Heller Classic GB Chat

[fightersweep]

@TonyW

 

That Arc en Ciel is lovely! Wonderful condition and congrats on bagging it. I did see one for sale in Japan a while ago. Was it that one?

[TonyOD]

@TonyW @fightersweep I sometimes feel I'm kind of limiting myself with the FAA thing. Need to take a chill pill and broaden my horizons. My current Dragon Rapide build is a Heller mould, funnily enough.

[Wez]

11 minutes ago, TonyOD said:

@TonyW @fightersweep I sometimes feel I'm kind of limiting myself with the FAA thing. Need to take a chill pill and broaden my horizons. My current Dragon Rapide build is a Heller mould, funnily enough.

Yes, you are! It's great having a theme to model to but I think going outside of that bubble occasionally is valuable as it expands your knowledge a bit and you come back to your theme refreshed.

 

Think of it as a sorbet between courses, a palate cleanser if you will.

[TonyW]

38 minutes ago, fightersweep said:

@TonyW

 

That Arc en Ciel is lovely! Wonderful condition and congrats on bagging it. I did see one for sale in Japan a while ago. Was it that one?

Not that one. A UK Ebay auction provided this one. It's not quite mint but it's close.

[fightersweep]

Just now, TonyW said:

Not that one. A UK Ebay auction provided this one. It's not quite mint but it's close.

I do look out for one every so often. Trouble is, is that I'd want two. One to build and one to keep in collectible corner. Doubtful it'll happen, but what a great looking aircraft. Seems to me that most Heller kits have been fairly available on and off over the years. I wonder why this one is scarce? Doesn't seem to have been re-popped since the initial release.

 

[TonyW]

It's had two boxings, the one I've just got and a later black box issue.

It was in the catalogues for quite a few years but I guess it didn't sell that well. I don't remember seeing many Heller kits for sale back in the day and the RiKo stickers on some of mine suggest expensive imports, which might have held back sales in the UK at least.

The 1.75 scale might have been off putting to some. I doubt you could tell just by looking.

 

Tony.

[fightersweep]

@TonyW

 

Thanks Tony! I don't think I've ever seen a "black box" version (heads to Google!). If I had seen it back in the day, I certainly would have picked it up. Don't recall seeing it anywhere, and my local model shop back in the early 80s was usually well stocked with Heller. As you say, sales must have been a bit low which would be a shame.

 

Steve

[Wez]

11 minutes ago, fightersweep said:

@TonyW

 

Thanks Tony! I don't think I've ever seen a "black box" version (heads to Google!). If I had seen it back in the day, I certainly would have picked it up. Don't recall seeing it anywhere, and my local model shop back in the early 80s was usually well stocked with Heller. As you say, sales must have been a bit low which would be a shame.

 

Steve

I'm pretty sure I did see a black box version but, because it wasn't a military aircraft I wasn't interested in it, what a fool I was

[Wez]

On 15/09/2020 at 17:12, Anatol Pigwa said:

Since I am already streched between 3 GBs and the Interceptir GB is coming up as well, I shall commut only with one small kit to this one: The Revell rebox of the Alpha Jet.

I am just not sure if I do the 1000000 flight hours OOB scheme or go for something else. Suggestions?

If the Revell rebox is the Heller kit it will be very welcome, thanks for signing up, it's a great kit! I have the Heller original (plus a very nice Pavla resin cockpit to go with...).

 

Welcome to our little GB, plenty of room for more to join...

 

...original Heller moulds originally released before 1 Jan 86 welcome even if they're a subsequent re-release or have been released in somebody else's box, all welcome.

 

You can even use aftermarket too!

[TonyOD]

6 minutes ago, Wez said:

...original Heller moulds originally released before 1 Jan 86 welcome

My curiosity about Heller has truly been piqued. I don't know much about the brand other than what it says on Wikipedia, if I got into it what kind of kits could I expect in terms of quality and buildability? I've only ever built one to my knowledge, a Spitfire Mk XVI years ago, and I remember it being a bit of a journeyman kit but enjoyable enough to build. I'm learning from my Dragon Rapide build that if you put the hours in you can get a decent result out of a fairly unsophisticated box of plastic. Is Heller essentially the French Airfix? And is there definitive list of Heller kits and reboxings somewhere? Cheers!

[rob Lyttle]

2 minutes ago, TonyOD said:

And is there definitive list of Heller kits and reboxings

It's a book's worth, Tony. 

But Wez has got the book! And he can do a check for you 

4 minutes ago, TonyOD said:

you can get a decent result out of a fairly unsophisticated box of plastic.

I'd say that's Heller in a nutshell. Old-school construction kits and a definite French tendency in subject choice 

[Wez]

Just now, TonyOD said:

My curiosity about Heller has truly been piqued. I don't know much about the brand other than what it says on Wikipedia, if I got into it what kind of kits could I expect in terms of quality and buildability? I've only ever built one to my knowledge, a Spitfire Mk XVI years ago, and I remember it being a bit of a journeyman kit but enjoyable enough to build. I'm learning from my Dragon Rapide build that if you put the hours in you can get a decent result out of a fairly unsophisticated box of plastic. Is Heller essentially the French Airfix? And is there definitive list of Heller kits and reboxings somewhere? Cheers!

Yes you're right, they are essentially the French Airfix, unfortunately, they went downhill once they tied up with Humbrol (then Airfix's owner), hence the cut off point being 1Jan 86.

