The Sikorsky H-34 was a piston engined helicopter developed in the United States in the 1950s. Originally produced as an anti-submarine helicopter for the US Navy it was modified into many other roles and served with many civil and military users around the world.

The Sikorsky H-34 (company designation S-58) was an enlarged version it the earlier S-55.

The first one flew on 8 March 1954 and they began entering service with the US Navy that year in anti-submarine and utility roles.

Between 1954 and 1970 2,108 were manufactured, some in Britain as the turbojet powered Westland Wessex.

They were used extensively by the US Marine Corps during the Vietnam War due to their reliability and simplicity in comparison to more modern helicopters.

They were among the first helicopter gunships but were quickly withdrawn from service with the arrival of the Bell UH-1 Hueys.

This model represents a UH-34D flown by HMM-163 of the US Marine Corps during the Vietnam War in the 1960s.

Italeri 1/72 kit completed by Steve Pulbrook.