PK-401 Heinkel He115 - Finished!

[Terry1954]

18 minutes ago, Heather Kay said:

So, I’m now a bit cross, having wasted much of yesterday faffing about with an exquisite cockpit that doesn’t fit the model I’m building. Rather than consign it to the bin, though, I shall dismantle it all carefully, and use parts to upgrade the plastic as best I can. I may be some time.

 

That's is a very good reason to feel a bit cross! Perhaps you could retain them and one day get a Frog version, for a future Frog group build? Meanwhile use them as a sort of 3D plan and make the inside of this one from some scrap bits?

 

Trying to be positive! A situation like this would really frustrate me.

 

Terry

[Ventora3300]

That’s a bummer, Heather, but if you’ve not checked already, does the fuselage close around the PE tubs? The kit floor position may not be accurate? After all that work, I would be having a go at scoring/reaming out the fuselage! Hope you solve it.

[Heather Kay]

29 minutes ago, Terry1954 said:

Trying to be positive! A situation like this would really frustrate me.

Quite. However, I am now starting to scratch new bulkheads and floor which fit the fuselage profile, and I’ll hack the PE about to detail it. Well, that’s the plan.

 

26 minutes ago, Ventora3300 said:

does the fuselage close around the PE tubs?

This is the problem. It all looks okay, and sort of fits the fuselage when you get things aligned, but then it’s a couple of millimetres too wide so the fuselage halves don’t join. 
 

Still, I have a plan.

 

Incidentally, while it’s not an accurate check, it does appear the bombardier's station in the nose might fit without major surgery. That, of course, remains to be seen.

 

After lunch, back to the conundrum of how to fairly accurately discover the inner shape of the fuselage so bulkheads can be scratched out of styrene sheet, and which can allow me to create new floors that fit properly. Well, we call ourselves modellers, don’t we? 

[Graham Boak]

There is an available tool which is basically a series of parallel rods that can be slid out to fit any desired shape, then fixed in place so that the resulting curve can be drawn out to work from.  I say available, but I don't recall ever seeing one for sale.  I suspect asking specialist tool provides for help.  However, before trying that there is the old modeller's method (place the apostrophe where you will) of warming up a ball of plasticine and pressing it into the fuselage half. then taking it out carefully (after letting it cool?) and slicing a section from that..

[Franz75]

Nice build Heather Kay, I love float planes.  Can you tell me what kind of reference material you have been using? 

Edited January 9, 2022 by Franz75

[PeterB]

Hi,

 

The tool in question is sometimes called a profile gauge or contour gauge and I bought one years ago from my local hardware store. I saw quite a few of them on Amazon a couple of years back but a lot are now made of plastic and perhaps less durable. They are pretty cheap (eg a metal one for £7.99) and I use mine quite a bit for detailing cockpits etc. Ones with lots of fine pins give a better profile than those with fewer and thicker pins I would imagine. This is mine - its about 4.5 inches long.

 

I have come across this problem with "Revell" kits in the past. I have seen cases where I believe both Revell and Frog mouldings, perhaps of the He 219, were labelled Revell and I think I also saw a case where Revell or possibly Frog kits were boxed as Matchbox at one point. It is clearly frustrating but I am sure that with your past form your will be able to fettle it Heather.

 

Pete

 

 

Edited January 9, 2022 by PeterB

[GREG DESTEC]

That's a pity, especially as the PE looks really good.

 

Is there any way you could widen the fuselage with spacers along the join between the two halves to "fatten" it up enough to allow the PE parts to fit without disassembly? 

 

Just a suggestion, hope you can save all that nice detail work.

 

Cheers Greg

[Heather Kay]

34 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

However, before trying that there is the old modeller's method (place the apostrophe where you will) of warming up a ball of plasticine and pressing it into the fuselage half. then taking it out carefully (after letting it cool?) and slicing a section from that..

Ooh, not heard of the plasticine method before. I don’t have a profile gauge - I guess I ought to acquire one - so I’m working on a DIY method. More later.

 

15 minutes ago, Franz75 said:

Nice build Heather Kay, I love float planes.  Can you tell me what kind of reference material you have been using? 

