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Something I’ve done over time, showing one of the norwegian Heinkel 115’s and one of the rare norwegian built Høver MF.11, in the april days of 1940. Both shown in a rather unique but historical cammo scheme. Probably applied by their crews, with oil paint provided from local shops in the area they operated after the german occupation of Norway. This pair F.52 and No.328, were stationed by Bergen, were later designated as ‘Group Hardanger’ (as they operated from places in the Hardanger fjord area, inland from Bergen) Later the pair moved slowly northwards through Norway, as the norwegian troops were beaten and chased inland, and the german occupied area grew larger. The Høver finally (I believe) escaped to Finland and join the finnish airforce (one of two). The Heinkel’s history was more colourful. It were flown to the UK. To cut a long story short, it’s remains today rests in the war museum in Valetta, Malta. Via testing and evaluating by RAF, Solent through the summer of ‘40 it moved to Malta, painted black with no markings, operated by free french forces. Sadly it was a short lived adventure, it was lost just a few days after the operations started. Maltese fishers got some parts in their trawl a few years ago. But it’s original identification F.52 could be read on the pieces displayed in the museum. Both planes together the Heinkel shot from the Høver

I started this kit very early in the GB and finished it completely just today. In my defense, I took off a couple of months for health issues. (Much better now.) I bought this kit for $3 but it was in a NASTY box with NASTY instructions and decals (which where both tossed). I could have found some decals but when I washed the kit I found it was badly warped. So I decided to build a WWII 1/72 scale "ID Model" which tend to have warped a lot anyway. First I looked for a photo of an ID model of the He-115 to make sure they existed and yes indeed they did. This is the ID model I took my inspiration from: And here is my finished Matchbox "ID Model: and finally at home with my other "ID" models hanging above my workplace. Greg in OK

In 1938 Norway and Sweden purchased 12 He-115's each, for delivery that summer of '39. Sweden received their dozen before the war broke out (the received the swedish type designation T2, Torpedobomber 2), but Norway only received it's first 6 planes before the export license of the last 6 were withdrawn by Luftwaffe. They represented however a valuable addition to Norway's obsolete navy air force for the short, hectic months after the german invasion of Norway. Finally the boys felt they had a plane that could make a matter against the geman invaders. But only six planes streched over that vast coastline of Norway plus relatively unexperienced crews, made the odds fighting the huge, modern Luftwaffe a hopeless fight. In the end a handful of the Heinkels escaped the german forces after norway's defeat in june 1940. One went to Finland and were taken into service there immedately. The rest of the survivors fled to Britain. One of them was even a catured former Luftwaffe plane, which had emergency landed due to fuel shortage and captured by norwegian forces and flown to safety. After they entered UK the planes were rebuilt and fitted to RAF standard, getting british equipment, four fixed forward firing Brownings were mounted in the wings, a bead sight were mounted on the nose, for pilot's aiming. The long greenhouse glazing were covered with plating, plus a number of other changes were added. At least one was broken up not long after it arrived. The crew's probably went on to Canada where the new norwegian airforce academy, Little Norway, was established in Toronto At least one of the Heinkels saw a short carreer as agent ops plane in the Mediterranean, based on Malta. When in operation, the plane(s) were probably unmarked, painted in a flat black paint. They were operated by free french airforce crews, flying for RAF, under it's huge umbrella of airforces. Parts of one plane were discovered by maltese fishermen some years ago and is now displayed in the war museum in Valetta, It's original norwegian id code (F.52) is visible on some of the parts. My interpretation shows one of the Heinkels on the step, at the moment just before taking off from the Solent, during the testing period. https://flic.kr/p/VtjYxw

Combat Models is to release in 2015 a 1/32nd Heinkel He-115 vacuform kit Source: http://combatmodels.us/ V.P.

Apologies in advance if these should be their own individual categories and will adapt if so. Here are a selection of my builds involving Flying Boats and Float Planes since restarting model-making a few years back after a break of around 35 years. 1/72 Airfix Junkers Ju52/3m finished as a WHIF, used by the Regia Aeronautica on Rhodes in late 1940 OOB Build. (I had posted this previously in a Junkers thread but seemed appropriate to include it here as well as it has floats! ) 1/72 Airfix Short Sunderland III with Wrapround Camouflage. OOB Build with slight scratch cockpit. Roundels from Original Kit, Lettering from Revell Heyford 1/72 Airfix Supermarine Walrus in USN Colours. OOB Build, but missing canopy glass. WHIF scheme. 1/144 Airfix Boeing B314 'Clipper' in wartime BOAC Markings. OOB Build. 1/72 Matchbox Heinkel He-115 FloatPlane as a Swedish TB-2. OOB Build. Roundels & Lettering from Airfix Mosquito J30 kit This is my first Airbrushed model and really like the finish that can be achieved over (my) brush 1/72 Airfix Auster AOP (kit #01023), represented in a fictional Swiss Flying Doctor scheme. OOB Build with slight cockpit "clutter" added. Decals raided from spares box Lovely little kit to build 1/72 Matchbox Dornier Do G/Do-18 Flying Boat (Kit #PK-409), finished as a Deutsche Lufthansa South Atlantic Mailplane. OOB with slight mods to convert kit to more accurately represent civilian service.