar/Winch Operator & Winchman (trained to Paramedic level). Additionally it is capable of carrying 6 stretchered casualties, or 18 independently mobile survivors.

In 2006 the Westminster Government decided to privatise helicopter search and rescue. The Department for Transport granted Bristow Group the contract on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The last recorded rescue by D flight was a 31st of March 2015 request from Police Scotland to assist Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team with no one found. The 1st of April 2015 saw Bristow formally take over helicopter SAR taskings. Sadly there was no final fly past and a party, planned to celebrate the crews and their service at Lossiemouth, was cancelled. Bristow now provide this service for HM Coastguard using more modern aircraft, namely the Sikorsky S92 and Leonardo AW189.

When I finished the Air Ambulance EC135, my mind turned to the RAF Sea Kings used for Search & Rescue. As I’ve never yet tried to build an Airfix or similar kit (watch this space…), I found a Spanish Armada Sea King for cheap on eBay, dismantled and re-painted it. I have added extra lookout windows at the rear on both sides, and a search radar dome on the spine.

The “CRAB RESCUE” decals on the front doors are based on the real aircraft, “Crabs” being the inter service nickname given to the RAF. This allegedly comes from the blue colour of the first RAF uniforms matching the colour of mercuric oxide jelly, widely used at the time to treat lice. In reality either RAF personnel or Navy/Army colleagues used black tape to change the RAF to “CRAB”.

XZ589, a Sea King HAR3, was built by Westland Helicopters as WA855 and delivered to the RAF in May 1978, part of the first batch of 15 HAR3’s dedicated to Search and Rescue (SAR). 589 spent many years of its working life with D Flight of 202 Squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth. While a military service, since 1975 over 95% of rescues by 202 Sqn were civilian. D Flight at Lossiemouth recorded their 5000th rescue in 2001 - a fallen climber with a shoulder injury, and the 5th tasking of that day. (Record keeping only began in 1983).

The HAR3 Sea King flies with a crew of 4; Aircraft Captain, Co-Pilot, Radar/Winch Operator & Winchman (trained to Paramedic level). Additionally it is capable of carrying 6 stretchered casualties, or 18 independently mobile survivors.

In 2006 the Westminster Government decided to privatise helicopter search and rescue. The Department for Transport granted Bristow Group the contract on behalf of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. The last recorded rescue by D flight was a 31st of March 2015 request from Police Scotland to assist Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team with no one found. The 1st of April 2015 saw Bristow formally take over helicopter SAR taskings. Sadly there was no final fly past and a party, planned to celebrate the crews and their service at Lossiemouth, was cancelled. Bristow now provide this service for HM Coastguard using more modern aircraft, namely the Sikorsky S92 and Leonardo AW189.

Well it’s been 6 months since my last model posts on here, but I’m back in a big way today. Earlier I shared the formation of my HM Coastguard and RNLI collection, in a bid to represent the full range of 999 services in Scotland. However we now move on to my Ambulance Service “fleet”. This has a special meaning to me, as I worked as both an Emergency Call Handler, and frontline Emergency Ambulance crew. Likewise, having served as a Special Constable, my Police models are also extra meaningful to me but that’s for later…

Given this, my intention has always been to have model representation, ideally in 1:76/1:72 scale, of Ambulance and Police in Tayside & Strathclyde from 1990 to present day. I now feel satisfied that I have achieved this goal in regards to SAS. Furthermore I now have depictions of the Accident & Emergency, Patient Transport and Air Ambulance sections of the Service, in addition to the Training Department (with the Driver Training Unit, based on the vehicle I trained in, but not pictured in this shoot, see my SAS folder).

1) Eurocopter EC-135, G-SASA. This was a 1/72 scale, German military model which I have adapted. Unfortunately it proved very difficult to try and disassemble this model, or to remove the glazing. Masking tape wouldn’t stick, and so I just spray painted the whole thing yellow, and did the windows in black. The two crew figures are part of a Lifeboat crew set (see post 1 from earlier today), I’ve painted them into red overalls with black life jackets and flight helmets. One has a tiny waterslide transfer with “medic” on their back. I made a very basic layout to display the helicopter, drawing a landing pad and making a windsock out of paper and a spare piece of metal.

2) The DAF Ambulance is a 3D print body shell only from eBay. I painted and glazed myself, finishing with transfers.

3) The Ford Transit is based on a few real Transit Customlines used by SAS. With an extra high roof, and unusual rear blue light set up, I’ve done what I could with the available models. The base model is a 1/72 Cararama Transit. The only 1:76, high roof Transits available are too modern.

4) The Land Rover Discovery represents the first Paramedic Response Units, from the early 1990’s. At this time Paramedics were still becoming established. A TV documentary simply titled “Paramedics” happened to follow the training of Paramedics, and their gradual roll out, starting with single crewed PRU’s using the Discovery.
Some of the show can be seen here, if you’re interested. vimeo.com/112286619?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3Lw5_CrGfC...