Jump to content

MPM 1/48 scale - Heinkel's 'Griffin'


Recommended Posts

 

Hi, guys...

 

A few photos of my latest build.  This is MPM's 'Hi-tech kit' of the He177 in 1/48 scale.  A challenging model but worth the effort.  The full build/narrative can be found here, if you want more photos.

 

Hope you like the finished result, and thanks for looking in.

 

Regards,

 

Paul

 

 

1) Remove bomb bay doors - resin weapons bay will be inserted.

 

GEDC3434.jpg

 

GEDC3437.jpg

 

2) Remove flaps from lower wing only.  The Fowler-style flap lay entirely under the upper wing overhang, so this area need redeveloped on the model and the flaps refurbished.

 

GEDC3438.jpg

 

3) Resin bomb bay after painting, blackwashing and insertion into the fuselage.

 

GEDC3453.jpg

 

 

4) Resin engine accessories - the assembly at the top is the coupled engine from the engine accessory pack, but the lower bulkhead with only the rear portion of the opposite engine is from the undercarriage assembly set.  The rear of the engine could be seen from under the wing looking up into the wheel well, hence this piece being included.  Electrical cabling from three strips of entwined 15amp fuse wire, then painted and Tamiya tape added as cable retainers and later painted pale greyish white, thereafter manipulated into the correct shape for adding onto the engine.  Everything blackwashed before insertion into the wing.

 

GEDC3468.jpg

 

 

5)  The removed flap sections from under the wing have to be rebuilt - (L) : inside of flap with plastic card strip; (C) : additional plastic card strip added to create the uppersurface of the flap; (R) : after model filler has been applied to form the leading edge and subsequently sanded smooth and curved round to blend with the underside.  Second image shows all the flaps completely rebuilt.

 

GEDC3486.jpg

 

GEDC3488.jpg

 

6)  Fight with the upper rear canopy piece - it don't fit easy!  I had to carefully stretch with forefinger and thumb with a sliver of superglue on the sides.  Slight misalignment on the top edge.  The fuselage was built up with some filler to meet the rear edge of the canopy and blended smooth; the sides were carefully padded out with model filler - use tape to mask the transparencies first! - certainly an improvement but could be better, so very thin strips of Tamiya tape applied round all joins effectively creating three 'frame lines' that weren't on the real plane but certainly enhancing the overall finish of the model.  Cockpit details finished off at this point, including the 'ammo belt to nowhere'... yet.  Seat belts were the only added accessory from outwith the parts supplied in the model.  Notice the resin bomb doors also attached - part of the armaments bay accessory pack.

 

 

GEDC3540.jpg

 

7)  Overall pale grey undercoat, brush-applied.  Thereafter, dark smokey grey brush-applied to undersides.  Later, the underside panels etc were sprayed over with a slightly darker shade to show wear on the paint scheme - a first for me as a technique.  Demarkation line feathered by spraying thin line of greyish-black on all demarkation points.  The medium green (RLM82) was sprayed onto the pale grey, then greenish-brown (RLM81) over that again, using Humbrol's Luftwaffe-specific enamel shades.  Transparencies were covered using Maskol before starting the painting.

 

 

GEDC3562.jpg

 

 

GEDC3569.jpg

 

After gloss varnishing, applying transfers and re-varnishing, blackwashing upper and side surfaces only.

 

 

GEDC3586.jpg

 

9)  On the home straight... undersides after completion.  Shading to black evident, internal and external bombs attached, former from ICM's He111 kit and the latter from Revell's He111 kit.  The very argumentative undercarriage, after much hassle, now in place.  This needed reinforcing to carry the additional weight.  Underwing supports now in place - a lot of plastic card cutting!  Not intended to be accurate but more representative of the layout and certainly, you couldn't leave such a large space empty!  Flaps attached and positioned in drooped deployed mode.

 

GEDC3592.jpg

 

10) Final shots of completed kit... ;-).

 

GEDC3608.jpg

 

 

GEDC3601.jpg

 

 

GEDC3602.jpg

 

Sources of inspiration?  Two grainy photos easily accessible on the internet and Claes Sundin's 'Luftwaffe Bombers Profile Book No7', profile 103.  My model doesn't conform fully to either source, but I'm very happy with the outcome after 5.5 weeks of effort.  This is my take on a 3./KG1 He177 based at Prowehren/Ostpreußen, July 1944.  Hope you like the finish.

 

Regards,

 

Paul

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by obdl3945
  • Like 40
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, gents...

 

Many thanks for your much-appreciated comments.   I am happy to report that I have found a space to house this model, although I had to re-arrange the others to accommodate it!

 

Regards,

 

Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All of the above in spades. Terrific patience and skill with the airbrush camo finish. Still got my L plates on for that sort of discipline. Really well done and a rarely-featured subject. Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guys...

 

What can I say?  Your comments are more than I expected and very much appreciated.  You've all been very positive with your remarks; a previous effort many years ago with an earlier offering of this kit ended in ignominous defeat, so I will take your expressions of approval as confirmation of my being older and wiser in my skills and problem solving.  You have genuinely - and very pleasantly - taken me aback with your kind words.  Thank you...  ;-)

 

Regards,

 

Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spectacular build Paul!

 

very nice model with gorgeous paint work & weathering! Seems it was a lot of work involved but the final result is speechless...😱😱😱

 

Your built thread will inspire me to persevere with my « Bear »😊

 

First class finish!

 

Frank

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...