L095 (Another) Les Mureaux 117

[Heather Kay]

Knowing I am bound to get stuck with Auntie at some point, I’m throwing another Mureaux into the ring.

 

 

I won’t go into detail, as other builders have already shown what’s in the box. Speaking of which...

 

 

… this one converts into a tray. This is a fairly recent boxing of this kit, with even the transfers still protected by their paper cover, but it’s been on my shelf for a while now. What better excuse needed than a classic GB to build it?
 

Somewhere I found some reference material to improve things. I’ll see if I’m up for some serious reworking later.

[Wez]

Heather Kay,

 

Such a typically French subject and typical Heller from the late 1960's I believe (1967 I just checked), very pleased to see this one too.

 

Good luck and welcome!

[Rabbit Leader]

Nice to see another one of these aircraft that if it wasn’t for Heller I would know nothing about. I do quite like these new kit boxes with very usable decals, this looks like another kit that appears very buildable straight outta box. 
Cheers and best of luck.. Dave

[JWM]

Heather, just to be fair let me share with you the same comment like in another thread on Mureaux 117:

"Be careful with some incorrect shapes of this kit - the most important is all wrong construction of undercarriage struts.  The fin leading edge is too stepy (a bit longer chord at base is desired), some modification of cooler shapes is required. 

Here are nice drawings and photos of inside  https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php?topic=61658.12. "

Regards

J-W

[dogsbody]

36 minutes ago, JWM said:

Heather, just to be fair let me share with you the same comment like in another thread on Mureaux 117:

"Be careful with some incorrect shapes of this kit - the most important is all wrong construction of undercarriage struts.  The fin leading edge is too stepy (a bit longer chord at base is desired), some modification of cooler shapes is required. 

Here are nice drawings and photos of inside  https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php?topic=61658.12. "

Regards

J-W

 

A working link: https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php?topic=61658.12.

 

 

 

Chris

[Heather Kay]

1 hour ago, JWM said:

Here are nice drawings and photos of inside  https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php?topic=61658.12. "

Thanks for this. I was aware of certain, shall we say, inadequacies of the kit. I’ll look at the drawings and decide if major mods are worth my time. 
 

I generally like to do an accurate build if I can manage it. The coward's way out is to build the 117 as it comes - hardly anyone will know better. I will make a decision in due time, perhaps even withdraw the build from the GB so I can give it much more love another time.
 

[JWM]

The problems are not THAT big... The only obvious think is with u/c - in kit the struts which are suspension arms meet together on the top of oleo and should on the bottom, so this is maybe 5mm difference...

Here is model done OOB

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/bhFRNCCoB1rb53Du8koL3Un4_vzBpSuBuCVUvAkPibhUQbG9USP3q-42sds2vkqnevAqmP_Os9V1K17MJW1IOEmAbHk

and here corrected

https://www.arcauctions.com/Fea1/201-300/Fea249-Mureaux-Rensch/Mureaux_01b.jpg

(both examples fast found by google graphics...)

Regards

J-W

[PeterB]

Hi Heather,

 

Should look good whether you mod it or not - I have always tjhought the thing about the "Classic" GB was that they were meant to be fun, and absolute accuracy is not that important. Heck, if we wanted to only build totally accurate kits, we would be hard pressed to find more than a small number as most if not all have their problems.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

[Heather Kay]

As I begin to think about starting this build, I’ve been reviewing as many pictures as I can find.
 

I see the issue with the undercarriage lower struts now, and I think that’s a fairly easy fix. It’s funny the box art shows the struts correctly. I’ve decided to use the kit markings for spring 1940, but build the plane with those glorious spats. It might not be 100 per cent authentic, but who will know, let alone be bothered by it.

[Heather Kay]

I’m afraid my mojo has bimbled off for a bit, and enthusiasm for this build is rather lacking presently.

 

 

So, I fossicked around the interwebs for a bit to see if any useful drawings might turn up. 
 

 

Then I gave the parts in the box a good squint to see what updates or modifications might be possible.
 

This particular copy of the kit, being only a few years old, is not one of Heller's finest. There’s a fair amount of flash and mould misregistration, some sinkholes, and some typical Heller idiosyncrasies that will have to be dealt with, but that’s modelling for you.
 

