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Heinkel He70 Luftdienst-Kommando 62, Revell 1/72


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Revell's Heinkel He70, in the markings of Luftdienst-Kommando 62, (Air Service Area Command) Based at Bad Zwischenahn in 1941. The Luftdienst-Kommando provided support services including liaison, courier and target towing.

 

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Heinkel's design was attractive, elegant and effective: when it first appeared it was faster than any contemporary fighter, which certainly raised concerns among air forces that might have to intercept it. It first served as a fast mail plane and airliner, almost like a modern biz-jet. Later, it was converted to a light bomber, which operated in Spain where the Republicans had nothing able to catch it. 

 

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The Heinkel's service life was short. Rapidly advancing fighter designs were able to catch it, and design features came back to haunt it.

 

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The He 70 was ultra-light, being built from Elektron, a high-strength aluminium/magnesium alloy with a density about two-thirds that aluminium. Another property of Elektron is that it is incredibly flammable, and once ignited, almost impossible to extinguish (it was also used for the casings of incendiary bombs). Combat losses mounted and it was relegated to second-line duties, acting as a fast courier plane.

 

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It's a nice kit, with good detail, and generally builds well. There are two exceptions to this: I found the joins on the lower wings were hard to get right, but the worst thing was the undercarriage. Assembling the three legs/struts was a pig of a job. Fun to build overall, and recommended - albeit with slight reservations!

 

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3 minutes ago, roginoz said:

That's a very nice example of a Luftwaffe aircraft which I've never seen modelled on this site.

Sounds like it was a flying death trap !

 

Rog

 

Apparently it was! The Hungarians used them in combat and were of the view that a single bullet could result in a catastrophic fire. 

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Well done, great result!

 

I have a soft spot for the old Matchbox/Lesney kits - some of the subjects were never released elsewhere. I'm currently working on the Revell AG boxing of the Matchbox Dornier 28D Skyservant.

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2 hours ago, Mitch K said:

Upon due reflection, I wish I'd thought of that!

You don't.... noting fits. I ended up ripping off the wings to get one side done. Not looking forward to the other side, and then went and broke the stand...
 

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Very interesting to see in two-tone green scheme! I always have seen He-70 in three tone brown/grey/olive....

If I may - something went wrong with wheel(s)  ... The tyre should go perpendicular to ground (see photo), not like in Me 109 - aligned with gear. Hope no difficult to corrrect :)

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Cheers

J-W

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3 hours ago, JWM said:

Very interesting to see in two-tone green scheme! I always have seen He-70 in three tone brown/grey/olive....

If I may - something went wrong with wheel(s)  ... The tyre should go perpendicular to ground (see photo), not like in Me 109 - aligned with gear. Hope no difficult to corrrect :)

Cheers

J-W

Jerzy, there is a saying in this country when somebody asks you to do the impossible: Are you having a laugh?!😊

 

There is not, to use another very English expression, a cat in hell's chance of re-aligning those wheels. I'll just have to sat it had a hard landing!🤣

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7 hours ago, Adam Poultney said:

You don't.... noting fits. I ended up ripping off the wings to get one side done. Not looking forward to the other side, and then went and broke the stand...
 

Hmm. Backfill the wheel wells with milliput, smooth it out and engrave the doors into the filler, then... I'll know for next time, not that there will be one!

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6 hours ago, fot0 said:

Great build - what engine did it run?

BMW VI vee-twelve. Also seen on the He51 and Arado 68 fighters, among others. Comparable to an RR Kestrel, roughly...

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Very nicely finished indeed! Interesting facts too.

I'm a Luftwaffe buff and I must confess I don't have any kit of this plane built or in my stash! Hmmm, better look into it...

 

Miguel

 

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