Eduard 1/72 JRS-1 by Roland Sachsenhofer

Eduard 1/72 scale
Sikorsky S-43/ JRS-1
"Baby Clipper"

by Roland Sachsenhofer

Sikorsky S-43/ JRS-1

Hobby Boss' 1/32 Spitfire Mk.Vb Trop is available online from Squadron

Description

The S.43 “Baby Clipper”was intended to be a scaled down version of Sikorskys successful four engine S.42 “Clipper”. Up to 25 passengers could be seated in its not all too spacious fuselage.

About half of the fifty aircraft produced went to airlines like Pan Am. Single “Baby Clippers” were even used by European carriers in Norway and France. Two of the most famous millionaires of their time, Vanderbilt and well known Howard Hughes did also possess machines of this type. Hughes is known to have survived a nearly lethal accident in his S.43 in 1943.

USAAF, Marine Corp and the Navy showed also interest in this versatile flying boat as transport, reconnaissance and for VIP duties.

The kits decal sheet provides markings for seven S.43, named JRS-1 in Navy-use. Five of them depict a single machine, Bu.No. 1063, in it´s appearance through several years. For my model I decided to build this particular JRS-1 in the colours of summer 1943.

Thumbnail panels:

The original Sword kit parts are quite basic and do not show appropriate detail. Eduard provides etched and resin parts, which makes the kit much more buildable.

But even with this addition the modeller should exchange or rebuild some details. This refers mainly to the wheel wells und the wheel struts, the pitot tubes and the bracings of course.

A real challenge is making the canopy fit to the fuselage: the clear parts are far too small to get it in line with the fuselage sides.

If you are interested in the (quite challenging!) building process, please have a look on the workbench at Scalemates: https://www.scalemates.com/profiles/mate.php?id=10148&p=albums&album=40096

As ever, remarks will be appreciated: ro.sachsenhofer@gmx.at

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