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Revell He219 - no, not that one!


mike romeo

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Hi folks,

This is my first GB on Britmodeller and, given the relatively generous building time, I thought I'd try my hand at enhancing a Revell 1/72nd He219. Note that this is Revell's original release, not the ex-FROG one that has relatively recently been re-introduced.

Regarding 'enhancement', I'm no Tom Probert or Nobby, but I like adding a bit of representative detail where I can, with the aim of causing doubt in whoever looks at it as to which particular kit it started out as. Whatever, the Uhu it is and we'll see how it turns out; I have a small amount of AM to throw at it (wheels, etc.) but it will mostly be just the Revell bits and whatever I can cobble together to add to them.

I will add the obligatory sprue shots when I get the kit out of the loft, but I won't be starting immediately as I have a couple of other things to finish first.

regards,

Martin

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Oddly, A couple of months ago I used the engine nacelle from one of these

On a Sci Fi model I built up from bits.

This nacelle had been in a boxful of bits since the mid 70's!

It was pale blue with dark splodges. Not now it isn't.

Good luck with your build.

Pete

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Thanks chaps!

Some pics. Cool box art by Brian Knight:

DSCF5150_zps1182037d.jpg

Sprue shots. Not quite Dragon on the detailing front, is it?

DSCF5138_zps368b1485.jpg

Somewhere along the line, I've lost the instructions. I'm not too bothered about that, but if I do the kit markings, I will need the marking guide.

Aftermarket True Details wheels. Should make some difference:

DSCF5143_zpscf427be4.jpg

I also have the bits from another Revell 219 and the Revell / FROG re-pop in here. You never know when they might come in useful . . .

DSCF5147_zpsbf4c9e94.jpg

So, that's it. Now I've got to work out what I'm going to do with the thing.

regards,

Martin

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Somewhere along the line, I've lost the instructions. I'm not too bothered about that, but if I do the kit markings, I will need the marking guide.

I built a more recent (well 1992ish) Revell release of that kit - and will still have the instructions.

That's a classy bit of box art.

PM if photos of the instructions would help, I can't remember the markings but mine is NJG1.

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I built a more recent (well 1992ish) Revell release of that kit - and will still have the instructions.

That's a classy bit of box art.

PM if photos of the instructions would help, I can't remember the markings but mine is NJG1.

Thanks for the offer, PS. PM will be inbound shortly.

regards,

Martin

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Instruction pages photographed :photo: and sent - hope they're useful.

Tim,

Many thanks. Received safely and I have checked I can open them. I have also responded by e-mail.

Thanks again!

regards,

Martin

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  • 3 weeks later...

So, I've also started the Uhu; at the moment, I'm just pluttering around seeing what's what and working out what I'm going to do with it. This one may prove more of a challenge than the Italeri Ju 188. Here's the lower fuselage - yep, this kit has a side seam in it. Kiss goodbye to the rather nicely restrained raised rivet / panel lines! You can see my cockpit floor / nosewheel roof, which is the basis for what will be a new cockpit. I'm sure it won't be particularly detailed, but I plan to add some bits to the cockpit as what's in the kit is not terribly wonderful:

DSCF5320_zps122180b7.jpg

Drilled out the cannon troughs. I'll stretch some styrene tube in due course to make cannon barrels:

DSCF5323_zpsdcf6a21a.jpg

Engine nacelles. These could be interesting. I've already added the rear bulkheads that came in the kit. Quite a lot of sanding was required to achieve a reasonable fit. I've added the engines, although I don't intend to take advantage of the opening engine bay panels; instead the attached shelf has a front bulkhead for the gear wells included - although I had to do some minor surgery to get these to fit in the right place. I'll probably add some sheet styrene around the gear wells to make it look a bit more like the real thing:

DSCF5321_zps017b9642.jpg

Handy recess for adding weight:

DSCF5322_zps2ce4d05c.jpg

Tailplane upper and lower halves joined; fin / rudder assemblies dry-fitted only:

DSCF5324_zps73459fa8.jpg

More anon.

regards,

Martin

Edited by mike romeo
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I still have my old build of this old kit (it had just come out when I bought it, which tells you a little about how old I am, as I didn't buy it when I was one!). I've thought about redoing it, as the Uhu has always been one of my favourite aircraft. I will be watching this build with great interest, to see what you can do with this old kit. Best of luck!

