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On Heather's Workbench - a Luftwaffe Workhorse


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9 minutes ago, adey m said:

I can never be sure which is port and starboard, L and R usually works for me

Left and port are the same length, that’s how I remember it. Like lefty loosey, righty tighty which is how I remember threads ( I am an engineer so this is one that should be intuitive, but isn’t) thankfully I don’t need to resort to hay foot straw foot !

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Another bout of thanks from me too, for the window sanding tutorial. Mine are now appropriately flush as well.

 

RE the radiator cowl fit on the power eggs. I had the same grump too, until I looked at some pics on t'web. It looks like the german panelbeaters actually made a pretty shonky job of it and Airfix are merely copying them - there is quite a pronounced step to be seen!

8135c1c355fb7598ae2735e5deff548c.jpg

(If I've booboo'd by hotlinking, please delete/modify as appropriate. Linked to from Pinterest, so its social media and therefore fair game in my book!)

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, adey m said:

 

that would be me knackered then, I can never be sure which is port and starboard, L and R usually works for me


I always try to use P & S because it works whichever way round or up the model is. 

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This morning's progress.

 

50843837508_83af75847c_b.jpg

 

Well, actually, yesterday. The rudder went on yesterday. There’s a neat two-piece actuator quadrant to go on, but if I am to apply the swastika tail marking it will be in the way. My mental image of the Heinkel tail has a much larger fin and rudder. I don’t know why.

 

50843837658_be2f48e894_b.jpg

 

The tail wheel is in, and daubed with paint. I really think this model is going to end up painted with hairy stick, and I’m currently pondering the best way forward. My goal is for the undersides to be flat black, painted hurriedly over the RLM 65. On top, the standard splinter camouflage will be applied. Some examples of aircraft had the fin painted black, painting over the swastika marking. It seems obvious the black was painted in the field for night operations, and may have been painted with mops or yard brooms as quickly as possible.

 

50844569931_b455a3db39_b.jpg

 

He111s had a bit of reputation for a weakness of the knees. My references have many photos of aircraft that have ended up on their bellies or ground looped due to the collapse of one or both main landing gears. The Airfix gear is formed of three parts, and once assembled is a little wobbly but I reckon it’ll be strong enough to hold the weight of the model.

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50845091917_35c3ec6bf4_b.jpg

 

The next stage really needs me to tackle the glazing. I’m afraid all that masking is being filed under CBA* until I feel I can face it. Still, she's got wings and tail, and up on her pins. 
 

Like the size of the fin, I had this mental impression of the He111 being a huge plane. It was considered the biggest of the Luftwaffe's bomber fleet, after all. Now we have the measure of the beast, it’s not that big at all. It’s comparable in size to its stablemates, the Do17 and Ju88. The redoubtable Ju52 dwarfs them all by comparison! Auntie is, aside from the Fw200 Condor, the biggest Luftwaffe plane in my collection.

 

 

 

 

* Can't Be A***d.

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Wow! This is - er - flying together.

 

BTW maybe the radiator openings were adjustable, hence the step? It's been a long time since I did mine (Old Airfix of course), I've forgotten whether that's the case or not.

 

[edit] Just had a thumb through the comprehensive Kagero monograph on the He111 - no mention of radiator adjustability so there goes that theory.

 

[edit again] It may not be big in length or span, but when it gets its dark green (and black) it does have a brooding presence that makes it look huge.

 

Regards,

Adrian

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The step should be there as the radiators were indeed adjustable. An excerpt from the He 111H-16 (1943) Handbook: "Zur Temperaturregelung ist der Kühlstoffkühler (Wasserkühler) mittels Drucköl nach unten aus- und einfahrbar." which translates into:"For temperature control, the coolant radiator (water cooler) can be extended and retracted downwards using pressurized oil."

 

More comprehensive excerpt in German can be found here: https://www.bredow-web.de/Sinsheim-Speyer/Heinkel_He_111/Heinkel_He_111_H-16/heinkel_he_111_h-16.html

 

Cheers

Markus

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5 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

I had this mental impression of the He111 being a huge plane. It was considered the biggest of the Luftwaffe's bomber fleet, after all. Now we have the measure of the beast, it’s not that big at all.

