Paul H

That's lovely! I think this is the first one I have seen built, and you have done a great job! Your build thread is very interesting reading too I think that the thing with Heller is that they did it their own way, rather than copying the methods used by other kit manufacturers. One example is that in several of their car kits from this era, the side windows are sometimes moulded as one part with the interior door panels. However, whilst fiddly, most of the kits in this series are nicely detailed, and in some cases, more finely so than many later kits. As demonstrated by this Citroen, the interior side panel detail continues above the base of the windows, rather than ending there which is the case for almost all car kits.

Are you documenting your build on here? If so, I'd be very interested to see more in detail of the Mach 2 kit, especially photos of the contents and also what it is like to build & correct. Whilst I am aware of its reputation, and have seen a couple of pics showing completed ones, I'd much prefer to work with styrene than with resin & vac form.

Many thanks for all the info & pics!

I would be interested to know what this kit is like, as I've been unable to find any decent info. Based on Italeri's recent release history, this road version is likely to follow not too long after the rally one that they have just re-released. However, I'm undecided as to whether to keep it as an SLC, or shorten and chop the roof off to make it an SL...

That Sunseeker Predator is the only modernish vessel that I have seen in 1:72. Otherwise it seems to be WW2 type stuff. However if your plan is to have the lifeboat & helicopter speeding to the rescue (as opposed to actually being depicted during the rescue itself), then a suitable a smaller scale vessel could be used be used in the background, to give a much greater sense of depth. Alternatively, one of Mirage's 1:50 sailing yacht models could be in the foreground undergoing the mishap of your choice, with your 1:72 rescuers approaching from the background. Depending on how you used it, as neither are of production yachts, the smaller one could probably work to represent a 1:72 scale larger yacht, e.g. if sinking / on its beam ends.

I really hope so! If Revell had got it right with this FHC, I'd definately be buying one. However, given the errors in shape (I could happily forgive other things such as interior or running gear errors) I'll wait a bit to see if one turns up at a discount (to then kit bash with a Heller FHC, or perhaps as a running gear donor for my Airtrax resin MkX), or for a future release as an OTS version, which looks likely given the windscreen height. Annoyingly, the headlight covers aren't quite right either*, but still much better than any other E Type kit in this scale, and bettered only by the very expensive 1:8 partworks FHC. * The shape of the lower edge is too curved - should be flatter, but looks fixable. However, given that Revell have 3D scanned other cars, it really begs the question why couldn't they have done that with this too??? E Types are not so rare that they would not have been able to have access to one.

An alternative method is to use Bare Metal Foil as masking (especially for small details), since it can be scribed in with a scalpel really easily.

Irrelevant of the TV show, this appeals to me much more than the originally released coupe version as I've always liked four door pillarless hardtops - now if only there were '57 Chevy and '58 Plymouth kits in that bodystyle. too... In terms of this kit, it has been out a while now in the States and in addition to that build video in the link above (a good Youtube channel to subscribe to for anyone interested in new releases of American car model kits) there are numerous build threads on the Model Cars Mag forum too, which are worth looking up.

The Avro 504 sounds very interesting but hopefully it won't be just the K version though... I'm hoping that they will do an original 504 (or it will be tooled in such a way that it can be easily converted to one) as I would love to be able to build a replica of my great grandfather's one which was shot down in 1914.

This is something that annoys me too, as IMHO they look more realistic posed with some steering lock applied, especially when setting up for taking photos. I would usually have the front wheels set so that the face of the wheel is more towards the camera. I find it brings things more to life. However, what's much worse is when the stub axles can steer, but there is no tie rod connecting them, so nothing keeping them aligned to each other

I wasn't familar with them - many thanks for the info, and it looks like they have some great subject matter!

Likewise about Invincible - I've seen various kits of WWI RN battleships (Dreadnought, & Warspite, Barham QE in both WWI and WW2 guise), but haven't seen any battlecruisers aside from this one!

