Am I Out of My Mind? -- 1/32 Heinkel 111

[Axis Nightmare]

I made an impulse purchase recently. It must have been a weak moment. I've been pondering these big planes since they came out.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/revell-monogra ... ale-855628

The price was just too tempting. I've always liked the most bang for the buck and size does matter. It's a driving force for my interest in 1/18 and 1/6. Never could see spending big bucks for tiny 1/72 or even 1/48 diecast. This Heinkel is as big or bigger than some 1/18 planes and was less expensive for sure. And it is so much more accurate than the frustrating "toys" that older 1/18 can be. Then I opened the box. It was a reminder of why I stopped trying to build kits. Despite my special and intimate attachment to the Mitchell, I had passed on the 1/32 B-25 for both the cost and the absurd number of parts it takes just to assemble one engine. Double that with with the B-17. Being a more general public friendly Monogram kit, I didn't realize the Heinkel would be nearly as bad as well as the endless clear parts that require frames painted. Heck, I have a couple of 1/48 B-25s in the closet I never started and I think the engines are one or two pieces.

Anybody out there taken on one of these yet? Should I even try to start it or keep it original in the box and pass it on? I think I need counsiling.

[tmanthegreat]

I want to say FlyboyFX built the 1/32 Heinkel a while back, but he's got a lot of model building talent...

But I agree with you about the daunting nature of some of those kits. My local Hobbytown USA store has the HK Models B-17G and B-25, which I have passed by so many times. I keep thinking that one day I'll take the plunge and get the B-25 at least. It would take a ton of time to build, no doubt, but I think I could pull it off... And there have to be parts you don't necessarily need to include as they won't be readily visible, etc. Making the canopy framing look right has always been a challenge for me, but really all one needs is some good masking tape, an exacto knife, and a steady hand... It is easier to paint canopies in 1/32 and larger scales for the most part... The rest is simply ensuring the parts fit well and the paint finish comes out smooth.

Then the issue becomes where to put the finished model. I recently built a 1/35 German Type XXIII U-Boat and a British X-Craft submarine model a couple months ago, but they've been sitting out on my coffee table ever since as I haven't come up with a good place where I could display them!

[[CAT]CplSlade]

I built the He111. Yes, they are more of a handful due to the space they take up on your work table but they sure look good when finished. If anyone is crazy, it might be me as I not only have the He111, but the Ju88, the B-25, the B-17, the P-61 and will get the Lancaster when it arrives. I also have the coastal sub, a rail gun and a rail mortar, but today I just took delivery on a Schnellboot. The shipping box is big enough for me to hide in.

Here's that box:


The kit:


Oh, and if you build the He111, then you too will be able to lean back in your chair and look up to see this:


Dooooo eeeet, mang.

[nooker21]

Oooh, all in flight. Do you have any trouble with modern kits and trying to modify the landing gear covers to look right when they are closed?

[cnq]

I would recommend you build it. That's an awesome kit to work with. For canopy framing you can buy pre-cut masking tape available on ebay and that should save lot of time doing it manually. I've not built this plane yet but I built the Revell 1/32 He-219 last year and love it.

[[CAT]CplSlade]

Oooh, all in flight. Do you have any trouble with modern kits and trying to modify the landing gear covers to look right when they are closed?

I actually have less trouble with the newer kits as most of them give gear-up as an option; at least Revell did in the He111 and the BF109G-6 I am building now. The old kits from the 80's and back have been worse for me as they all seem to have been engineered for shelf display. The Revell P-38 I built was a real pain to close the bays on - needed a lot of putty.

[[CAT]CplSlade]

Nooker, here's another shot for you. Everything has been in flight mode up to this point due to lack of shelf space, but I am addressing that and my smaller builds will be gear-down now. Need the ceiling for the bombers.

[Axis Nightmare]

I would recommend you build it. That's an awesome kit to work with. For canopy framing you can buy pre-cut masking tape available on ebay and that should save lot of time doing it manually. I've not built this plane yet but I built the Revell 1/32 He-219 last year and love it.

Alright, I think you have me convinced. The pictures really helped. Slade, those birds look good hanging from the ceiling and cnq, that 219 is amazing. So what kind of glue is everyone using these days?

Thanks,

Dennis

[[CAT]CplSlade]

I am pretty much using nothing but Tamiya Extra Thin for the plastic and CYA for metal parts. Clear parts I sometimes white glue in but was thinking of trying Testor's glue for clear parts.



