Last of the Dusty Projects, Encore 1/72 HE-112B1

       I pulled this kit out when I first started the Dusty Projects challenge, it sat on the shelf in The Vault for weeks impugning me each and every time I stepped into those hallowed grounds. At last I could take it no more and I grabbed the box and carried those last few feet to the workbench. Now I wish I had started with this model. Encore didn't make model kits from scratch, they shopped around and picked up disused molds from other manufacturers and re-issued them (usually with some pretty plain box art but fabulous decals). I believe this kit started its day under the Heller banner, I don't know if this is still being molded or if the molds even exist anymore.
       HE-112 was one of the competitors for the new Luftwaffe's monoplane fighter (which was won by the ubiquitous ME-109). It suffered from weak engines, a heavy airframe and some bad luck (on top of the Luftwaffe prejudice that said Heinkel=Bomber, Messerschmidt=Fighter). A few dozen were made, some got flogged off to the Fascist Spanish and (after a few had appeared in propaganda shoots) the balance were sold to Romania. Even with better engines it never lived up to expectations and it quickly disappeared in the maelstrom of war.

 

now I think I need a PZL-11c

 

box with contents

 

the ultra-detailed instructions

 

the absolutely top-notch decal sheet

 

nicely bagged so it won't lose small parts

 

right out of the bag I knew this was a different kit, 

there was an attempt to provide cockpit details!

 

and framing on the inside of the landing gear covers

 

even a dash board with instruments!

 

raised panel lines but they are very fine and crisp

the fuselage went together without any issues

 

but there was a pronounced ridge at the joint between the halves

 

but that was nothing that a touch of sandpaper couldn't fix

 

nothing at all to ensure that the wing halves line up properly

 

but, with the gull-wing form to guide me, they lined up just fine

 

the wings fit nicely to the fuselage

 

but the tiny contact area wasn't enough to ensure a good weld using plastic cement

 so I resorted to super glue followed up with putty to close the gaps

 

both sides need a minor touch up

 

the landing gear weren't bad aside from the horrid instructions 

not telling me where the small part was supposed to go

 

just like that, no locating hole or pin, 

it doesn't even say it it is suppose to go sideways or front to back

 

fortunately there are a good many pictures available on the internet

 

more putty on the wing-roots

 

then the wheels and propeller

 

after a white primer I started painting

 

I chose the Romanian paint scheme of light gray over blue

 because I liked the bright yellow crosses

 

sadly both of those colors cover very poorly, 

several coats were needed before they were opaque

 

too lazy to mask things I free-hand painted the wingtips and fuselage stripe

 

finally ready for decals

first a nice gloss coat of Future

 

then the decals, 

I had some issues with my Solvaset not drying for 12 hours

 

certainly a different look from the standard Luftwaffe colors

 

a coat over the decals with more Future

 

and then a matte coat of Vallejo spray

 

I do like the finish of the Vallejo, but it takes hours to dry fully

 

then I added the cockpit canopy, which I glued in place with Future;

Future Floor wax is an old trick I picked up decades ago, the acrylic gives the clear plastic a brilliant gloss, paint a thin layer on the inside and outside of the canopy, it can also be used to attach the canopy without the risk of fogging that super glue can produce just by painting a thin line along the edge and setting in place

 

a colorful look, almost like a competition race plane

       Another of the many Luftwaffe "almost was" aircraft. I really do have to find those old air-combat rules and see if they were as good as my memory says they were.