Hi all, another project in progress.
Planet 1/72nd Heinkel 343. OOB except for seat belts.
As usual comments welcomed
Please note the rough edges around the cockpit are where the canopy was glued on, till I knocked it off....ooops...so I took advantage and did the digi-cam thing.


Cheers
Peter
:-)

Hi again...
Note: You may notice green seats...I read somewhere, that late in the war, due to irregular supplies and shortages, other colours were sometimes used other than RLM 66.

So as there seems to have been more green paint around I used this....it also livens up the interior. But at 1/72nd with the top on, not much will be seen anyway.

Cheers
Peter
:-)

Hi Peter

That's looking neat :-), and I like the idea of "substitute paint" for the seats. I think you're quite right; there was already a problem controlling colour standards, so who knows what the situation would been, had the war continued in 1946.

All the best

Rowan

I don't recall from your earlier posts on this beast, is it a tail sitter or on tri-cycle landing gear? If on a tri-cycle gear, can you put weight in front of the instrument panel? Quite a big hole there!! Cockpits looking good!!

Jeff

Do you plan on using a vacform canopy or the kit one? It seems a shame for that nicely detailed cockpit to be hidden away, I'd be wanting everyone to see it!

Hi...
thanks for the comments.

Jeff
As you can see its a tricycle job. I was thinking of what to do with the space ahead of the instrument panel. The canopy sweeps down here, but was wondering what might of been located in this area. Not many references are available, but I was toying with adding some "gubbins"....wiring, hydraulics, servos, electronic boxes, floor detail etc.

Martin
The provided canopy is a vac job and is quite clear. And as its a large glazed area and the framing is quite thin, a fair bit of the cockpit should...famous last words....be visible.

Because the main undercarriage is a fair bit forward it did take a lot of weight to stop tail sitting, so they'll need re-inforcing or all metal substitutes fabricating.

Many thanks and any ideas on "gubbins" would be most welcome.
Cheers
Peter
:-)

Hi Peter, although this photo is a fake I think it would seem sensible that whatever "gubbins" is in the space forward of the instrument panel would have some sort of fairing over it.

As far as the area in front of the instrument panel, I think there would be a cover over this area, to protect the area sunlight, etc. That way you could add weight in this area. Just looking at how much "resin tail" is located behind the landing gear, I think weight behind the canopy is also required.

But, looking at how far you have progressed, you may need you teh technique of drilling a hole in the underside and adding weights (bird shot?) and super glue.

Jeff

:-) Nice cockpit and an interesting subject. For the space at the front I would fill it with weight and add a faring, if tail sitting is a problem. If it isn't I'd add a wires to the instruments.

I'm interested in how you see the colours of Luftwaffe aircraft developing into 46. If Germany had survived into 46 would that mean that there wasn't the problems with supply, ie paint? Had Germany defeated, or at least held the Russians? They would probably have developed the Atomic bomb? The questions go on, but I'm really interested in how someone into the Luft 46 scene decides on paint schemes :-)
Mal

Thanks lads...

Martin
Thanks for the pic. Tried to do a fairing but difficult as its insitu, same goes for wiring. Just too fiddly without disassembly. However I have added some gubbins...will post pic later.

Mal
Your question is, on the face of it a simple one, but the more I think on it the more complex the answer seems to be.
I can only answer for myself, but I do try and keep to self-contol....lol...oh yes?
I have a basic guideline.
Considering WW2 German aircraft had probably the biggest range of colours and camo styles, plus if you add the fact that most schemes were completed in the field by ground crews and all the other criteria such as supply difficulties, thinners and what was available in any given theatre etc, one might think anything goes. True there is a lot of “freedom of choice” but I believe a Luft 46 subject should look authentic and be recognisably German.
With this in mind I almost always stick to RLM colours. That is the key.

Probably the most straight forward way is to find an existing aircraft of similar type or role as the Luft 46 subject and apply the scheme/markings to make it look like a natural replacement.

Another way is to try and guess what was available in the intended theatre and apply that. A “pet” method is to use, say, armour shades that might have been commandeered and pressed into service.

When a more “daring” approach is desired, such as a new colour, I always use one or two basic RLM shades and add the new one as the third colour.

But it must look viable...its no use doing a cracking scheme that has no bearing to what was and what was probable...and someone says “thats an Israeli 1975 desert scheme...isn’t it?”

So if I go a little wild in camo style and colours I try and do it in moderation, using the RLM palette to keep that aire of reality.

Hope I didn’t prattle on...but you did ask...lol

Thanks again and Cheers
Peter
:-)

The added gubbins....


Cheers
Peter
:-)

Yep, I think the gubbins does the trick :-)
Thanks for your reply about Luft 46 colour schemes, interesting and I take your points. I agree that using the RLM pallet is the way to go, but as to the short supply of stocks etc I'm not so sure (remembering I know nothing at all about this subject) but if the war had continued into 46, and these machines were coming on stream, wouldn't that suggest that Germany was not having supply problems? Then if that was the case I would imagine the war progressing on for much longer. This brings in the allies reply to these new weapons. Oh no, I'm getting interested, I really can't afford to be doing Luft 46 as well, help
Mal

Hi Mal...


You are not wrong. But Germany did have supply problems...and probably paint was low on the priority list. But if a more reliable source of raw aircraft building materials had been found or if some brave chap had made Hitler realise that the manufacturers might perform better if resources were pooled rather than be in constant competition with each other, things might have turned out a little differently. I still think the Allies would have won but a little later. Plus any meaningful advances by the Germans would have spurred the Allies to give more push on their advanced designs in answer.

So you are tempted....if it bites, it won't go away....

Cheers
Peter
:-)

Looks promising at the moment. I'll wait to see the final bird take off.