Antarctic Helicopters

Max Decals, 1/48 & 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Phil Parsons

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The days of only using sleds and dog teams to explore the vast Antarctic regions have been largely superseded with the advent of the helicopter in the Antarctic. Since the first helicopter landed in 1947, many nations have deployed both civil and military helicopters to support their interests in the Antarctic. Due to the harsh and unforgiving environments that a helicopter crew operate in, many of these aircraft (to aid in search and rescue) are painted in dayglo orange or bright red, these aircraft are certainly not your standard olive drab military helicopters.

Both decal sets come in a plastic ziplock bag. The colour call outs are very generic, International Orange, Dayglo Orange, Bright Red etc, since there are no references to any manufacturers brands,  some interpretation will be required depending upon what brand of paint you prefer.

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Thumbnail panels:

Max4822 Antarctic Helicopters Pt. 1

Contains markings for 11 different aircraft.

• Bell UH-1B, US Army c, 1962-63 (two schemes)

• Overall dayglo orange, white upper tail boom

• Overall gloss olive drab with hi viz dayglo panels

• Bell UH-1D, US Army, 1969.

• Gloss olive drab with hi viz dayglo orange panels.

• Bell UH-1D, VX-6, US Navy, 1970.

• Overall International Orange

• Bell 212 Uruguayan Air Force, c mid 1990's.

• Red and white fuselage and boom

• Bo-105C Uruguayan Navy, 2010

• Former German Army, in olive drab and NATO black camo, hi viz panels added for Antarctic operations

• Bell 47 Chilean Navy c. 1957

• Orange Cockpit, dark grey fuselage, black floatation gear

• Alouette II, Belgian Antarctic Expedition c. mid 1960s.

• Matt olive green with day-glow areas

• Alouette II, French Antarctic Expeditions mid 1960's.(three schemes)

• Olive green x 2

• Hi Viz orange panels

The recommended kits are as follows:

• Bell UH-1B                   Revell/Monogram

• Bell UH-1D                  Italeri/Esci

• Bell 212                                    Heller/Italeri

• Bo 105                                    Revell/Esci

• Bell 47                                    Italeri

• Alouette II                  Heller 1/50 kit

Max7222 Antarctic Helicopters Pt. 1

The second set contains markings for 13 different aircraft.  The markings in italics indicate where the same aircraft is available in 1/48 scale.

• Sikorsky S-55 Grupo Aeronaval Antartico, Argentine Navy 1968.

• Overall white with red hi viz panels

• Sikorsky HO4S-3 from the Icebreaker USS glacier 1956.

• Overall orange with black undersides.

• Sikorsky HUS-1L "kingpin II, VX-6 US Navy 1957.

• International orange

• Sikorsky LH-34 operated by VX-6 in 1965.

• International orange

• Bell UH-1B, US Army c, 1962-63 (two schemes)

• Overall dayglo Orange, white upper tailboom

• Overall gloss olive drab with hi viz dayglo panels

• Bell UH-1D, US Army, 1969.

• Gloss olive drab with hi viz dayglo orange panels.

• Bell UH-1D, VX-6, US Navy, 1970.

• Overall International Orange

• Bell 212 Uruguayan Air Force, c mid 1990's.

• Red and white fuselage and boom

• AS332B Super Puma, Argentine Army c. mid 1990's.

• Overall olive drab with international orange sponsons, cabin roof and upper tail boom.

• Bell 412, Chilean Air Force, 2009

• Overall light grey, orange doors

• Bo-105C Uruguayan Navy, 2010

• Former German Army, in olive drab and NATO black camo, hi viz panels added for Antarctic operations

• CH-101 on board Japanese Icebreaker Shirase in 2010.

• Overall dark gray with dayglo orange panels

The recommended kits are as follows

• H-19                                    Revell/Italeri (With straight boom)
• H-34                                    Check version you intend to build Revell/Italeri
• UH-1D/Bell 212                   Revell/Italeri
• Bell 412                                    Italeri CH-146 Griffon
• AS332B                                    Italeri/Heller-large sponsons , short fuselage
• CH-101                                    Italeri AW-101 Merlin
• Bo-105C                  Airfix

Both decals sets are printed on individual carrier film and all markings and national insignia are in register. These decal sets cover 50 years of helicopter operations in support of the Antarctic scientific missions on the great white continent.  These decals will certainly create some very colourful and unusual eye catching builds. I can recommend these decals to all who have an interest in producing some very attractive Antarctic Birds.

Thanks to Max Decals for the review sample.

Text and Images Copyright © 2011 by Phil Parsons
This Page Created on 25 September, 2011
Last updated 25 September, 2011

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