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Bataille de France Leo 451


AntoineG

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I’d even consider staggering the cut between the two fuselage halves, that way you have a little overhang and support between the pieces. I resorted to this technique when I modified a Frog Gloster Whittle, where the wings are woefully too short in comparison to the over scaled fuselage. It’s messy, however a good session of sanding does the trick. 

Cheers.. Dave 

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Hi Antoine @AntoineG!
 

Have yet got those fuselage parts together yet? Before I venture down that particular path myself it would be good to hear any issues you had. If I’m brave enough I could take a saw to stryrene tomorrow :)
 

Thanks, Martin

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Hi,

 

Thank you gents for your comments and your advises.

The patient is just out of the theatre. It still needs some recovery though.

The procedure went as planned. The fuselage assembled without glue and maintained by some tape. It was then cut where the model profile stops following the drawing.

All four parts were split up.

For the reconstruction, I started with the right side as it can lay flat on the mat. A 6mm insert made of stacked styrene sheets was glued to elongate the fuselage half. Just be careful that the back of the fuselage remains straight. No problem so far.

I continued with the left side by gluing the insert on the front part of the half-fuselage.

 

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Once dry, it was taped back on the right side. This allows to position the L/H aft part in the right position with regards to the L/H front fuselage and the R/H assembly. One has to be careful that the glue doesn't glue each side, only the aft part to the front.

 

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The end result looks good and the tail assembly is now at the right position.

 

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@RidgeRunner, hope this help .

 

Cheers,

 

Antoine

 

 

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Quite extreme Antoine, however the end result matches those plans very well. Now the fun part, spending a good hour or two sanding that all back to blend in with the rest of the fuselage. I quite like doing this type of surgery every now and again, very rewarding once finished. 

Cheers.. Dave 

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Nice work, Antoine. I’m interested to see your solution for restoring the panel lining :). I am weighing up the cutting & restoring versus accepting the 6mm shortfall and refining the raised lines  options ...... a lot of head scratching ...... :(

 

Martin

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello,

 

There hasn't been much progress on this LeO lately. Mostly due to my 'free' time being exclusively dedicated to baby duty.

Anyway, the surgery is over and the plaster in place. All that remains is a final sanding session.

 

As Dave ( @Rabbit Leader ) mentioned, I spent a good hour sanding the spacer  to a more compliant profile.

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The challenge then was 1) to restore the nice clean shape of the fuselage, 2) to finish that elongation in a way that it will not be visible in the end.

So regular filler was out of question: there is a good chance that the difference of material could be seen once the engraving is completed.

Superglue? why not. But used pure, it is kind of brittle. I've seen that flour can be added to have a better behaviour. I haven't try that yet but used the idea instead.

 

During the sanding session, I took care to keep the plastic dust. To use it as filler, I mixed it progressively with regular model glue. You get then a nice paste that can be applied where needed, that is quite strong and that, hopefully, will not leave a visible border once sanded over.

 

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As Graham @Graham Boak recommended, the inside has been strengthed too

 

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Cheers,

 

 

Antoine

 

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Have you checked if the tail really have to go 6 mm to the rear? Because at least some of that distance is a difference in very end of fuselage, behind the tail. 

138234-27143b9719543a9918e3fb2227853a85.

 

The Heller kit has the end of fuselage in shape of prototype on above drawing rather then the productio 451... I have not check it, still I did not scaled drawings to 1/72 yet...

Regards

J-W

 

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Hello chaps,

 

I hadn’t imagined creating such a heated debate around the length of Heller’s LeO451.

The first thing I’d like to say it that, the length being correct or not, Heller’s model does represent the lovely shape of this elegant aircraft very well. One can obtain a very good replica with no modification.

The second thing is that the surgery I made is based on my interpretation of the drawings I was able to compile. It might be accurate… or not…

As already mentioned in a previous post, the total length of the LeO451 along its flight line is 17.17m. In 1/72 scale, it is 238 mm.

The reference drawings I’m using are coming from Jean-Michel Meunier book. When scaled up to 1/72 realm, the length corresponds (23.8mm).

So, compared to that reference, Heller’s kit is short of 6mm-ish.

When the elongated fuselage is measured, you get: 221 + 16 = 227 mm (damned, still 1 mm short).

 

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With regards to the position of the tail compared to the aft extremity of the fuselage, comparison with the drawings tends to show it is correct with and without the 6mm.

