Mach 2 Heinkel He 114, 1/72

[JWM]

Hi

The old (from seventies) kit by Mach-2 of Heinkel He-114 is made in short-

run technology. It has some kind of not good reputation. First look on models presented on fifferent forums in net nevertheless if they are done OOB or with some corrections usually reveals some problems with accuracy of shapes. The most obvious and frequently seen is error in distance between upper wing and fuselage. In model it is certainly too high.

So certainly kits needs

some corrections. The struts in model have to be shorted - that is for sure. I made a search of

drawing in net and found on blueprint page one drawing ( http://drawingdatabase.com/heinkel-he-114/) withSwedish marings (here and later I will call it "Swedish drawings") , which looks very nice at first sight and some other much more basic. However and unfortunately - the nice looking Swedish plans did not survived comparison of some details with photos. There are several problems. On photos it is seen, the lower wing in real He-114 had straight, perpendicular to fuselage part of leading edge, and then becomes a rounded one at the end. The Swedish drawing show in all

curved. In this case the shapes of model, compared to photos (http://pacificeagles.net/heinkel-he114/ ), looks OK.

Second problem of this drawings are horizontal stabilizers. The model, if you glue

it as it is, have trapezoidal stabilizers with almost symmetrical angles between fuselage and leading or trailing edges. The Swedish plan have the angles of this edges differnent. Moreover – the point of start of leading edges is moved forward about 2 mm in 1/72 scale. This is again not correct if you compare with photos, but here the shape model are also not OK. The stabilizers were not so much triangular. The other, not so detailed plans available in net suggest smaller correction – adding about 1 mm distance at leading edge to slope it a little backward. In this case the line between stable part of stabilizers and the elevators became straight if you look from bottom or from top.

The rudder needs also correction. In model it is too pointy (or peaked) and the angle of rudder is to big (to much slopped forward). In Swedish drawings it is oposide - it is too vertical. Again – the correct shape is presented in those more ugly plans. Next is canopy. The most surprising is problem with interior of cockpit. It is detailed, but the details are mostly wrong. There are some photos available of cockpit http://www.aviarmor.net/aww2/_photo_aircraft/f_ger/he114/he114_cockpit1.jpg ,

http://www.aviarmor.net/aww2/_photo_aircraft/f_ger/he114/he114_cockpit2.jpg, http://www.aviarmor.net/aww2/_photo_aircraft/f_ger/he114/he114_cockpit3.jpg, http://www.aviarmor.net/aww2/_photo_aircraft/f_ger/he114/he114_cockpit4.jpg) Theyrevealed also a bit more trapezoidal in section look of canopy, different mounting of gun, a metal part above control panel of second cockpit etc.

Going back to initial problem of struts and upper wing – the outside parts of upper wing have

some dihedral (in model it is completely flat) and the struts between lower and upper wings have to be also a bit reshaped – the point of splitting them into two have to be lowered. Moreover, the mounting point of external struts (ie. those between lower and upper wings) have to be moved toward fuselage with changed angle. The shift on lower wing is some 4mm, on upper wing is twice more. The propeller seems to be too large also. That is for start. Perhaps there are other things to be corrected which I still overlooked . In my construction I will try to include all this needs of reshaping.

In second post soon I will include some photos from construction - which started already.

Cheers

Jerzy-Wojtek

Edited April 6, 2016 by JWM

[JWM]

 

In addition to above post #1 - some photos and comments:

The bottom side of upper wing:

 

One can see shifted and original positions for mounting struts - the most inner were mistake, I fill them with putty.

The photo below is to show stabilizers with corrected position (angle)

 

Here is corrected shape of fin:

 

The new canopy made of strange stuff - main part is cut off and a bit sanded from some 2 seater jet canopy from spare box (perhaps it was MIG-29, but I am not sure) and the front is from some garbage (a piece of tranparent plastic from a box of computer mouse ... ):

 

The canopy needs some more polishing and clear gloss varnish finish - but I tried it this way, having in backup possibilty of pressing it from thin plate - but it would need much more work with preparing the stamp (form).

 

 

And bottom of upper wing again:

To be continued....

Best regards

Jerzy-Wojtek

Edited September 14, 2017 by JWM
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[Beard]

Jerzy-Wojtek,

You always post such well-made models that it's interesting to see you do a work on progress.

[TonyTiger66]

Hi Jerzy-Wojtek,

It is good to see you making another interesting Luftwaffe floatplane.

One of your links led to information that the He-114 took part in the Pacific theatre. I never knew that - thanks!

As usual you have researched this and this WIP will provide a really useful resource on this quite unusual, but also attractive airoplane.

Great stuff!

Best regards

Tony