Killingholme Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Hi all, I hesitated when posting this because a camera malfunction resulted in all my 'out of box' and basic assembly photos going astray. Anyway, here's a Norwegian Heinkel HE-115. The Norwegian government purchased six He 115Ns on 28 August 1939 , and ordered another six He 115Ns in December 1939, with delivery estimated to March/April 1940. The delivery of this second order was however pre-empted by the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940. During the Norwegian campaign another two HE-115s were captured by the Norwegians and added to stock. On capitulation four HE-115s made it to the UK whre the RAF famously used them for espionage duties in the Med. Another landed in neutral Finland but was interred and finally added to Finnish stocks. One further He-115 was lost over the N Sea trying to reach the UK. This is the matchbox kit. It is very nice, and overdone control surfaces and raised panel lines aside- could well be due a re-release by Revell. These kits are beginning to fetch quite good money on internet auction sites, so I hope a re-release is imminent! Everything is OOB, excepting some basic interior using plastic strip etc. Next up, the top coat of RLM 02. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Very nice to a Norwegian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vingtor Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Colours on the Norwegian 115s have been discussed widely. No documentation has survived. RLM 02 has been suggested, but has also been disputed. Unfortunately only b/w photos exist, and these show a rather light grey(ish) colour. Nils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deacon Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Great start Will. Deacon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killingholme Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 Colours on the Norwegian 115s have been discussed widely. No documentation has survived. RLM 02 has been suggested, but has also been disputed. Unfortunately only b/w photos exist, and these show a rather light grey(ish) colour.Nils Nils, In that case, nobody can prove me wrong whatever I chose... I have given a first shot at 'preshading', using Humbrol 31, supposedly a good match for RLM 02. I think it is too dark for my personal interpretation of photographs. I think, interpreting photos, and assuming that Heinkel used RLM colours to paint their Norwegian export aircaft at all, a colour like RLM 65, 76 or maybe even 77 might be better match to the tone of the photos? After my experiment I am leaning towards Hu #196, which closely represents RLM 77. Anyway, here she is pre-shaded. I will spray the exterior colour before I add the canpopy to ensure it is the same colour inside and out! Then a final coat. Apologies for the crummy pre-shading. I treated myself to an airbrush and I'm still getting used to it! And then a silly mistake. I was just ordering a Vector Resin engine for another project (from Neomega's website), and I 'somehow' purchased two BMW 132 engines too. Silly me.... (Seriously though, I have used Vector engines before and I can vouch that the detail on them is amazing. I think I will have to cut at least engine cowl back to show them off a bit. Does anyone know how Heinkel HE115 cowls opened?) Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Very nice so far . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vingtor Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 The model is looking great so far. I have a couple of the Matchbox kits stored away to be built some time in the future. Some years ago, at SMW, I discovered an etched metal detail set for the He 115. I don't know who made it. I didn't buy it, silly me, and I have never seen it since. It appears from photos that the first aircraft delivered to Norway ("50") was painted metallic grey, while the rest were mere grey. Nils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I can see that I've got to practice my freehand spraying of fine, straight lines Great job with yours Will Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killingholme Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 (edited) Grey on. Used Humbrol 129 which I had 'in stock.' Not sure if it is slightly too dark, but when the sunlight hits it, it does look OK, so I think I will leave it. I deliberately obscured most of the (admittedly experimental) preshading, because the final look just looked too worn for what seem to be pretty well maintained aircraft in the photos. Floats are still white because 1) I used them as a handle whilst painting the fuselage, and 2) I ran out of paint before I could finish them.... And then the postwoman delivered a little treat... Now to work out how to build open engine cowlings.. cheers, Will Edited January 24, 2011 by Killingholme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawk Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 (edited) I've just come across this picture, which seems to depict Norwegian He 115 "52" with a camouflage finish on the upper surfaces. http://www.helensburgh-heritage.co.uk/inde...