Stew Dapple Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Here is my first entry for the GB: the Heller-Humbrol Museum Series Bloch 210. The MB.210 was the improved and modernised replacement for the MB.200 (an aircraft almost spectacular in its ugliness) and together with the Amiot 143 (just plain monkey-butt-ugly) it shared the honours of being the first bomber to open French hostilities against the Germans in World War II. The kit is the Museum Series release of 1986 but the original tooling dates back to 1967 - however in common with some of the Heller releases of the time it is nicely detailed and moulded, and aside from some prominent injection towers in places the parts look to have stood up to the passing years pretty well: There is only one decal option (which I think was standard for Heller Museum Series issues) for MB.210 No.76 'White 3' of the 12 Bombardment Squadron from 1940 - the decals include a large and pretty cool winged Aztec (or Egyptian?) snake for each side of the fuselage which I believe is the squadron badge. So with a week to go, you can pass your time here looking at the pictures, or feel free to ask any questions you might have about this aeroplane, French aviation of the 30's and 40's, how ugly this aircraft is, how unpleasant the flight characteristics might have been, whether you remember Plastic Bertrand or not; anything really. I don't promise an answer, much less a sensible answer, but we all like to feel someone cares, so I will try to pretend I do Cheers, Stew 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 I sort of remember Plastic Bertrand, but my association began in the early oughts of this century. I try to keep astride current trends. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 erm... Plastic Bertrand is Belgian! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 erm... Plastic Bertrand is Belgian! Say it ain't so... *googles* ... my god, no... Our French forum-mates are gonna skin me alive Cheers, Stew 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Essentially the same thing as being French...between 1794 and 1815. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 Oh nice one PC, maybe I should just re-title this thread "The Next Great European War starts here"! Cheers, Stew 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 I have built some very, very homely aircraft, but this is quite spectacularly plain. When it was given a beating with the ugly stick, they didn't miss an inch! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 I have built some very, very homely aircraft, but this is quite spectacularly plain. When it was given a beating with the ugly stick, they didn't miss an inch! Mitch, compared to the MB.200 she is quite the looker Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 What colour are you going to use for the green? What do you think about Lifecolor UA-142 French Kaki? https://airbrushes.com/product_info.php?products_id=2194&osCsid=diobi4i8hvsvktg7hra1min4l7 That's what I'll be using on my NiD-622. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 Hi Enzo, I'll be using Humbrol 76 Uniform Green - that's what the instructions recommend as the alternative to some concoction of Heller's own (7061 in their range apparently). I used to have a pot of White Ensign's Ivy Green which I think would have done well, but I must have slung it out at some point as I can't find it now. My understanding is that the green in question (certainly on the MB.210, not sure about the NiD) is not the same as Kaki, (which was a mixture of black and yellow and while it is certainly green it is more olive and lacking the slight blueish tint of the French Green). Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 My understanding is that the green in question (certainly on the MB.200, not sure about the NiD) is not the same as Kaki, (which was a mixture of black and yellow and while it is certainly green it is more olive and lacking the slight blueish tint of the French Green). Interesting! Thanks for the pointer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 First of all, the 210 is BEAUTIFUL!!!! Try the Amiot 143 for size!!! I thought Plastic Bertrand was dead... Damn! As to invade Belgium, we French erred once... Not again!!!! Have a great time with this behemoth! JR 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 Jean, agreed, the Amiot 143 is very ugly compared to the Bloch 210, but you can compare the Amiot to almost anything and it will be the uglier of the two Yes, I was surprised to find that Plastic Bertrand was still alive, though not half as surprised as I was to find he was Belgian. Cheers, Stew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAU Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Jean, agreed, the Amiot 143 is very ugly compared to the Bloch 210, but you can compare the Amiot to almost anything and it will be the uglier of the two ...... Cheers, Stew Try compare against the polish LWS-6 Żubr and I think you have a winner there. The Bloch MB.210 isn't that bad and you can always live it up in the yellow-red armistice colours 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_c67 Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Kaki? As in or is this a shade I've not stumbled across before? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 (edited) It's somewhat utilitarian, like the sweetheart child of a Ju-52 and a Blenheim. With a touch of country greenhouse thrown in to help the roses along. Not a beauty, but I've seen uglier. Will look forward to seeing how it goes together. Edit: Haha. Gotta love the PC spelling checker thingy. 'Sweetheart' wasn't the word I used. Edited March 15, 2015 by Rob G 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 It looks like the sort of bomber one would buy in flatpack format and then assemble at home. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Bradley Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Oh, now come on guys - it's not THAT bad....! As for the kit - simple but enjoyable. I did one a couple of years ago and it turned out quite nicely. Had to make my own decals though, as the kit ones were shot. No real 'gotchas' as I recall, Stew. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Whilst we're on the subject of ugly aeroplanes, please don't make me post a piccie of the Stipa. Oh, you've never heard of the Caproni Stipa? Here you go: Now beat that for ugly! Compared to that, the MB.210 is a Griffon-engined Spitfire. Regards, Jason P.S. Good luck on the MB.210, Stew - I built a Spanish Civil War one many years ago and I can see it from where I'm sitting. Despite the age (1967 - Really?), it's actually a rather nice kit that went together easily if I can recall that far back. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalea Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 (edited) Had one, actually started it until I discovered how unlikely a replacement would be if I got glue on the windows. Put it away until I got another one. Did that a few weeks ago, so I can now think about it again. Never mind the green for the moment, that comes later. What do think about the interior colour? There was a time when I painted everything French, Bleu de Nuit (which I wouldn't necessarily do now). The fashion appears now to paint all interiors Chamois (which I would do to Potezes) . Secondly, what about props? Kit ones have always looked rather spindly to me . Thirdly, since I've just had a look,. what are those guns supposed to be? . Will wait and watch with interest. Disagree about the Zubr. Edited March 16, 2015 by dalea 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Whilst we're on the subject of ugly aeroplanes, please don't make me post a piccie of the Stipa. Pffft, it's no Floh. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Laidlaw Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Essentially the same thing as being French...between 1794 and 1815. Only the good die young, as the song says. It's been great knowin' ya, kid! . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Ahh, the glorious Floh! It does comes close to the Stipa in sheer corpulent ridiculousness. I will give this also to the Floh - that beast was actually intended as a fighter, a real warplane! At least the Stipa was only a test monstrosity. Oh, yeah, right - back to you Stew. Regards, Jason 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Try compare against the polish LWS-6 Żubr and I think you have a winner there. The Bloch MB.210 isn't that bad and you can always live it up in the yellow-red armistice colours Well Sau, I concur that the Żubr does approach almost the levels of ugliness of the Amiot (is Żubr Polish for 'Flying Chin'?) but it loses to the Amiot, marginally, for having a rather attractive shape to its tailfin and rudder As for the 'Slaves Pyjamas', colourful it's true, but I do not like to represent the Vichy regime with my models... Kaki? As in or is this a shade I've not stumbled across before? Kaki as in Khaki Charlie, but not as in the British brown khaki, it's quite similar to a faded olive drab (though given all the variations of Olive Drab I should probably specify a greenish one ) It's somewhat utilitarian, like the sweetheart child of a Ju-52 and a Blenheim. With a touch of country greenhouse thrown in to help the roses along. Not a beauty, but I've seen uglier. Will look forward to seeing how it goes together. Edit: Haha. Gotta love the PC spelling checker thingy. 'Sweetheart' wasn't the word I used. Aerodynamics? Pah, we do not need them! It is a slab of a beast, indeed, like a furniture van that by strength of will grew its own wings It looks like the sort of bomber one would buy in flatpack format and then assemble at home. After two days wielding the giant Allen Key, you find that you have a stabiliser left over and you have put the rudder on upside down... Oh, now come on guys - it's not THAT bad....! As for the kit - simple but enjoyable. I did one a couple of years ago and it turned out quite nicely. Had to make my own decals though, as the kit ones were shot. No real 'gotchas' as I recall, Stew. Well that's set the bar pretty high Paul, now everyone is going to expect my build to look as good as that! - thanks for the tip, I hope my decals are okay, I really like that snake-thing Cheers, Stew 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Whilst we're on the subject of ugly aeroplanes, please don't make me post a piccie of the Stipa. Oh, you've never heard of the Caproni Stipa? Here you go: ... Now beat that for ugly! Compared to that, the MB.210 is a Griffon-engined Spitfire. Regards, Jason P.S. Good luck on the MB.210, Stew - I built a Spanish Civil War one many years ago and I can see it from where I'm sitting. Despite the age (1967 - Really?), it's actually a rather nice kit that went together easily if I can recall that far back. Sweet mother of god, and to think the Italians have a reputation for stylish design - thanks for that Jason, I think I might have seen a model of the MB.210 finished in Republican markings... yes, 1967 - the saddest thing of all is that it is still younger than me Had one, actually started it until I discovered how unlikely a replacement would be if I got glue on the windows. Put it away until I got another one. Did that a few weeks ago, so I can now think about it again. Never mind the green for the moment, that comes later. What do think about the interior colour? There was a time when I painted everything French, Bleu de Nuit (which I wouldn't necessarily do now). The fashion appears now to paint all interiors Chamois (which I would do to Potezes) . Secondly, what about props? Kit ones have always looked rather spindly to me . Thirdly, since I've just had a look,. what are those guns supposed to be? . Will wait and watch with interest. Agree about the Zubr. I don't mind about the green, for me that subject is already settled. The interior will be painted as the instruction specifies, more or less - they recommend Humbrol 93 which is a sort of pale sandy brown but I had a root around in the paint store and I still have a pot of White Ensign Chamois, so I'll be using that. If I get round to my Potez, the cockpit interior will be Bleu de Nuit, but the gear bays chamois. The guns look like the jacketless Lewis MGs or perhaps the Vickers 'K' gun - I was expecting those MACs with the vertical drum magazine, but I trust that Heller have got this correct, as they provide a MAC for the Potez 63-series kits. The propellers look good to me, very thin as seems to be another Heller tradition, but I think they will be fine with a coat of black paint on Pffft, it's no Floh. Hey, it's just big-boned Cheers, Stew 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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