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Heinkel He 59B, AS-88 Legion Condor, Spain 1938, SH 1/72


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Hi

The Heinkel He 59 was constructed in 1930, so before re-militarisation of Germany done by Hitler after 1933. It was designed as recce and patrol bomber machine able to use floats and wheels, however she is known mostly as floatplane.

After the outbreak of Spanish Civil War in July 1936 already in October ten He 59s appeared there withing group AS-88 (Aufklarungstaffel 88 - so by name a recce squadron) in Legion Condor. They were based in Pollensa on Mollorca. They were able to carry 1 t of bombs or torpedo and front MG was replaced by 20 mm gun. In fact they were used mostly as patrol-bombers to attack merchant ships transporting supply for Republicans. During operations 27 He-59 were used within AS-88, 17 of them were lost however they sunk 52 ships. They were also used in some actions like regular bombers, for example in a raid over a bridge in Catalonia, bombing raids on Tarragona (nice city, BTW) and so on.

The model is from 2001 by Special Hobby, so one of early their production. Jas to be corrected in small things like for example adding doors on right side of fuselage and adding additional windows. It is a short run, to be frank rather difficult to build with right angles between floats, fuselage etc... To get it some od struts of floats I made from scratch. 

Besides what was in instruction I based on the article (ie: mostly on photos and drawings) published in Air Magazine No 15 from August 2003 (by Juan Arraez Cerda) and on another one from FlugerRevus X 73.  So, what to say? - apparently I was waiting from 2001 (when I bought model) and finally at least from 2003 gathering courage to undertake this construction... ;) (when during duty visit to Manaco I've bought this Air Magazine)....

 

Here is result:

49673010526_738a578d1c_b.jpg49673292902_131814db85_b.jpg49672470278_6f73abbdc7_b.jpg49673011221_ebe147cebc_b.jpg49673011316_aed19e999e_b.jpg49673011496_fff232c60c_b.jpg49673011626_f0985d0f0c_b.jpg49673293797_4c425f5c7f_b.jpg

 

It is surprisingly massive machine, if you compare her with for examle Sm 81  or Sm 55 among whole my collection of SCW (it is No 42):

49673294172_87b9b42cca_b.jpg

 

 

About riging - I did it using EZ  before upper wing was glued together. Recently I am doing it this way. This makes me able to strech cables without drilling upper part of upper wing.  I did it the same way in case of my two other build - Supermarine Sea Otter (already presented on RFI) and Stranraer (not yet shown here)

 

49672479398_8a93403238_b.jpg

 

 

Comments welcome

Regards

Jerzy-Wojtek

 

 

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The He 59 is an impressive beast and you really did it justice. Not so easy to get this kit nowadays and it's a pity I didn't catch one while it was available.

Your SCW collection looks really nice too. Incredible how many types were used in this conflict.

 

Cheers

Markus

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13 hours ago, Shorty84 said:

 

Your SCW collection looks really nice too. Incredible how many types were used in this conflict.

Here is very nice web page devoted to all of them:

http://bioold.science.ku.dk/drnash/model/spain/did.html

So altogether was about 200, and I've build so far 42... Next few are in stash (FK51, He70, Wal, Bf 109A, Dewoitine 27)

 

2 hours ago, Vinnie said:

Cracking build, Jerzy. I have my first biplane waiting under the bench. Have you any advice about the rigging?

In last years I've discovered EZ line and I am now in a middle of second 30 m roll of it! Shortly - before assembly drill openings with 0.4-0.6 mm drill (one side, let name it first, for example on bottom wing can be not going through,  could be just 2 mm deep). When kit is glued together cut each cable ~1.5 cm longer then necessary. Position with pincet in the first place and put a droplet of CA glue inside. After while put into other hole and stretch it for about 10%. Secure with piece of Tamiya tape and glue with another droplet of CA glue. Cut the excess of cable. You can fill the opening using filler (be careful then with sanding). In difficult places you can temporarily glue a thin (0.3 mm) plastic sprue to the free end of EX and use it as a needle. You can cut it out later or, if it goes for example to the wing when you did not drilled opening through you can press it to be lost in the space inside wing or in fuselage. This way you can repair also in rare cases when EZ cable is taken apart from one side in a finished model.  This "needle" can be very helpful since the electrostatic forces bound the cable during assembly. The other trick is with horizontal bars, which are often in many airplanes (as here) in place of crossing cables. Never glue it with CA.  It is too strong and spoil your work when will glue in wrong position by accident. I am just painting them with acrylic varnish and put on the place. Varnish, when dry, work then as glue, strong enough.

 

1 hour ago, VG 33 said:

This is very nice and I know this kit as I built one in 2004. Your 20mm gun is quite convincing.

 

Patrick

Back in 2004 I was too afraid about riging with stretched sprue, what was mine basic technique of those years (except only Potez 540, where I tried the thin guitar string). The EZ solved this problem and I was not afraid any longer to build it!

 

Many thanks John, Volker, Doc72, Marcus, Wulfman, Michael, RMCS, Kapam, Vinnie, Patrick, Andyh59 for your kind words! 

 

Regards

J-W

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37 minutes ago, JWM said:

 

 

Back in 2004 I was too afraid about riging with stretched sprue, what was mine basic technique of those years (except only Potez 540, where I tried the thin guitar string). The EZ solved this problem and I was not afraid any longer to build it!

 

 

Regards

J-W

 

Thanks JW, appreciate that.

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JW, excellent work on the 'Zapatones' ('Big Shoes' in Spanish). I envy your collection of SCW aircraft, although I do have some of the same aircraft built up. One of these days my collection will be as big and impressive as yours (hopefully)!

 

Best Regards,

 

Jason

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51 minutes ago, Vinnie said:

What size EZ line do you use for 1/72. Thanks.

It is "EZ fine"

Have a great result with it!

Regards

J-W

 

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That looks great.  A very interesting type this.  Not that I'm a fan of the regime but those Spanish Nationalist markings are very attractive.  That's a very impressive collection from the Spanish Civil War you have there.

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That's a solid looking build. Impressive collection too, and do I spy some Chinese fighters down there?
Totally love that improvised water surface too!

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Thanks Russ C, Maetbox and Luka for comments

On 3/22/2020 at 4:04 PM, Luka said:

That's a solid looking build. Impressive collection too, and do I spy some Chinese fighters down there?
Totally love that improvised water surface too!

Indeed, this is a set of Second Sino-Japan War 1937-41 and Nomohan Incident included to this war.

Only two Japaneese (Nell is done in end of seventies, Babs from about 2000) and group of Chinees (the biplane in second row is Douglas O2M - resin kit by Ardpo, Northrop Gamma 2e is scratch conversion from William Bros, and Azur Vultee v11, first row is Curtiss Hawk - Monogram conv., Dew. 501, Breda 27 and three Polikarpovs: Russian I152, Chineese UTI-4 and I-153). 

 

49695438216_3ff8fcfef2_b.jpg

 

I have some almost ten Japaneese in stash and only one more Chineese....

Thank you for comment on water :) - I invenetd this doing photos of Norwegian  He115...

35499324183_2d71298a54_b.jpg&key=fec94e5

 

Cheers

J-W

 

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