Hot Cups

Hot Cups

Internally, for the most part modelers will consider several differences inconsequential.  For the sake of a few lines of text, I have included them for that modeler who might want to build a larger scale version or the modeler who might want to do a cutaway version for example. The last of the functional differences before moving on to operational differences, is the hot cup...for aircrew have to eat too.

At the time of purchase, neither the Lab nor Voyageur had hot cups to heat water for a hot drink on the all too frequent long flights or cold days.  We used to also cook hot dogs in the cups, but that's a story for another day. Originally fitted in the C-47 Dakota, the Labrador was the first SAR helicopter to be fitted with hot cups.  Two cups were installed one above the other on the right side of the cabin wall immediately ahead of the search blister.  The bottom cup was only inches above the floor and just a couple of inches ahead of the station inline with front of the front search blister.

The hot cups were originally installed in exactly the position now occupied by the red harness strap bag above. A couple of other things that are worth noting...the grey on the seat above is a lumbar or back support, not the colour of the seat cover...the above helicopter is a SARCUP Labrador and the yellow zinc chromate area would normally be covered with insulation blanket. 

As the Voyageurs integrated into the SAR fleet, crews heated their hot water in a single hot cup attached to the aircraft electrical system by a long umbilical power cord.  I have an excellent picture I will some day add, once I replace me now defunct scanner. The single hot cup was eventually replaced by two hot cups attached to the front of the radio rack that was eventually installed ahead of the left side SAR Tech chair on the left side of the cabin.  The photo below confirms that, Labrador hot cups were eventually relocated to the left side of the cabin as well, as the aircraft below is indeed a Labrador (no wire and piping tunnel covers).!