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Heller 1/48 Models


LaurieS

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Depends which ones it is? Be aware that some of the older ones are actually 1/50th. Also many of them are the same as the corresponding Airfix kits as they were owned by same company at one time. Most of the older models have been superseded by more recent toolings from other companies (though their Mirage IV.P is till the only game in town).

 

Regards,

Andy

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As per what Andy said.

 

Typical 80's detailing (invariably raised panels), minimal cockpit & undercarriage details etc. though I understand the basic shapes are deemed to be good and some as mentioned above are actually 1/50 scale whilst inaccurately sold as 1/48.

 

Without knowing what you want out of a model Laurie, I would say that you will find they are a lot of work and (still) won't be anything like as good as newer OOB versions of their old kits such as more recent offerings by Eduard, Hobby Boss, Kittyhawk and Kinetic with subjects such as the Mirage III series and Super Etendard etc.

 

Unless it's a 'the only game in town' situation for a subject like the Mirage IV, I would let them be consigned to history as typical products of their time and now way surpassed by more recent offerings. No doubt, the opinions of others however on the current relevance of their kits may differ.

 

Gary

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Yes

1 hour ago, andym said:

Depends which ones it is? Be aware that some of the older ones are actually 1/50th. Also many of them are the same as the corresponding Airfix kits as they were owned by same company at one time. Most of the older models have been superseded by more recent toolings from other companies (though their Mirage IV.P is till the only game in town).

 

Regards,

Andy

 

1 hour ago, redcap said:

As per what Andy said.

 

Typical 80's detailing (invariably raised panels), minimal cockpit & undercarriage details etc. though I understand the basic shapes are deemed to be good and some as mentioned above are actually 1/50 scale whilst inaccurately sold as 1/48.

 

Without knowing what you want out of a model Laurie, I would say that you will find they are a lot of work and (still) won't be anything like as good as newer OOB versions of their old kits such as more recent offerings by Eduard, Hobby Boss, Kittyhawk and Kinetic with subjects such as the Mirage III series and Super Etendard etc.

 

Unless it's a 'the only game in town' situation for a subject like the Mirage IV, I would let them be consigned to history as typical products of their time and now way surpassed by more recent offerings. No doubt, the opinions of others however on the current relevance of their kits may differ.

 

Gary

 

 

Thanks to you both very much appreciated.

 

Yes an omission. It is a 1/48 Super Entendard. I queried with the seller this morning as to the raised or recessed panel lines.

Waiting a reply. I suspect it is raised form.

 

Raised and it is not on. Enough to do on a model without all of that. Experience tells me that even on a 1.72 with far less detail

it is an absolute pain to remove and remake panel lines.

 

Thanks :wink:

 

Laurie

 

 

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The Heller Super Etendard has recessed panel lines, there's a build review here: 

 

http://hyperscale.com/features/2002/superetendardlfh_1.htm

 

and here:

 

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal7/6701-6800/gal6770-SuperEtendard-Williams/00.shtm

 

HTH
Andy

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32 minutes ago, andym said:

The Heller Super Etendard has recessed panel lines, there's a build review here: 

 

http://hyperscale.com/features/2002/superetendardlfh_1.htm

 

and here:

 

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal7/6701-6800/gal6770-SuperEtendard-Williams/00.shtm

 

HTH
Andy

Brilliant Andy. Both addresses bookmarked for when the time comes. Model, just bought it.

 

It is a Falklands special for a diorama of British and Argentinian aircraft used.

 

Thanks much appreciated.

 

Laurie :penguin:

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Most has has already been said, I 'd just like to add that the Heller/Eduard/Airfix Mirafe 2000 are stillgood or maybe better models than the much newer Kinetic offering. I 'd not say that of the Super Etendards though!

Looking forward to your Argentine Sue!!

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2 minutes ago, exdraken said:

Most has has already been said, I 'd just like to add that the Heller/Eduard/Airfix Mirafe 2000 are stillgood or maybe better models than the much newer Kinetic offering. I 'd not say that of the Super Etendards though!

Looking forward to your Argentine Sue!!

Thanks exdraken. Got to finish the Afghanistan diorama first 2 aircraft to go.

 

Laurie

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The Mirage 2000's too have ressessed lines.

Also Heller/Airfix do a 'standard' Etendard. I know Kitty Hawk now do one but silly expensive even compared with their Super Etendard.

Heller laterly released an Afghanistan S Etendard (a Mirage 2000 as well?) which came with some resin and etch metal - sorry dont have mine to hand to be exact - again more expensive than the earlier issues.

Good luck.

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10 hours ago, andym said:

Be aware that some of the older ones are actually 1/50th.

Andy, do you happen to know which Heller kits are specifically the case of being 1/50th scale?

 

10 hours ago, redcap said:

Typical 80's detailing (invariably raised panels), minimal cockpit & undercarriage details etc. though I understand the basic shapes are deemed to be good and some as mentioned above are actually 1/50 scale whilst inaccurately sold as 1/48.

Gary, do you know whether this is the case with the Heller 1/48 Mirage IIIC/B kit (#80411); I mean if it's the wrong scale? 