Well that was one of the flaws in Nazi strategy medium bombers could be built quicker and more cheaply than heavy bombers and were successful tactically  in the early stages of the war.  Later in the day the Luftwaffe needed to have had heavy bombers in quantity as a strategic  weapon and of course they weren’t there.
 

The Grief and the Amerika bombers were disastrous attempts to address this but too little too late. Well the Grief was started early enough but proved too technically complex to get right in the time available.

 

The 111 is coming along very well, interested to see how the paintwork turns out.

Edited by Marklo
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Lovely build you have going on. I really do need to build mine, it’s been in the stash too long. Great heads up on the windows, thanks.

btw hope you don’t mind me asking but where do you get your iwata spares from ? I could do with a new needle.

 

Hope you get some mojo for the canopy. I’ll tag along if that’s ok.

 

 

Johnny.

 

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8 hours ago, The Spadgent said:

hope you don’t mind me asking but where do you get your iwata spares from ? I could do with a new needle.


Of course I don’t mind. I tend not to plug particular companies, because you can get spares from all over the place, but Graphic Air Solutions has become my go-to for things squirty these days. Perhaps not the cheapest, but they have pretty much everything in one place.

 

https://www.graphicair.co.uk/

 

:like:

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On 1/16/2021 at 8:15 PM, adey m said:

 

that would be me knackered then, I can never be sure which is port and starboard, L and R usually works for me

 

I'm been known to get L & R wrong so use the part number 🤔 For something like this I would mark the parts with matching symbols.

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36 minutes ago, Heather Kay said:


Of course I don’t mind. I tend not to plug particular companies, because you can get spares from all over the place, but Graphic Air Solutions has become my go-to for things squirty these days. Perhaps not the cheapest, but they have pretty much everything in one place.

 

https://www.graphicair.co.uk/

 

:like:

That's great thanks. They have a very comprehensive range. Expensive shipping mind. but I have been looking for spares for ages.    You're a star. :D

 

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7 minutes ago, The Spadgent said:

Expensive shipping mind.


There is that. Other places may be cheaper on that score.
 

I’m lucky I can claim such purchases against my tax - the airbrush stuff is a tool, after all, and I laughingly say I’m a professional model maker. :laugh:

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19 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

Like the size of the fin, I had this mental impression of the He111 being a huge plane. It was considered the biggest of the Luftwaffe's bomber fleet, after all.

Don’t forget the He 177 was operational and, technically, it was a 4-engined aircraft even though it only had 2 propellers.

 

He-177-engine-run.jpg?w=800&ssl=1


The Me 264 also flew

 

Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1995-042-37,_Schwe

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15 minutes ago, VMA131Marine said:

Don’t forget


Quite correct. However, don’t forget my rather monomaniacal interest in 1940. Stuff that happened after 1940 doesn’t really exist in my world. :laugh: :wink:

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Just now, AdrianMF said:

He-177 first flight was 9 November 1939. Just sayin'.... 

 

:whistle:

Adrian


Halifax, Mosquito… I’ve made a policy decision to only collect planes that were actually in service during 1940. Perhaps, in time, I might begin to think about adding all the multifarious prototypes and new developments, but I must remain firm to my original scheme or I shall go even more insane!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hoo boy! Where does the time go?

 

For a change, I’ve been really busy in the day job. This is a Good Thing, because it means my mojo is returning and I can begin to feel good about my life again. The Heinkel has been sitting in the cabinet, looking a little forlorn without its glazed hooter. Is it time to tackle the glazing?

 

50918154277_6dd0efab6e_b.jpg

 

Hmm. Perhaps not. :frantic:
 

Actually, if you can remember earlier in the thread, someone suggested using the vinyl masks as templates to cut out tape. That is my plan. There’s no time like the present. Or not. It really doesn’t appeal right now. I guess this will have to stay on the naughty shelf a bit longer.

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