So far, I’ve glued the wing halves together, assembled the cockpit tub, and spent a few minutes thinning down the machine gun ring and mount so they don’t look quite so chunky. I’ve decided, although I suspect the kit markings won’t be correct, to fit the wheel spats, and to go with the dual 7.62mm MAC34 machine gun mount in the rear cockpit. I’ve also salvaged some PE bomb cradles which may be deployed below the wings. Sadly, I could only find three of the four I need, so I may end up scratching four new ones. I will also make a blanking plate to go behind the radiator intake grille. Happily, the cockpit area is relatively enclosed, so aside from masking tape belts I won’t bother with anything extra in there.

[TonyOD]

Looking good.

 

As well as nicking all your modelling techniques, I am also going to nick the verb "fossick".

[Heather Kay]

Good news! I found the missing bomb cradle. I now have the required foursome.

 

I didn’t manage to find the mojo, though. Perhaps this build will be little and often, rather than a full on blast.

[TonyW]

48 minutes ago, Heather Kay said:

Good news! I found the missing bomb cradle. I now have the required foursome.

 

I didn’t manage to find the mojo, though. Perhaps this build will be little and often, rather than a full on blast.

 

 

Sipped like a fine wine rather than Saturday night down the Bier Keller.

 

[JOCKNEY]

I'm confident you will sprinkle your modelling pixie dust on this one Heather with the normal outstanding result. 

Just do it when it feels right.

 

Best of luck

 

Cheers Pat

[Rabbit Leader]

What sort of pep up do you need Heather?? I’m sure we can all come to the fore here. In hindsight, you probably deserve a good modelling break, there’s still plenty of time left in this GB, so no need to rush anything just yet. I’m really starting to warm to these odd looking creatures and will hopefully add one to the stash whenever the opportunity arises. 
Cheers.. Dave 

[Heather Kay]

Thanks for the support, chaps! It’s nothing serious - this time. Mrs Mojo has taken a short sabbatical, and when she gets back I’ll be right back in the fray. As you say, there’s still plenty of time in this GB. 
 

Meanwhile, I continue to follow as many of the fantastic Heller builds as I can. Inspiration enough!

[John Masters]

On 9/25/2020 at 3:32 PM, Heather Kay said:

What better excuse needed than a classic GB to build it?
 

I agree.  A good way to take inventory.

 

On 10/1/2020 at 2:36 AM, PeterB said:

if we wanted to only build totally accurate kits, we would be hard pressed to find more than a small number as most if not all have their problems.

 

I agree!

 

11 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

Thanks for the support, chaps!

Maybe some railroading to get back to basics?

[Heather Kay]

29 minutes ago, John Masters said:

Maybe some railroading to get back to basics?

That would seem sensible, but it really isn't floating my boat at present. This is not a good thing, since I am supposedly earning my living by building the things. 

[JeroenS]

1 hour ago, Heather Kay said:

That would seem sensible, but it really isn't floating my boat at present. This is not a good thing, since I am supposedly earning my living by building the things. 

Those pesky day jobs 🙂 

[Heather Kay]

Well, it’s been a while, hasn’t it. The styrene mojo disappeared for a spell, my brain then decided to go on strike for better working conditions, and the day job did its best to annoy me.

 

The Mureaux has fallen prey to this time thief:

 

 

Cab details nearly done. This is a 1/43rd scale GWR 2-6-2T that’s been giving me grief almost the entire year. 
 

 

Custom PE "cast" number plates after painting and being buffed up. The commission build was meant to be a quick one. Then personal health issues, the pandemic and numerous other things conspired against me. 
 

 

Painting is complete, and I did the main tank side lettering transfers today. Some final cab details to sort out, then I shall reassemble the model and make sure it still runs. A mild dose of weathering will complete my part of the job. The tricky bit is then how to get it to my electronics expert up in the Midlands for the control and sound to be fitted, and then how to get it to my Dutch client. Either way, my bit should be completed before the dread "C" word hits us with a vengeance.

[JeroenS]

It's a thing of beauty though.... But yeah, if you have to, or should, work on something I suppose it can be a different story. I hope you'll be back with us soon! 

[Heather Kay]

The Mureaux isn’t far from the bench. The lure of styrene cement is strong!

[JeroenS]

16 minutes ago, Heather Kay said:

The Mureaux isn’t far from the bench. The lure of styrene cement is strong!

And it sticks pretty good too 🙂 

[Terry1954]

That GWR Tank is indeed a thing of beauty!

 

Terry

 

[Heather Kay]

19 minutes ago, Terry1954 said:

That GWR Tank is indeed a thing of beauty!

 

Thanks Terry. It’s not my best work, and the paintwork is actually very poor by most standards. It will do, though. The finished loco will be mildly weathered, so some of the worst will be masked by dirt and grime.