That's unusual to see one in that colour as unlike the saloons, the estates were not available in red to the general public. However the odometers on Amazons only read to 99999 and most if not all have been around at least once. I have seen the odometer on my one roll around to 00000 twice in the time I have known it (was previously my father's, and it had been around the clock at least once before he bought it in 1994) and I would love to know for certain what the true mileage is, but it is definately not less than 300K, with 150K of that in my family's ownership. It was my everyday car for 14 years and the youngest car I had owned up until four years ago when I took it off the road for a sabbatical whilst I stockpile the all parts to restore everything up properly. The big question is will I complete my Airtrax Amazon estate resin kit first...

I guess that the date is probably a misprint then. Hadn't realised the Tangmere connection - not only it that very local to me, but also one of my great grandfathers was there for part of WW2 as a Fighter Command staff officer, so looks like this decal option is how I will be building it.

I have just been looking for the appropriate thread (& guessing this is it!) to post the same info, as when I bought one last week, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that additional sprue with the shallower rear fuselage and 2 bladed prop, which I was not expecting but will probably be using to differentiate it fully from the Arma metal wing Hurricane Mk1 that I also have. However the only decal option is listed as being for 'northern France, Spring 1939' but the box art image (also shown a couple of post above) depicts in combat with various Luftwaffe aircraft. Is that date a misprint. and should it instead read Spring 1940, or were the RAF already based in France prior to the outbreak of war in September 1939?

Compared to European cars, there seems to be a distinct lack of prewar UK cars in any scale, let alone 1:35. However, is 1:32 close enough? There's a few Airfix prewar cars which might be ideal, such as their 1920s Bullnose Morris, which would still have been seen on the streets in that era. There's also the Humber staff car if you want a military car present. In 1:35, ICM's late '30s Packard V12 would be period correct for the UK, as a few were sold here at the time, but would not have been a regular sight, and may be a bit posh for a regular street scene. Tamiya do a Citroen Traction Avant in 1:35, which would need converting to rhd but as Citroen had a UK factory in Slough at the time, these were a regular UK market car & early ones would have been a regular second hand car by that time.

Brilliant! Looks like your seated chap is having a rest too due to a dicky ticker. However, I reckon that your Italian captain needs a bigger dead chicken on his head - what-a mistake-a to make-a! I'm afraid that losing track of your sources for each character - just so I've understood properly: Rene, Mimi & Le Clerc: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/master-box-mb3551-maquis-french-resistance--141197 Mdm Fanny, Le Clerc & Msr Alphonse: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/miniart-38006-sitting-passengers-30-40s--572218 Capt Bertorelli, Rene's head & Michelle: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/miniart-38015-civilians-1930s-1940s--1091102 Officer Crabtree: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/miniart-38037-civilians--1284986 I'm guessing Yvette & Edith: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/master-box-mb35148-women-ww-ii-era--157370 Is that right? I'm trying to work out the minimum figure sets that I would need to buy. And my guesses for the following: Herr Flick (but the lady could also be Michelle): https://www.scalemates.com/kits/master-box-mb35172-volkssturm-germany-1944-1945--995437 Carstairs & Fairfax: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/icm-32105-british-pilots-1939-1945--1234922 https://www.scalemates.com/kits/master-box-mb3206-raf-pilots--171752 or possibly: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/master-box-mb3566-domestic-animals--137116 Gruber, Hans, Strom, Klinkerhoffen & Helga: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/master-box-mb3570-hat-das-fraeulein-heute-schon-etwas-vor--140426 https://www.scalemates.com/kits/icm-35611-staff-personnel--137722 (both figure sets also available with appropriate staff cars)

The re-release of the Tamiya Lotus 7 & Europa hopefully means that the rest of their 1:24 kits of that age may come back too - I'm hoping that we may see the the Morgan, Jaguar MkII & also both the Volvo 850 estates. The latter have been especially strong money for a long time now, and were iconic cars in their day - the 850 Turbo estate later becoming the first T5 (new decals with that badging would be brilliant), and the BTCC estate needs no introduction!!

That series are actually pretty good for how long ago they were tooled, and especially since they were also essentially toys. I had several as a child, and most (if not all) survived intact, although at some point I may have to regain possession of the black ERA from my own children... They each have a Riley MPH from that series too. Given that at the time my father had a '37 Riley (& currently has a '33), I'm not sure why I never had that one myself!! Scales do seem to be very 'fit the box' though, as the MoY Riley MPH is much bigger than the 1:43 whitemetal one that I also have. Btw, Solido did several models of that ilk too if you need more for your diorama, although more mid to late '30s French luxury cars (I recall that either my brother or I used to have what I think was a 1937ish Delahaye drophead). I think that these were a more consistant scale too.