 

Hi Franz. I have a book, one of those collected works on various planes from all over the world. It has some good photos, but not of the He115. It does, though have a cutaway drawing, which I’ve not actually found all that useful yet. Other resources I found just by typing "Heinkel He115" with the quote marks into my favourite search engine. It came back with numerous period photos, some of which were useful closeups of the nose and cockpit areas.

 

11 minutes ago, PeterB said:

I have come across this problem with "Revell" kits in the past.

I dimly recall a similar issue with someone in the last Frog classic GB building a version. Perhaps the Bren PE doesn’t fit either!   This is the actual Matchbox mould, as it says Matchbox inside the fuselage. The demon Revell mould-mangler missed that bit of branding. 

 

5 minutes ago, GREG DESTEC said:

Is there any way you could widen the fuselage with spacers along the join between the two halves to "fatten" it up enough to allow the PE parts to fit without disassembly? 

That’s not a bad suggestion, Greg. However, it would probably open a whole other can of worms down the line - not least fitting the transparencies. I honestly can’t tell if the Matchbox kit is too narrow or just right, so I’m just going to go with it. I’m hacking up the PE as greeblie fodder. I’ll make something out of this kit in the end.

[JWM]

Hi,

What a pity with this nice inside... You may try to make  the walls of model thinner, just using a sanding paper wrapped around the rod or using rounded knife in perpendicular to surface moves. 

BTW - the Revell boxed both Matchbox and Frog He 115, I have build one which was former Frog 

I keep my fingers crossed for you!

Regards

 

[Heather Kay]

12 minutes ago, JWM said:

You may try to make  the walls of model thinner

That was an idea that crossed my mind, Jerzy. I’m not sure there’s enough material that can be removed to give sufficient space inside, though.  I’ve settled on chopping things up and gluing them into the fuselage as the most expedient way forward. You’ll see later, if I can get bulkheads sorted out. 

[Heather Kay]

I may be making progress.

 

 

Using a piece of cored electrical solder (lead wire would work, too) I carefully pushed it into shape inside the fuselage where I wanted the bulkheads to go. I transferred the shape to a bit of paper. This is a wrinkle @AdrianMF has used, and I’ve had recourse to it a couple of times. Transferring the shape from the solder can be a bit hit-and-miss, so a couple of goes were needed. The template was transferred in turn to some styrene sheet, and then fettled to be a decent fit in the fuselage.

 

 

Here are the final bulkheads in place. I’ve added a small triangular brace for support while the cement sets. You can also see how I’ve fitted the PE cockpit sides directly to the plastic parts, and the piece below everything was the original PE floor. It’s been trimmed down from the trapezoidal shape, and will rest on ledges glued to the bulkheads. I may reinforce the floor with a strip underneath it stop it bending. What were originally the PE bulkheads will be glued to their plastic replacements. Whether they will show remains to be seen. 
 

Progress, I think. Now to attempt the same trick for the front end.

[Heather Kay]

 

I reckon that’ll do. It’s the best it’s going to get, anyway! 
 

The radio and switchgear boxes on the port side are folded from flat PE. Inevitably that leaves very thin edges to glue. After failing to fold them neatly, I cut the faceplates out and stuck them into styrene sheet. Much easier, and more area for glue to grab.

 

Time to attach the front 'pit.

[Heather Kay]

 

After much butchery, I think this might just work. This is a blutack-aided dry fit of the seat and associated bulkhead to check for alignment. The seat needs to sit a little higher, but I’m happy now it will fit between the sides. That means I can do some styrene bodgery around and underneath it to provide support. 
 

It remains to be seen if the bombardier's station will fit unbutchered. As I need to get on with paying work, that adventure may have to wait a while.

 

 

[GREG DESTEC]

Well done Heather,

 

That looks like a good fix👍

 

Cheers Greg

[AdrianMF]

Nice work. Shame about the PE, although it looks like you will get the benefit of most of it - the seat looks very smart! And I’m glad that “my” solder trick is working for you.
 

Somewhere in deep stash I have a bagged FROG one with Revell instructions and no decals, bought cheap at a model show. If the Matchbox one frustrates you, take comfort in the fact that the FROG kit looks to be as rough as a hedgehog’s bottom!

 

Regards,

Adrian

[TonyW]

The etch additions are really making a big difference to the kit.

 

A bit late in the day to suggest this, as you seem to have overcome the cockpit fit issues, but would adding a strip of plastic to the fuselage mating surface have made the fuselage wide enough to accommodate the Etch? I suppose the issue then may well be the fit of the glazing. You can't win sometimes.

