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Heller DC-6B "Super Cloudmaster" vs "Securite Civile"


wally7506

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The Heller Kit DC-6 / C-118 / Securite civile has three different types for the fuselage.

modelldoc

I've only seen two? The "Cloudmaster" with the 4 even spaced windows aft of the door and the "Civile" with the double rearmost window?

What's the third type?

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I've only seen two? The "Cloudmaster" with the 4 even spaced windows aft of the door and the "Civile" with the double rearmost window?

What's the third type?

The C-118 version has a representation of the forward and aft freight doors in the left fuselage half, and a different window pattern yet again. There's one rather poorish quality photo here.

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The C-118 version has a representation of the forward and aft freight doors in the left fuselage half, and a different window pattern yet again. There's one rather poorish quality photo here.

Thanks, Jess.

Curious that a good many of the aftermarket decals available are better suited for the "Civile" version.

Cheers

JS

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  • 2 weeks later...

OK, I'm a bit late to the party, but I've finally dragged all three kits out of the stash and photographed them. The differences are as follows.

DC-6

Fuselage overall:

IMG_3278_zpslv8scwhs.jpg​

Rear fuselage:

IMG_3279_zps4inx5kc4.jpg​

C-118

Fuselage overall:

IMG_3280_zpsnt2t0ln1.jpg​

Rear fuselage:

IMG_3281_zpsfjzsjtdu.jpg​

Forward fuselage:

IMG_3282_zpsnks7awfy.jpg​

Securitie Civile

Fuselage overall:

IMG_3283_zpsvezpp3qe.jpg​

Rear fuselage:

IMG_3284_zpsgekcrnyj.jpg​

The C-118 is significantly different from the DC-6 because of the forward and rear freight doors; the main difference between the DC-6 and the Securitie Civile is that the latter's window configuration is slightly different, notably because of the paired set at the rear of the row on each side. Overall length of all three is the same.

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It is apparent from the shadows and flow marks in the plastic that the options for the windows were achieved by inserting or removing the window blanks in the moulds. The left fuselage half of the C-118 may be a different mould, or there may have been inserts.

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Many thanks for those pics.

Possible to have one half fuselage from both kits in the same picture?

Happy to oblige, but I'm not quite sure what you're after - is it a single shot with the three left-hand fuselages together?

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Your wish is my command ... from top to bottom, DC-6, C-118 and Securitie Civile:

IMG_3285_zpsnlcqb1ub.jpg​

And a shot of the interiors - as Jessica said, the window variations have been done by different inserts:

IMG_3286_zpskeeeid2c.jpg​

FYI, the grid pattern on the bedspread (for such it is) is on 5mm centres.

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There's a useful article (in two parts) in SAM for June and July 1985 dealing with the Heller kit (which is of a DC-6B), how to correct its problems and how to modify it to other versions (in particular, the standard DC-6). PM me your email if you'd like a copy.

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For those interested in Sécurité Civile aircraft, I had a chat with Sylvain from Syhart today at the Bron kit expo, and he told me that after two sheets concerning CL-215/415, C-130, Tracker, TurboTracker and F-27, the next one will be for the DC-6, all of them (together with PBY-5/6).

Not release date for the moment, tough.

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