Regards,

Jason

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi folks,

Thanks for the interest and sorry that there has been no further reported progress thus far, as I'm concentrating on the '188. However, I have been slowly adding styrene sheet and rod to the cockpit to make it look more like the Dragon cockpit interior. I've got a ways to go before I have anything worth showing, though.

I have got as far with the nacelles as gluing in the supposedly moveable engine maintenance hatches on the forward part of the nacelles, and fettling the fit of the front engine faces. They now fit OK, but it took a bit of jiggery pokery. I still need to add a liberal amount of sheet styrene to build up some structure to the undercarriage bay, as well.

So, still at a very early stage of progress but, once the '188 is ready for paint, I hope to switch priorities to the '219.

regards,

Martin

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been plugging away at the cockpit of the He 219. It's nowhere near as good as Woody's Blenheim cockpits, but I think it's better than what was there before. RLM66 has been brushed on roughly thus far, and detail painting (and straps) will follow later next week:

Some sidewall and rear bulkhead detail; IP at the side to be added over semi-gloss black backing piece:

DSCF5396_zpsaf0df911.jpg

Seat and side console 'detail'; wing-root cannons added:

DSCF5397_zps1b7fdd74.jpg

Nosewheel bay and underfuselage cannon barrels:

DSCF5398_zps07cbaa41.jpg

regards,

Martin

Edited by mike romeo
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That is a pretty brave endeavor, but I suppose that for others (definitely not me) there is a certain satisfaction in achieving a finished model that will no doubt look great on the shelf next to modern kits!

I really enjoyed reading up on this and your '188 builds, keep up the good work!

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That is a pretty brave endeavor, but I suppose that for others (definitely not me) there is a certain satisfaction in achieving a finished model that will no doubt look great on the shelf next to modern kits!

I really enjoyed reading up on this and your '188 builds, keep up the good work!

Thanks very much. Your comments are much appreciated.

I have now given myself a KUTA and made some more progress on the '219, mostly around the cockpit and front fuselage. Here are some shots:

DSCF5527_zpsfa7dd94d.jpg

DSCF5528_zps8c3028af.jpg

DSCF5530_zpse3e8fe9e.jpg

To Woody and other competent scratchbuilders, I can only apologise. My only consolation is that what's there now should be somewhat better than what was there before. I still need to add seat belts and a control yoke, but once they're done I can think about getting the fuse buttoned up.

Oh yes, you can probably also tell that adding sufficient noseweight has been preying on my mind somewhat of late.

regards,

Martin

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The cockpit looks nice, Martin! Certainly nicer than the one on my old model of this very kit. If I still had the landing gear (it was done wheels-up), I'd be tempted to redo it, using your build as a guide.

Regards,

Jason

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Jason,

Thank you.

I got the harnesses and the control column added and this is how the front part of the cockpit looked before the fuselage was joined:

DSCF5531_zps59479b04.jpg

I then got the fuse together and dealt with the side seams, which took major league sanding, loads of filler and more sanding. Tonight, I added the nose cone and the empennage:

DSCF5535_zps501251dc.jpg

My next job is to add some styrene sheet to the undercarriage bay and get the engine nacelles joined.

regards,

Martin

Edited by mike romeo
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This might be a pain to get together but, for all it's faults, I feel that Revell really nailed the shape and character of this beast. Nice work!

Martin

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks, Martin & Thorfinn,

There's not much to show for a couple of week's intermittent work, but I dremelled off the flame dampers. I'll make some new ones out of plastic tube.

DSCF5553_zps4141fbc3.jpg

And tonight I got the main structure together.

DSCF5558_zps0011289e.jpg

DSCF5559_zps9a897c35.jpg

There's going to be a fair bit of filling and sanding in my future, I can see. I also need to build up some of the air intakes on the wing leading edge and then do some scribing. However, as I'm not going to be able to finish in the time available, I'll be concentrating on trying to finish the '188 from hereon in.

I'll probably finish the build posting on WIP. Thanks for looking in.

regards,

Martin

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