I do have to say though: The He111 is a nice kit, and does build pretty well, but there are a couple of fiddly spots to watch for. I would find a build log (I didn't keep my notes) especially for the nacelles and the bomb bay.

For the Ju88 I will be trying my first resin cockpit as I got one super cheap in the 'Bay.

[Axis Nightmare]

I'm considering doing a less complex muti-engine warm-up project first before launching into the Heinkel. I'm not looking to get into $150+ Tamiya, Trumpeter or Hasagawa kits. Might try a simple old first generation Revell example like the ME 110 or Beaufighter. Thoughts? Advice?

[[CAT]CplSlade]

I have built the Beaufighter. Not a bad build but being a relic of 70's tech it is a bit lacking in areas. It's one of those planes everybody is clamoring for a retool at current tech. If you've built any other old Revell kits then you know what to expect.



I have a Revell AND a Dragon/Cyber Hobby BF110, but have not built either. Hands down, though, the Revell is a dog in comparison. It is badly inaccurate in many places but at the end of the day it does look like one.

I managed to snag the Dragon kit during one of DragonOnline.com's Triple D specials for less than half price, which makes it very attractive versus the Revell at that price point. Not many other options at the beginner level assuming you wish to stay at 1/32.

At any rate, if you do go with any old kits be prepared you might need aftermarket decals. I've been noticing more and more of my older kits have dying decals.

[Axis Nightmare]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll start with an old P-38 kit I just remembered I had that was being worked on back in the 90s I wasn't even sure I still had until I dug through a few boxes in the garage. I must have lost interest, had other issues, or no time but for whatever reason I put it aside. It was possibly the poor fit and raised rivets as I was sanding them down at the time and likely knew I had a lot of work to do on it. It will be a good test of patience, quality of results and time dedication.

[cnq]

If you like ww2 Jet plane I would suggest the Trumpeter 1/32 Me 262A Day Fighter as it's very nice kit and costs around $50 quid. I've built the Night Fighter version and really like it. The fits are quite good and it's a cool Jet imo.

[plasticgeneral]

I have one. Enjoy.

Plastic General

[jkinzel]

I have built the Beaufighter. Not a bad build but being a relic of 70's tech it is a bit lacking in areas. It's one of those planes everybody is clamoring for a retool at current tech. If you've built any other old Revell kits then you know what to expect.



I have a Revell AND a Dragon/Cyber Hobby BF110, but have not built either. Hands down, though, the Revell is a dog in comparison. It is badly inaccurate in many places but at the end of the day it does look like one.

I managed to snag the Dragon kit during one of DragonOnline.com's Triple D specials for less than half price, which makes it very attractive versus the Revell at that price point. Not many other options at the beginner level assuming you wish to stay at 1/32.

At any rate, if you do go with any old kits be prepared you might need aftermarket decals. I've been noticing more and more of my older kits have dying decals.

What do you use to hang your models from the ceiling,Thanx.

[[CAT]CplSlade]

I take some black sewing thread - the strongest yet still thin I can find - and make a large loop of thread maybe a third to half again as long as the plane. You can adjust the length to your liking as this length makes mine hang down fairly sharp when I hang them.

I then run part of the loop under the nose and the other end under the tail assembly, while gathering the middles together over the fuselage, making a sling. I then pinch a point along the two joined middles and see how the plane hangs - I move the "pinch" point back and forth until the plane hangs about where I want it. I can either tie the point where I pinched the lines together with more thread or knot it up on a Christmas ornament hook, the little j-shaped pieces of malleable wire. I wrap one end of these around the black thread where I want the plane to hang from - the "pinch" point I found earlier. The other end can be wrapped around a hook in the ceiling. I have narrow pieces of wood criss-crossing my ceiling and at intervals I have inserted those small eyelet hooks that screw into the wood. I find the ornament hooks are flexible enough to wrap repeatedly as needed without snapping and dropping your model.

I used to use fishing line but found it harder to manage and it actually interacted with the lighting because of the lines glossy nature even though it was clear. Also it was a bitch holding a plane over my head while also trying to tie a piece of fishing line to a small ring also over my head. The wire just wraps around a couple of times and 'voila"!

[flyboy_fx]

I want to say FlyboyFX built the 1/32 Heinkel a while back, but he's got a lot of model building talent...

