1/72 Revell Heinkel He 70  

by Gabriel Stern

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As you all well know, this is the ex-Matchbox kit re-issued by Revell, now without the colorful sprues that are the delight of modelers of all ages. Some reviews are already around, so I'll keep it brief. Grey sprues, light, almost faint raised panel lines, chunky molding, some interior, very good decal sheet that caters for the three versions offered, one being civilian, which I personally applaud. I definitely would like more civilian options around. The decal sheet is somewhat cluttered, the more than sixty subjects for the three version being scattered around. So, get a good pair of scissors and some sight help.

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The instructions are matter of interpretation. In my first try, what was on my workbench after following the instructions was a tramway, in the second try I managed to build a bridge, but finally I got it right. The landing gear, though, is still something that puzzles me.
Some shuffling around with the versions is apparent in the instructions, so check your references. If they are like mine, they will contradict each other, leaving us again in the happy limbo of uncertainty, which is just the prelude of creativity.

My only minor contributions were to score the hinge line and deflect the elevators a little bit downwards and to add leftover photoetched parts to the landing gear bays. I used with the canopy framing my usual sprayed decal paper cut in tiny stripes, this time helped also by the use of a "Pilot" silver metallic marker to deal with all the external frame. It worked well, with no risk of spilling. I discarded all the other transparencies in favor of the later use of Testor's window maker. After a copious application of filler almost everywhere (the fuselage-wing joint being wider than the Grand Canyon) y sanded the model and applied, directly, a spray-can black paint formulated for plastic. After masking the nose y proceeded to apply the metal tones, in three different hues. Handle the decals with care, and you may consider to separate some of the larger subjects (fuselage sides, wing letters) in more manageable pieces. You will have to cut out, once the decals are dry, the window sections, which are part of the carrier film. Some setting solution is needed also to help some of them to conform to the surface (walk sections on the wing root and the nose area).
Pay attention to the instructions regarding the small area that should be painted (a diagram for a mask are provided) to offer a backing color to the front of the "arrow" decal -which is transparent- in the civil version.
Again the magic of the 30's available for us thanks this time to Revell, at a very convenient price.
Now I am waiting for somebody to produce an injected Bellanca Aircruiser or a 28-70 Flash in 1/72.

Gabriel

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Photos and text © by Gabriel Stern