 

For the tail cone itself, the comments from Martin @RidgeRunner and J-W @JWM were very useful. There is indeed a difference between the prototype cone and the one for production aircraft. I havn't noticed it earlier, so thank you guys.

 

Prototype:

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Production:

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Heller is neither: too long for the prototype, too wide for the production.

So the correction looks hear quite simple and a quick sanding session once the fuselage is assembled should be enough to get an accurate result.

 

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Also, there is a kind of antenna at the very aft of the aircraft. Might be for a position light ?

Anyway, is that the missing millimetre? If it is, I am VERY lucky!

 

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On last word to Martin and J-W, whatever you do with regards to the length, I’m sure that the end results will be awesome and I definitely like to read your post as we progress.

 

Enjoy your built,

 

Antoine

 

 

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Antoine, that is very interesting, I am almost convinced to extend fuselage as well. Still I have kind of feeling, that some of this 6 mm should be before tail and some in the cone....To be sure I have to scale  up my drawings to 1/72 and compare them... Nevertheless - I am surprised that this is the only one dimension  problem pf LEO 45... The model fit the drawing almost perfectly in your previous post.

BTW - I have met two concepts of inside - blue-gray or tan/brown. What do you think on that?

Regards

Jerzy-Wojtek

 

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1 hour ago, AntoineG said:

On last word to Martin and J-W, whatever you do with regards to the length, I’m sure that the end results will be awesome and I definitely like to read your post as we progress.

Thanks Antoine. Like you, I never meant to open a can of worms. :( The kit has more dimensional errors but, as you say, will build in to a great model whatever is done to it. For me I am accepting the small errors apart from the incorrect panel lines, which I will draw and scribe to give a fair representation of the aircraft. That’ll work for me :). Good luck with yours as well as Jerzy @JWM
 

I am beginning think that I am copping out by using the 3D printed undercarriage. I might try the kit parts first :). I couldn’t call myself a modeller if didn’t try, at least! 
 

Martin

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Hi Antoine and Martin,

I think that what we do is exactly one of the purpose of group build - we are exchanging information what problems are related to particular model and how we think they could be solved. What each of us do with it finally is his choice, and his fun... :). I am sure that we are all the time within those borders. 

 

Have a happy modelling together! 

Regards

Jerzy-Wojtek

 

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Hi,

 

20 hours ago, JWM said:

To be sure I have to scale  up my drawings to 1/72 and compare them

Sure! I would be interested in your conclusion.

 

20 hours ago, JWM said:

I am surprised that this is the only one dimension  problem

Don,t worry, there are several others that I have spotted, and probably many more (I haven't spotted the tail cone issue before you highlighted it) !

More of it when I start rescribing the wings.

 

20 hours ago, JWM said:

I have met two concepts of inside - blue-gray or tan/brown.

For the fuselage interior: dark blue-gray. I generally use Gunze H55 Midnight Blue, highlighted by a light grey dry-brushing.

For the wheel bays and engine cowling: same color as lower surface.

 

13 hours ago, JWM said:

Hi Antoine and Martin,

I think that what we do is exactly one of the purpose of group build - we are exchanging information what problems are related to particular model and how we think they could be solved. What each of us do with it finally is his choice, and his fun... :). I am sure that we are all the time within those borders. 

 

Have a happy modelling together! 

Regards

Jerzy-Wojtek

 

Agreed.

Happy modelling to you too!

 

Cheers,

 

Antoine

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Antoine, today finally I scaled all seven different drawings of LEO 45/451 to 1/72. I must tell that you are perfectly right - the difference in length of fuselage is rather huge and not only in conic end of fuselage, the surgery you did was absolutely necessary and I will follow you ! :) I will show more on my build thread...

Regards

J-W

 

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  • 1 month later...

Hello,

 

It has been a long time since my last post but I have kept an eye on this GB during the long night when the little future modeler lady was not sleeping. I should say that looking of all those Heller builds reminds me of my early years of modeling some thirty years ago. So thank you all for those  great builds.

As mentionned, baby A kept me very busy, days and nights and during the very few available time, I had to choose between writing or modelling.... I went for the modelling :)

The Liore progresses (baby) step by (baby) step. So far, the fuselage and the two lower wings have been rescribed.

Sorry, no picture tonight. Hope I'll get some time soon to speed-up.

 

Enjoy,

 

Antoine

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  • 8 months later...

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