Revell He 111 P - FINISHED!!

[ScottsGT]

Well the chiropractors adjustments yesterday worked a small  miracle on my back.  Although I do feel like I’ve been worked over in a bar brawl, I did manage to make it back to the bench comfortably. 
 

I jumped on the convoluted instructions covering the build up of the cowls and wing center section.  My goodness, now I know where the Trumpeter B team came from.  They got fired from Revell of Germany.  Instructions show installing a bulkhead at the marked tabs in the instructions, but nothing on the plastic part to show where it glues in place.  Another step shows the lower radiator cowls in place but they haven’t been built yet.  Flip the page and they have you build the radiator cowls in the next step.  
 

Honestly, if the new Revell were to re-release this kit without a serious sprue numbering and lettering system and rework the instructions it would probably put them out of business again.  
Even the clear canopy parts are misleading. There’s a sliding window that sits above/forward of the pilot. Instructions show it mounted inside and not on the outside.  This thing is a hot mess. 

[John Stambaugh]

5 minutes ago, ScottsGT said:

Well the chiropractors adjustments yesterday worked a small  miracle on my back.  Although I do feel like I’ve been worked over in a bar brawl, I did manage to make it back to the bench comfortably. 
 

I jumped on the convoluted instructions covering the build up of the cowls and wing center section.  My goodness, now I know where the Trumpeter B team came from.  They got fired from Revell of Germany.  Instructions show installing a bulkhead at the marked tabs in the instructions, but nothing on the plastic part to show where it glues in place.  Another step shows the lower radiator cowls in place but they haven’t been built yet.  Flip the page and they have you build the radiator cowls in the next step.  
 

Honestly, if the new Revell were to re-release this kit without a serious sprue numbering and lettering system and rework the instructions it would probably put them out of business again.  
Even the clear canopy parts are misleading. There’s a sliding window that sits above/forward of the pilot. Instructions show it mounted inside and not on the outside.  This thing is a hot mess. 

Feel your pain brother. Am dancing with the "hot mess" right now myself. But let us keep in mind what a show stopper she will be when finished!

[ScottsGT]

Wow, just got finished wrestling with the lower cowl/radiator scoops.  These parts just don’t want to fit.  Got frustrated, ripped it back off before the glue set and I’m walking away for a few hours.  This would be a great part for the AM industry to replace if it ever gets rereleased again. 
Edit to add, I think I see the problem. The real plane looks like crap in this area too.  I might be trying to make it too nice. 
 

[ScottsGT]

Ok, I feel like I came up with a work around on these “German engineering” cowls and radiator scoops. 
First, yank this crap out.  Not needed and just adds to the confusion. 

Empty hole after useless crap extraction. 

Glue part #22 onto the radiator and not the back of the cowl assembly.  

You can see it locks under a tab on the bottom of the radiator. 
Align scoops and glue in place. The scoops are a tad bit narrow and will require some filling.  I brushed on a bit of sprue goo for added strength.  I’ll smooth out and add putty as needed.  

[ScottsGT]

As you can see, I pre-painted the black on the rad and inside the scoop and taped it up before installing.  This probably saved me an hour + of exerting energy towards new curse words trying to tape up after the fact. 

[Martinnfb]

There is always the plan B ( Casa C 2. 111)

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/325881521933?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D777008%26algo%3DPERSONAL.TOPIC%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20230811125216%26meid%3Dc58a6ef2d0e5440ebe723aa7683ae43e%26pid%3D101771%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26mehot%3Dnone%26itm%3D325881521933%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D4375194%26algv%3DWatchlistVariantWithMLR&_trksid=p4375194.c101771.m47999&_trkparms=parentrq%3Ad840a06f18d0a55162090d52ffffe9e0|pageci%3A700c0e77-d2a1-11ee-88a3-0ecefebc1467|iid%3A1|vlpname%3Avlp_homepage

[ScottsGT]

That’s pretty cool!  
But not brave enough to do another!  
 

