"Obsolete weapons do not deter."
- British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

The Sea King has its origins in efforts by the United States Navy as a means of counteracting the growing threat of Soviet submarines during the 1950s. Accordingly, the helicopter was specifically developed to deliver a capable ASW platform; in particular, it combined the roles of hunter and killer, which had previously been carried out by two separate helicopters. The Sea King was initially designated HSS-2, which was intended to imply a level of commonality to the earlier HSS-1; it was subsequently re-designated as the SH-3A during the early 1960s.

Introduced to service in 1961, it was operated by the United States Navy as a key ASW and utility asset for several decades prior to being replaced by the non-amphibious Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk in the 1990s. In late 1961 and early 1962, a modified U.S. Navy HSS-2 Sea King was used to break the FAI 3 km, 100 km, 500 km and 1000 km helicopter speed records. The Sea King also performed various other roles and missions such as search-and-rescue, transport, anti-shipping, medevac, plane guard, and airborne early warning operations. Several Sea Kings, operated by the United States Marine Corps's HMX-1 unit, are used as the official helicopters of the President of the United States, for which the call sign 'Marine One' would be used.

The Sea King has also proved to be popular on the export market with foreign military customers, and has also been sold to civil operators as well. As of 2015, many examples of the type remain in service in nations around the world. The Sea King has been built under license by Agusta in Italy, Mitsubishi in Japan, and by Westland in the United Kingdom as the Westland Sea King. The major civil versions are the S-61L and S-61N.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a Royal Navy Sikorsky S-61A Sea King medium lift helicopter. Pre-order! Ship Date: May 2024.

Dimensions:
Length: 8-3/4-inches
Rotor Span: 7-1/4-inches

Release Date: ?

Historical Account: "The Black Stallions" - The Black Stallions were established on May 6, 1983 as a heavy lift combat support squadron and designated HC-4 (for Helicopter Combat).

On July 1st, 1960, Helicopter Utility Squadron Four (HU-4) was established at NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey, and tasked with the logistic support of non-aviation ships of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. To describe its mission more accurately, the squadron was redesignated as Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Four in July 1965, and HC-4 was born. The unit was equipped with the Kaman UH-2A Seasprite light transport helicopter. Eight years later, the young squadron assumed a new mission of Helicopter Anti-submarine Warfare and was renamed HSL-30.

In the early 1980s, the advent of the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion was to change the face of helicopter logistics support forever. With twice the lifting capacity and far greater range than any of its predecessors, the CH-53E was the most capable heavy-lift helicopter in the NATO inventory. Recognizing this unique aircraft's phenomenal potential for fleet support, the U.S. Navy commissioned its first, and only dedicated CH-53E squadron on May 6, 1983. Granted the designator HC-4, this squadron became the present-day "Black Stallions."