Cheers,

 

Unc2

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15 hours ago, Uncle Uncool said:

Andy, do you happen to know which Heller kits are specifically the case of being 1/50th scale?

 

Gary, do you know whether this is the case with the Heller 1/48 Mirage IIIC/B kit (#80411); I mean if it's the wrong scale? 

Cheers,

 

Unc2

I have built the IIIC/B and have another still to do and they look like 1/48 scale to me.     Heller did do a 1/50 scale Mirage III in the early 1960s which I think was based on a prototype as many of their 1/50 kits were around then and had 'working features', as time passed they gave up the gimmicks and started to cover production series aircraft before changing to 1/48.     Scalemates is a good place to start when checking their history.

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11 minutes ago, Des said:

I have built the IIIC/B and have another still to do and they look like 1/48 scale to me.  

Hi, Des!

Yes, I've built a couple of the Heller Mirages myself; one was converted to a Kfir C2 using the IsraCast resin bits. I once recall having compared the Heller Mirage kit fuselages to some 1/48 Kfir plans brought by an IsraCast set, and they matched flawlessly.

Awesome kits those Heller Mirage kits - well, until the new Kinetic ones appeared, but if you're willing to go the extra mile, they're very nice kits to make conversions.

I've still got three Heller Mirage kits somewhere in the stash awaiting conversion.

Oh, I've got the Heller SuE kit as well, for which I bought the XMM suckers. They fit perfectly well, although they're meant for the Etendard IV. :giggle:

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1 hour ago, Des said:

I have built the IIIC/B and have another still to do and they look like 1/48 scale to me.     Heller did do a 1/50 scale Mirage III in the early 1960s which I think was based on a prototype as many of their 1/50 kits were around then and had 'working features', as time passed they gave up the gimmicks and started to cover production series aircraft before changing to 1/48.     Scalemates is a good place to start when checking their history.

 

Thank Des. Yes in touch with that fund of inf ScaleMates. Forgotten all about it until I began rummaging for info.

 

Also found a lot of info by putting in search the name of the aircraft and adding review. About 4 or 5 came up Good reads for info.

 

Laurie

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On 9/26/2017 at 11:22 PM, Uncle Uncool said:

Andy, do you happen to know which Heller kits are specifically the case of being 1/50th scale?

 

The 1/50 Heller kits I actually have or have had are the - Jaguar E & M , Mystere 20 , Alize , Alpha Jet , Vautour B , Vautour N (although it is actually the single-seat B kit with a solid nose which makes it an A model) , Cessna O-2 , Puma , Squirrel.     Others I have seen listed as 1/50 are the Jaguar A , Mirage IV , Mirage III , Etendard , Trident , Super Frelon.     I also have their Fouga Magister which is closer to 1/40 scale as is apparently a Fiat G-91 that was released in the early 1960s.

 

Some are very prototypical in nature and bear no relation to the later kits of the same aircraft that Heller released in 1/48 scale - Jaguar A , Mirage IIIC/B , Mirage IVP , Etendard IVM & P or Alpha Jet although Scalemates describes that one as an Esci re-box.

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34 minutes ago, Des said:

The 1/50 Heller kits I actually have or have had are the - Jaguar E & M , Mystere 20 , Alize , Alpha Jet , Vautour B , Vautour N (although it is actually the single-seat B kit with a solid nose which makes it an A model) , Cessna O-2 , Puma , Squirrel.     Others I have seen listed as 1/50 are the Jaguar A , Mirage IV , Mirage III , Etendard , Trident , Super Frelon.     I also have their Fouga Magister which is closer to 1/40 scale as is apparently a Fiat G-91 that was released in the early 1960s.

 

Some are very prototypical in nature and bear no relation to the later kits of the same aircraft that Heller released in 1/48 scale - Jaguar A , Mirage IIIC/B , Mirage IVP , Etendard IVM & P or Alpha Jet although Scalemates describes that one as an Esci re-box.

I assume Des that the kit box is marked 1/50.

 

Laurie

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1 hour ago, LaurieS said:

I assume Des that the kit box is marked 1/50.

 

Laurie

I am guessing not in most cases , I only have five of my kits to hand at the moment as the rest are in the attic but in the case of the Alize , both Vautours , the 1/40 Magister and the Alpha Jet only the latter has the scale marked on the box lid but all have it clearly displayed under the Heller logo on their instruction sheets.     If it is anything to go by all of the older ones in the range  that I have with the exception of the Mystere 20 are in boxes about 13" x 5" x 1.5" with very stylised artwork although I suspect that with some of the later kits such as the Puma , Squirrel , O-2 etc. the boxes while generally similar in shape/size might have been slightly different as I seem to recall that when they were all stacked together the stack was a bit askew. 

 

Some more for the list of 1/50 Heller that have come to mind and been confirmed by Scalemates were the Cessna 337 , Cessna 150 , L-4 Piper Cub , Alouette III , Gazelle and SA365 Dauphin and it sticks in my mind that the Trident mentioned earlier was not the only French research type covered by the range.

Edited by Des
Translated onesin into English
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