Saturday, September 7

Another new Hawk with a big gun & fly paint job on the way from Kittyhawk

It seems that Kittyhawk want to furnish us with a great deal of the "Hawk" family of H-60 helicopters. The latest being the ocean-going MH-60S with the very dangerous M197Cannon under the wing. See what we know about this kit in our preview...

Another new Hawk with a big gun & fly paint job on the way from Kittyhawk

MH-60S "Knighthawk"w/ M197 Cannon.
From Kittyhawk
1/35th scale
Kit No #KH50015 
Operational History of MH-60 S Knighthawks
The multimission Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter entered service in February 2002. The US Navy acquired a total of 237 of the MH-60S helicopters, to carry out missions such as vertical replenishment, combat search and rescue, special warfare support and airborne mine countermeasures.
The helicopter began full-rate production in August 2002. As of January 2011, 52 MH-60R and 154 MH-60S helicopters were in the service with the US Navy. The first deployment of the new helicopter took place onboard USS Essex in January 2003 and a number of MH-60S helicopters were deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The helicopter was originally designated CH-60S, as a replacement for the US Navy’s Boeing CH-46D Sea Knight heavy-lift helicopters in the vertical replenishment role. The helicopter was redesignated MH-60S as a result of an expansion in mission requirements to include a range of additional combat support capabilities. Retirement of the US Navy Sea Knights concluded in September 2004.
The MH-60S helicopter was the first deployment aboard the USS Freedom (LCS-1) to conduct regional security and counter-drug operations. The Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadrons operate the MH-60S helicopters.
This new kit from Kittyhawk:
It seems that Kittyhawk are trying to fill as many spaces at they can in the Blackhawk family, this time with a second maritime version of the Sikorsky "Blackhawk" family  - the MH-60S "Knighthawk" in 1/35th scale.
The list of prospective hawks in the Kittyhawk family
This version of the helicopter features the very large underwing M197 20mm Gatling gun produced by General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. The three-barrel, 132-pound gun can fire up to 1,500 rounds per minute. The M197 is the same weapon which now arms the Marine Corps’ Cobra helicopter.
A picture of the kit part on a tuck of the same scale
There are SEVEN marking schemes in the one box - some very colourful and interesting colours in here for pretty much any taste.
This kit should be out around the end of the year - 
Check on the Kittyhawk Facebook Page to see more about their kits...