The thought has just crossed my mind that the Falcon set might have glazing for the 'wrong' 115. I really hope not.

[Heather Kay]

10 minutes ago, TonyW said:

The thought has just crossed my mind that the Falcon set might have glazing for the 'wrong' 115. I really hope not.

Ha, yes! I did check, and it does mention the Matchbox kit. Hopefully, all will be well. 

[Marcel]

Good job Heather.

The problem is that the Hauler/Brengun (ex-Extratech) PE set was designed for a different model, i.e. the original Revell (ex-Frog) Heinkel.

[Franz75]

Another trap is a small navigator canopy in front of the pilot's windscreen. It is very hard to fit it in properly. 

 

[Heather Kay]

15 minutes ago, Franz75 said:

It is very hard to fit it in properly

Noted, thank you. 
 

I fully expect the transparencies to be a bit of a chore, so a heads up in that direction is very welcome. Thanks!

[Rabbit Leader]

Apologies for the late GB host feedback Heather, however it's great that many others have chipped in to offer words of encouragement and support. I see you've been very busy getting to this stage so far, however your recovery efforts are brilliant and we can all learn by your dogged determination and perseverance. I have no doubt, this will be another superb addition to your 1940 collection. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

[Heather Kay]

Thanks Dave! Being a GB host is a thankless task.

 

I was surprised at how fast I got on, frankly. Forcing myself to slacken the pace will be a worthwhile job. I don’t need to rush at it, and time spent trying to get things right, or at least better, will be rewarded.

[Heather Kay]

Well, the Falcon Clear-vax set arrived. 
 

Guess what?

 

S'right. Don’t fit. 
 

I checked the Hannants entry for the set (No 42, Luftwaffe WWII, part 7) and it definitely says "Heinkel He-115C-1 (designed to be used with Matchbox and Revell kits)". The Falcon instructions, however, simply say "Suggested kit: Revell He 115C." It’s not clear, from that, which Revell kit they mean. 
 

The main canopy is shorter than the injection-moulded one. The nose sections won’t fit the kit without some serious styrene surgery. I reckon the Falcon set is meant for the Frog kit, not the Matchbox one. The masking set won’t fit the vac set, either, obviously. I think I shall be on to the Big H to return the set on Monday - and ask them to clarify the database entry they have. The kit canopy is really rubbish, and although I could adapt the cockpit section of the Clear-vax set to fit, the rest will look bobbins in comparison. Apart from the Kora beaching trolley kit, it seems all the the rest of the aftermarket stuff you can get is for the other He115 kit. 

 

So, now I am annoyed, and seriously feeling like tipping the entire kit into the bin, via the Shelf of Doom.

 

If anyone wants me, I shall be over there, probably working on a kit that mostly fits together.  

[GREG DESTEC]

Sorry to hear that Heather 😟

 

I would park it for now as you have done some good work on your Heinkle which would be a shame going to waste. 

 

Is there no way you can live with the kit canopy? Or is there some way of making your own using the kit one as a mould perhaps? 

 

Cheers Greg

[Heather Kay]

27 minutes ago, GREG DESTEC said:

Is there no way you can live with the kit canopy?

I’m considering my options. The worst part is the front cockpit area. It’s a sliding hood, like a fighter, but has been moulded as if it’s all the same as the rear section. One option would be to hack the front off and sub the vac hood and windscreen - but that would only show up the poor rear section. I don’t have the technology (or skill) to attempt creating a new part from the kit parts, sadly. 
 

The vac parts won’t fit the fuselage properly. They’re too short. That could be overcome by slicing off the hood and posing it open, and slicing off the rear canopy and posing it likewise. That leaves the nose - and I’m pretty sure the vac parts won’t fit the kit at all, which again will show up the differences horribly.

 

I think I may be able to tidy some blemishes on the kit cockpit hood, in which case I can press on and just use what’s in the box. That also means I’m not going to cut the vac sheet and it can be returned for refund or put up for sale on BM. I think, sadly, this is the course I shall be taking. It’ll be disappointing that the transparencies will let the model down, but it won’t be the first time that’s happened to my collection, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

 

I am going to let the ideas fester for a while. I might get on with finishing the cockpit upgrades, and look to improving the engines.