I’m now decaling the bombs before mounting them up inside the milk crates.  This is where I get carried off to the funny farm.  

[KevinM]

Regardless of the pitfalls of the kit/instructions you seem to be having your way with Scott.

[DocRob]

Nacelles will look good in the end, Scott. There are some complex shapes around, no wonder Revell failed like the original designers .

Cheers Rob

[ScottsGT]

Been playing in the bomb factory all day.  Already got them in the crates and now about to tackle fitting them into the wing center section.  
 

[ScottsGT]

Soon to be hidden forever.  All those hours spent detailing. 

See?  Gone.  
A little peaking through the windows. 

Current status. 

[ScottsGT]

Ugh….sanded the seams smooth before adding the huge wingspan.  Got a flat top fuselage now.  Tamiya putty applied.  Let’s hope I can work some “roundness” into this like I have with my belly.  
 

[Martinnfb]

Great progress Scott, you're powering through with a grace and ease. It will be impressive once done.

Cheeers

M.

[ScottsGT]

26 minutes ago, Martinnfb said:

Great progress Scott, you're powering through with a grace and ease. It will be impressive once done.

Cheeers

M.

Thanks!  I’m actually putting a lot of thought into my next steps.  I’ve got the wings ready to glue on already, even had to correct a mistake I made on the center section joint.  But I decided it would be a lot easier to work the fuselage seams now before I’m spinning around a huge bird in my hands.  
When I walked away from the bench last night, in my head I was planning on wing attachment. Went to bed and started rethinking which would be easier and save time in the long run.  
I have decided with the complex landing gear attachment points that I’m going to paint the bottom of the airplane first, then install the legs.  It’s just going to be too hard to tape that busy area up with the gear in place.  
 

I like to think of the instructions as a suggestion.  But trying to halfway follow these would has been total chaos. 

[ScottsGT]

And done! 

primered

It grew feathers! 

[ScottsGT]

I’m gonna need a bigger bench! 
 

This is giving me flashbacks of my RC days because it so big. 

[BlrwestSiR]

Coming along nicely. Nice approach with doing the undersides before attaching the wings. I did the same with the Tamiya Missie and HB B-24 kits. 

[Martinnfb]

Nice blending work on the top section.

[PanzerWomble]

Looks like it's coming together well . 

[KevinM]

She's a big girl and coming together Nicely Scott.

[Peterpools]

Scott

Nice work on returning the bottom of the fuselage to 'roundness' shape. 

Agreed, she sure is going to be one huge model when done and in the display case.

I completely agree, manufacturers try to make the models look better then the actual aircraft were with badly fitting parts in some places. If they reproduce it that way or don't succeed perfectly in correcting it, we take them to task for it. Just one of those situations they can't win.   

[ScottsGT]

Just got the flaps aligned and glued in place.  I almost went with dropped flaps, but the one pic I could find of an actual real plane with dropped flaps shows them straight down.  Looks broken. Just wrong looking and so many pics of aircraft sitting and flaps were up. 
 

Man, this huge glob of styrene is a static bomb!  It’s covered in cat hair and I’ve already wiped it down with Endust once already.  

[John Stambaugh]

I think the He-111 looks better with the flaps up as it shows off the unique and signature shape of the big Heinkel.          Your build is coming along nicely. Thanks for sharing, John 

 

[Martinnfb]

Absolutely agree with John, the outline of the 111 wing is legendary. Looking good Scotty. 

[ScottsGT]

Ok, got some primer and RLM65 around the gear holes.  Back in the body shop we called this “cutting in” or “trimming in” a panel so it could be installed.   It will make taping around the landing gear easier when the all over paint work takes place.  
 

Yea, I’ve gotta agree with y’all about the unique shape the flaps provide.  I positioned them partially down and it still looked great.  But straight down like the one pic I found just took away from its bat wing look.