Much appreciated! Yes I did, my biggest tip for you is buy the Eduard masks for the canopy. The kit went together beautifully with no filler needed. Perfect fits. What happened was paint seeped under my masks and ruined the canopy. My modeling has progressed a lot since then, though! I have two more to build, as well as an He219 and 3 Ju88!

Alex

[flyboy_fx]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll start with an old P-38 kit I just remembered I had that was being worked on back in the 90s I wasn't even sure I still had until I dug through a few boxes in the garage. I must have lost interest, had other issues, or no time but for whatever reason I put it aside. It was possibly the poor fit and raised rivets as I was sanding them down at the time and likely knew I had a lot of work to do on it. It will be a good test of patience, quality of results and time dedication.

Just go for it. For $42 that's a steal! You can't find practice models hardly cheaper. The He111 is not a bad kit to build. The parts are large and they fit very nicely. The hardest parts were the engine nacelles and of course masking. I recommend using testors model cement with the fine applicator nozzle. You will have more work time than super glue. In addition, since it melts the plastic you can push the pieces together just a little bit and it will bubble out a little melted plastic along the seam, kinda like squishing an oreo. You can then sand that off for a seamless finish!

[jkinzel]

[ Also it was a bitch holding a plane over my head while also trying to tie a piece of fishing line to a small ring also over my head. The wire just wraps around a couple of times and 'voila"![/quote]
Thanx,I just moved and this place has a large basement Rec room and she who must be obeyed says there will be no more models in the living rooms where she can see them,LOL .

[[CAT]CplSlade]

Sounds to me like "she who must be obeyed" needs a name change to "she who lives in a refrigerator box down under the overpass".

Seriously, though, here are some closeups of what I do:

The ornament hook wrapped around the eyelet hook and wrapped around the black thread-


Thread loop going under each end and each side meeting up at the hook-


Using a wing gun to give a little slant to the hang so you can see the upper surface from below-


See how I actually loop over the fuselage in front of the tail and then bring it back up behind the rudder so the tail locks the loop in place?-

[jkinzel]

[quote="[CAT]CplSlade"]Sounds to me like "she who must be obeyed" needs a name change to "she who lives in a refrigerator box down under the overpass".

Looks like I will be getting a neck crick soon,and you've never had any problems with a thread snapping from the weight of a bigger model?

[[CAT]CplSlade]

I've only had one fall, and that was actually because I accidentally knotted the thread to the same end and the other end gradually slid out of the knot. It was an old Revell Hurricane I built, but all that happened was the props getting knocked off intact with the spinner, the antenna snapping, and the rudder cracking a bit - all of which was fixable. Otherwise they have all been up there for at least a year or better. The He111 is actually hanging from three loops - one around the tail and one around each engine block. Depending on final weight will determine how many the bigger planes get. I imagine no less than 3 for any of my bombers, maybe my Avenger as well. Something like a Bf110 or Mosquito I could put 2 on. These planes aren't all that heavy at 1/32, but the kits can be because of all the interior detail stuff inside.

NOTE: This method will not work for 1/18, obviously. That will require fishing line or wire. I've had my 1/18 Me262 Nightfighter bust a line - thankfully my hand was underneath as I was just about to grab it to adjust a panel.

Just need to make sure the thread you buy has a high strength. Silk is strong but pricier. Go to a Michaels or Hobby Lobby before a WalMart. An actual fabric shop like Jo-Ann's would be ideal (and has tons of other crap you can use) but they aren't everywhere.

[jkinzel]

NOTE: This method will not work for 1/18, obviously. That will require fishing line or wire. I've had my 1/18 Me262 Nightfighter bust a line - thankfully my hand was underneath as I was just about to grab it to adjust a panel.

Just need to make sure the thread you buy has a high strength. Silk is strong but pricier. Go to a Michaels or Hobby Lobby before a WalMart. An actual fabric shop like Jo-Ann's would be ideal (and has tons of other crap you can use) but they aren't everywhere.[/quote]
My Air Force is mostly 1/72,76,48 so could probably get by with just one line..I have a Michael's but no Hobby-Lobby,Jo-Anns in my AO.

[ketelone]

I recommend 10-12 lb test fishing line.

[krieglok]

I use 20# fish line and still had a couple crashes, namely my 21st Century 1/18 Starfighter...Twice. No damage either time, but it is resting on my filing cabinet for a while...

Tom