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Heller Dragon Rapide - FINISHED


zebra

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I'm going to build a Heller 1/72 Dragon Rapide. This is just a placeholder for now - I won't get to this until my builds in the Lancaster STGB and In The Navy GB are done. 

 

I built one of these some time in the mid-80s. I don't really remember the build, it's buying the kit that I really remember: My Mum was a French teacher and very keen that we go to France on holiday and practice our French. So on a trip to Normandy some time in the 80s (might have been 1985) when I wanted to try and find this kit, instead of browsing the shelves of French model shops I had to go to the counter and ask if they had it, in French. Despite my probably terrible pronunciation I did actually manage to buy one!

 

This will be in the Tasman boxing - currently available and reasonably priced - with SBS photo-etched rigging and decals for Railway Air Services from Arctic Decals. I may not remember the 1980s build very well but I can confidently say I didn't do any rigging or use any aftermarket!

 

cheers

Julian

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1 minute ago, zebra said:

I'm going to build a Heller 1/72 Dragon Rapide. This is just a placeholder for now - I won't get to this until my builds in the Lancaster STGB and In The Navy GB are done. 

 

I built one of these some time in the mid-80s. I don't really remember the build, it's buying the kit that I really remember: My Mum was a French teacher and very keen that we go to France on holiday and practice our French. So on a trip to Normandy some time in the 80s (might have been 1985) when I wanted to try and find this kit, instead of browsing the shelves of French model shops I had to go to the counter and ask if they had it, in French. Despite my probably terrible pronunciation I did actually manage to buy one!

 

This will be in the Tasman boxing - currently available and reasonably priced - with SBS photo-etched rigging and decals for Railway Air Services from Arctic Decals. I may not remember the 1980s build very well but I can confidently say I didn't do any rigging or use any aftermarket!

 

cheers

Julian

Cool story julian, then this build needs french cliche paraphernalia dotted about subtley in your build shots. A string of onions, wine, cheese, a beret, ...etc 😁

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It's a lovely kit. It's probably telling that I still think of it as "fairly recent..."

My late father had his first flight in an ATA Dominie from Grangemouth airfield when he was in the ATC in the early 1940s.

John 

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  • 2 months later...

Time to get on with this. First the box shot:

 

1/72 Dragon Rapide

 

The Arctic decals look really, really nice - looking forward to using them. I've made a start - interior parts have been painted - but not photographed it yet. This is going to be a pretty straightforward out of the box build, apart from the PE rigging, so should make some pretty quick progress.

 

more tomorrow

Julian

 

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3 hours ago, zebra said:

This is going to be a pretty straightforward out of the box build, apart from the PE rigging, so should make some pretty quick progress.

 

Julian

 

Oh boy, how many times have i said that  ! 😢

Good luck with the build 

cheers Pat 

 

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On 4/25/2020 at 4:51 PM, Jb65rams said:

Nice choice. I will be following this one with interest is this is my planned entry to the Classic Heller GB later this year.

Ditto from me. I could actually build the two I have this year one as a KUTA and one in the Heller GB

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Fantastic kit of an evocative aircraft.

I bought the first Heller example that I saw but sadly I was past being a kid by then - at least chronologically 😱

John 

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Fuselage and engine nacelles are assembled, moving on to the wings - I've filled the rather large holes that Heller provided for the rigging, once these are cleaned up I'll drill new holes for the PE rigging, then will get the wings together. Might even be able to start painting tomorrow.

 

Dragon Rapide WIP

 

cheers

Julian

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2 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

Looks lovely

Thanks Adrian, it's a lovely little kit. And a lovely looking aeroplane. Starting to change my mind about the cost of the Lukgraph 1/32 resin kit!

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