&Itemid=462 Edited to spare posterity misleading information: thanks to Dave Fleming. Edited February 7, 2011 by Seahawk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 (edited) I've just come across this picture, which seems to depict Norwegian He 115 "52" with a camouflage finish on the upper surfaces. According to the Air Britain serial files this is not one of the 4 Norwegian aircraft to escape to the UK.http://www.helensburgh-heritage.co.uk/inde...&Itemid=462 'War Prizes' gives '52' as being 'BV186' and credits that photo as being taken at the MAEE. See also: http://www.luftwaffe.no/SIG/Artikler/115.html I think the AB serials are from earlier research. Edited February 7, 2011 by Dave Fleming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Little googling, which I hadn't done on these for a while, turned up this: http://www.theinvergordonarchive.org/picture/number1423.asp I did think those looked like RAF Uniforms! The name of the F/O is interesting to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawk Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I think the AB serials are from earlier research. Or just a typo/transcription error. Looks as if A-B's "62" was in fact 52. Otherwise A-B idents tally with the Norwegian article. Another book with useful info on these aircraft is David Oliver's "Airborne Espionage" (Sutton, 2005). There are discrepancies with the Norwegian article and War Prizes as to how and when BV185 was lost and when BV187 came out to replace her. Given the greater detail in Oliver, I incline towards giving greater credance to him. No new pictures though (though, off topic, there's a nice pic of Z Flight's Late 298 in RAF markings in Malta harbour). Text says aircraft were in RAF camouflage with black undersides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Or just a typo/transcription error. Looks as if A-B's "62" was in fact 52. Otherwise A-B idents tally with the Norwegian article.Another book with useful info on these aircraft is David Oliver's "Airborne Espionage" (Sutton, 2005). There are discrepancies with the Norwegian article and War Prizes as to how and when BV185 was lost and when BV187 came out to replace her. Given the greater detail in Oliver, I incline towards giving greater credance to him. No new pictures though (though, off topic, there's a nice pic of Z Flight's Late 298 in RAF markings in Malta harbour). Text says aircraft were in RAF camouflage with black undersides. Must have a look for that one - I have a pic of the Late from an old SAM, but it is quite small and a bit blurry. But then, as Iverach points out in his book covering He115 operations, photography was officially banned in Malta!! One of the reasosn the Iverach book was considered inaccurate by Norwegian researchers was that he talks about clandestine operations to Norway, which they are sure never happened. Also, he talks about the destruction of three He115s in the Uk, when most other sources talk about two in the Med. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I've just come across this picture, which seems to depict Norwegian He 115 "52" with a camouflage finish on the upper surfaces. http://www.helensburgh-heritage.co.uk/inde...&Itemid=462 Edited to spare posterity misleading information: thanks to Dave Fleming. There's an interesting little aside about a captured Ar196 further down that article. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 (edited) There's an interesting little aside about a captured Ar196 further down that article.John Want to see a picture? From War Prizes, The Album Edited February 7, 2011 by Dave Fleming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Want to see a picture? From War Prizes, The Album Very nice! Must get a copy of that book. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vingtor Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 One of the He 115s were definitely scrapped at Woodhaven, Scotland. There exist several photos of this. Re the Arado, it probably looked like this: From an article on this aircraft in the Norwegian magazine Flyhistorie. Nils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killingholme Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 Cheers guys! I feel a lot more confident adding camo to my build now. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caughtinthemiddle Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Some years ago, at SMW, I discovered an etched metal detail set for the He 115. I don't know who made it. I didn't buy it, silly me, and I have never seen it since. For Nils and other interested in detailing the 1/72 He 115 - the photo etched set is produced by Extratech from Czech Republic, set No. 72094. See also a build article here. Best, Maciej Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vingtor Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 For Nils and other interested in detailing the 1/72 He 115 - the photo etched set is produced by Extratech from Czech Republic, set No. 72094.See also a build article here. Thanks !! Nils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matave Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Does anyone know how Heinkel HE115 cowls opened?Will This picture of a Swedish He 115 is quite revealing. Note the service hatches in the wings... More pics on: Avrosys Heinkel He 115 (T 2) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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