 

Scalemates is pretty good but the definitive list for the purpose of this GB is "Heller, La Maquette À La Française" by Jean-Christophe Carbonell. Fortunately, your genial host has a copy of this book so if you're unsure as to a subjects eligibility, just ask!

[TonyOD]

4 minutes ago, Wez said:

Fortunately, your genial host has a copy of this book so if you're unsure as to a subjects eligibility, just ask!

That's good to know, merci beaucoup!

[TonyOD]

Just been having a browse on Scalemates and the "family trees" are fascinating. For example the Heller mould of the Hawker Tempest begat* something like 16 different boxings from nine different labels.

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/heller-159-hawker-tempest-mk-v--168580 

 

* this is a word I don't use anywhere near often enough.

[klr]

1 hour ago, Wez said:

If the Revell rebox is the Heller kit it will be very welcome, thanks for signing up, it's a great kit! I have the Heller original (plus a very nice Pavla resin cockpit to go with...).

 

Welcome to our little GB, plenty of room for more to join...

 

...original Heller moulds originally released before 1 Jan 86 welcome even if they're a subsequent re-release or have been released in somebody else's box, all welcome.

 

You can even use aftermarket too!

It is the Heller mold. After many years of reboxing the Airfix mold, Heller are (according to Scalemates), back to using its own mold, but I remain agnostic at best about this, a Doubting Thomas even.

 

... seeing the word begat has made me go into Biblical mode.

[TonyOD]

Me yesterday evening, basically.

 

[TEMPESTMK5]

18 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

A very nice choice Patrice and I’m sure the Fenec will be a popular kit for this GB. I’d likely build one too, however don’t have one in the stash and it’s doubtful that any overseas orders would arrive in a suitable timeframe. I do like the decals they provide in the new box, quite a lovely package on offer there. 
 

Cheers and best of luck.. Dave

Good morning Dave

Maybe you can order one and receive it in time build it for the French Fancy 2 Gb next year ?.

I agree with you the new decals sheet is a great improvment compared to the one in the initial boxing that I aslo have in my stash ..

I plan to use the Pavla set  https://www.scalemates.com/kits/pavla-models-c72095-na-t-28-trojan--153226 

and the Quickboost resin engine

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/quickboost-qb-72-174-t-28-trojan-fennec-engine-heller--193064

 

Best regards

Patrice

[TEMPESTMK5]

9 hours ago, TonyOD said:

My curiosity about Heller has truly been piqued. I don't know much about the brand other than what it says on Wikipedia, if I got into it what kind of kits could I expect in terms of quality and buildability? I've only ever built one to my knowledge, a Spitfire Mk XVI years ago, and I remember it being a bit of a journeyman kit but enjoyable enough to build. I'm learning from my Dragon Rapide build that if you put the hours in you can get a decent result out of a fairly unsophisticated box of plastic. Is Heller essentially the French Airfix? And is there definitive list of Heller kits and reboxings somewhere? Cheers!

Good morning Tony

 I think that we can say that Heller is the French Airfix for most French modellers because in the late 60s and early 70s the Heller kits were very easy to find even  in the newspaper stores and they were very prolific just have a look there 

 

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?fkSECTION[]=Kits&q=heller+1%2F72

 

Best Regards

Patrice

[TonyW]

10 hours ago, Wez said:

I'm pretty sure I did see a black box version but, because it wasn't a military aircraft I wasn't interested in it, what a fool I was

Here's a picture of the two ARC boxes, from the collection of Mario Wenns...

 

[TonyW]

Here's a selection of early catalogue pages giving a taste of what Heller had to offer. Very much leaning to French subjects, much like FROG did with UK subjects in the UK. The range was enormous! The early artwork was to a very high standard, it's almost impossible to pick a favourite.

 

I notice that a couple of planes made it to the catalogue but got no further, does anyone know the story there?

 

I'm just starting to get to grips with the company and just about everything is new to me, the GB is going to help no end.

 

[Richard Tucker]

Afternoon!

 

I thought I'd stop lurking and come and join the group build. I have a "heller selection" of kits that I think qualify. Most will probably have decals that are useless so I'll have to check them all.

 

 

At the moment, I'm tempted by the Leo or the Storch.

 

 

 

Edited September 17, 2020 by Richard Tucker

[Wez]

Thanks for signing up Richard, you've got a good selection of eligible Heller moulds there, even if most of them are in SMER boxes, they still count!

 

Personally I'd love to see the Storch but the choice is yours and all are welcome.

 

Anyone else want to join this little GB? I'm sure we can squeeze you in.

 

Original Heller moulds released before 1 Jan 1986 are eligible, this includes subsequent re-releases or released in another manufacturers box, all are welcome. Aftermarket is permitted too.

 

Sadly, other manufacturers kits in Heller boxes aren't. Search your precious hoarde, I'm sure, like Richard you'll be able to find some gold!

[JeroenS]

1 hour ago, Richard Tucker said:

At the moment, I'm tempted by the Leo or the Storch.

Welcome to the forums and I guess no nicer way to get started than in a GB!

 

I rather fancy that Leo... By the way I don't know much about aircraft but I like the look of it 🙂 

[TonyW]

Nice looking selection Richard, welcome aboard. The MS225 builds into a fine looking plane, all that polished metal up front looks very smart. There's quite a few interesting schemes out there for the Leo 451 as well. Choices choices...

 

Tony.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

On 15/09/2020 at 17:12, Anatol Pigwa said:

The Revell rebox of the Alpha Jet.

Oh no!  There's another Heller kit in The Stash that I didn't know I had!!!!