Warpaint’s latest is their standard A4 format softbound publication that is 64 pages (excluding covers) on the Sikorsky Chickasaw and Westland Whirlwind helicopters. The book is split into two, with the first half dedicated to the Sikorsky Chickasaw and the second to the Westland Whirlwind. I counted 187 photographs (136 in color) along with 46 of Richard J. Caruana’s color profiles. Richard J. Caruana also contributes the centerfold (four pages) that features twenty drawings, all in 1/72 scale.

Adrian Balch starts out with the development of the Chickasaw, truly a pioneer as the first practical helicopter. The Sikorsky S-55 / H-19 could carry not only its own crew but could carry up to ten passengers, or eight stretchers, or 5,000 pounds of freight. The prototype’s first flight was November 10, 1949, with operational service beginning in 1950. An interesting tidbit identified by Adrian Balch was that one of the service-test airframes was flying for the CIA in Korea, without any markings, clad only in black. A nice chapter highlights the Square Dance Team, a US Army formation display team that wore fancy clown faces designed by Ned Gilliand. If you want to know more, check out his book “Dancing Rotors”, published by Aerofax in 1994.

Adrian Balch spends the rest of the first half of this book on the service history with the US and over thirty countries.

The second half of this book is devoted to the Westland Whirlwind, the British license built version of the Sikorsky Chickasaw. The first Sikorsky S-55 arrived in the UK on February 6, 1951 as a pattern aircraft with the first Westland built Whirlwind first flight occurring on August 15, 1953. As in the first section on the Sikorsky Chickasaw, Adrian Balch spends the bulk of the history of the Westland Whirlwind on its service history with the UK and other countries.

The last five pages are focused on close-up photographs to show off the details of the Chickasaw and Whirlwind, mixing period black and white photos with color photos of museum examples. A quite thorough table of available kits, decals and detailing sets adds a great touch, especially as a round-up of all the decal options available.

The Chapters include:

• Sikorsky S-55 / H-19 Chickasaw
  • Design & Development
  • Operational History
  • Into Production
    • In US Service – USAF
    • In US Service – US Army
  • The Square Dance Team
  • The US Marine Corps
  • The US Coast Guard
  • Helicopter for Export
  • In Service With:
    • Argentina
    • Belgium
    • Bolivia
    • Cambodia
    • Canada
    • Chile
    • Cuba
    • Denmark
    • Dominican Republic
    • Ecuador
    • France
    • Greece
    • Guatemala
    • Honduras
    • India
    • Israel
    • Italy
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Netherlands
    • Norway
    • Pakistan
    • Philippines
    • Portugal
    • South Africa
    • South Korea
    • South Vietnam
    • Spain
    • Taiwan
    • Thailand
    • Turkey
    • United Kingdom
    • Venezuela
  • Civilian Operators
  • Survivors
• Westland Whirlwind
  • Development Trials
  • The Gnome Whirlwind
  • In UK Service
    • With the A&AEE
    • With the RAE
    • With the ETPS
    • With the Fleet Air Arm
    • With the Royal Air Force
    • The Central Flying School
    • By Royal Appointment
  • The Whirlwind in Overseas Service With:
    • Brazil
    • Brunei
    • Ghana
    • Iran
    • Jordan
    • Kuwait
    • Qatar
    • Spain
    • Yugoslavia
  • In Civilian Use
• In Detail

The Tables include:

• The H-19Ds Uses for the Square Dance Team
• Royal Hellenic Air Force Aircraft
• Aircraft Variants
• Westland Built Marks
• Specifications (Whirlwind HAS.7)
• Kits, Decals, and Accessories

This tome is really a handy reference for the Sikorsky Chickasaw and Westland Whirlwind helicopters with plenty of photos and illustrations to help you with your 1/144, 1/72, and the ancient 1/48 kits. Now if we could only get someone to issue a new tooled 1/48 kit… I was quite impressed with the quantity of color photographs included, especially important since the Chickasaw and Whirlwind were often brightly colored birds. If you have any of the Warpaint series, you know how great a value this book is. Highly Recommended!

My thanks to Guideline Publications and IPMS/USA for the chance to review this great book.

Highly recommended!