Many thanks - excellent call on that one. I've been also looking at Masterbox's Volkssturm set, as the fellow in the hat & long coat looks like he could be painted up to look like Herr Flick. Aside from the Masterbox 170 staff car & passengers, I haven't bought any of the rest yet, so would be very interested to hear which other sets you are using to source the characters. I probably won't have any use for left over figures, and also new model kits are currently considered to be contraband by Mrs H (given my speed of building compared to rate of purchasing, she may have a point...) so I'm trying to avoid buying more than I need to. Diorama wise, I am thinking of just the various vehicles and Miniart's (older style) cafe furniture set in front of a printed background as their French cafe exterior kit seems to be out of stock, but would be very interested to see your work!

Gid moaning indeed & many thanks for all the info chaps! Hadn't spotted that Masterbox WW2 era women figure set in my previous searches & it looks like they could be adapted easily, so I just need to find something to use for Rene & Herr Flick. I've only had a quick look at the other links but based on the wide range I've seen so far, I think that I should be able to find something suitable in there too. Thank you all again!

Whilst I have been building car model kits for quite a while, I am rather new to other subject matter. However, a small project that I am planning for a corner of my display cabinet requires a rather varied set of WW2 era figures in 1:35, to go with the vehicles that I have already sourced. Miniart's French Civilians set will supply a French policeman & at least one other probably suitable. A Masterbox Mercedes staff car & figures will provide a seated German female soldier & other Wermacht officers, whilst an ICM staff car set provides similar standing versions. There are also some ICM & Miniart 1:32 RAF pilot sets which are close enough to look ok with 1:35 so all I need now is a bar / cafe owner & at least one waitress, a female French Resistance fighter & a Gestapo officer in a hat & long coat... For those who haven't yet worked out what DVD box set I have been watching during lockdown (listen very carefully as I shall say this only once ), with quite a bit of research I have sourced Officer Crabtree, possibly le Clerc, Helga, General von Klinkerhoffen, Capt Geering, Lt Gruber and the two British airmen... The ICM staff car is a 320 saloon but shouldn't be tricky to cut down into the 320 tourer version that was used. The Masterbox 170 tourer is close enough for the (3rd party insured) 230 Gestapo staff car, and Tamiya do a suitable little grey tank armoured car, which whilst not exact to Hubert Jr, seems to be what the filming prop was supposed to be a (rather loose) replica of. Tamiya also do a suitable Citroen 1930s Traction Avant (i.e. with the correct pre war style wheels) in this scale too. Diorama wise, Minart do an age appropriate cafe table set but beyond that, the backdrop will probably be no more than just a printed exterior of Cafe Rene. However, can anyone recommend some suitable figures that I could use / adapt for Rene, Yvette, Michelle & Herr Flick? Not massively fussed about figures for any of the other characters though unless they are part of a set with the others that I need. Many thanks!

I hope you are right - I've coloured up that same profile photo to see & it does look a bit better: However, as the gutter has chrome trim too (there is no body colour section on the A pillars on the real car), that dictates the gutter width, and now the screen looks a bit low again (but not as bad as in the all grey pics). Examining all the images in that thread, the gutter looks like it is moulded a bit heavily, which doesn't help - I could have made it thinner in the pic below, but then the A pillar would be showing a body colour section. Compare to the real thing: I hope though that these concerns will all be proven wrong when it is finally released. I really want Revell to get this kit right since everything else looks really good in terms of detail and engineering, and if right, then it will be easily the best E Type kit in this scale. Revell are certainly the first with this kit (aside from the recent 1:8 partworks one, which I don't think is comparable!) to get the headlights correct.

That SM kit looks amazing! I am struggling to resist...

The Heller kits were very good for their day, and are still ok. Whilst not perfect with the roof / screen, the Heller ones are a lot better in that area than what we are seeing here. I've done a quick mod to one of those test shot images to highlight what is wrong - it's not just the screenheight, but the corner of the side window next to the screen isn't right either, and it makes the problem look worse: