Hi, Yesterday i bought a Revell He 177 A5 and Fritz X. Have any of you built one and is it any good? Also, should i get the Eduard detail set?

cheers

Philip

It's a beautiful kit. I purchased the Eduard PE set - it includes many fine pieces for the cockpit designed to strain your eyes to the max. If you get the PE set, I'd also recommend you get the Falcon canopy to make sure all the fine work can be shown off.

Mika

Will i need a vac-u-form?

cheers

Philip

i have this same kit, only yesterday i was looking at that p/e set, noticed the canopies as well, ive never used any so, how are they superior to the kit glazing? ( will definatly invest in some express masks as well, masking that glass nose would take me as long as painting AND building the rest) p.s. do you have any pics madmeex?

Philip, vac formed canopies are a big step, they need lots of care and can very easilly be ruined. They are vacum formed in acetate and are much thinner, and therefor nearer to scale, than kit moulded glazing.
The canopy on this Spitfire Mk 22 is vac formed and was used because the kit canopy is to small.

PE detail sets also require care and in 1/72 you will be talking some very small pieces, most of which you will probably loose to the carpet monster. The parts will require cutting, trimming, bending and gluing with CA.
Philip I would advise that you concentrate on building and painting, but if you want to go the detail route advice is ready and waiting. (Remember though, so is the carpet monster and your sanity )
Mal

My room whre i do my modelling has wood laminate
But do uou need to own a vac-u-form to use vac canopies?

I plan on dooing the camo pattern like the one on the boxart. How will i mask the pattern properly?
Also, will the spare swasticas that come with the Tamiya (1/48)Fw-190 work for the swasticcas on the tail of the He 177?

cheers

Philip

No, you do not need to own a vac-u-form device to use commercial vac-u-formed canopies. They have already been formed for you.
capnjock

Hi, I've also got the kit, and here's what I've found.
Good kit with a few minor points.
The parts need some clean up, for a good fit. The canopy needs replacing, even if you don't get the Eduard set, because the one in the box is crap.
I didn't get the Eduard set, as I don't think there will be a lot to see, even with a vacuform canopy.


Unless you have a steady hand, and assuming you have an airbrush. I would suggest the folowing. The camo pattern is two colours, first you paint the model the sqigly colour (RLM 02 I believe). Then when that has dried, get some blu-tac and roll it into fine 'worms', place on the model according to the instructions, and then paint the other colour. Remove Blu-Tac, and voila camo pattern a la box.
Mossie.

"The canopy needs replacing, even if you don't get the Eduard set, because the one in the box is crap."

your not kidding! i have just opened the poly bag after reading this to have a closer look ( had the kit a year and only read the instructions when i first got it) and the nosecone looked opaque as i did but on a closer look it has lots of squiggly lines across and seems to be faintly fogged, although every other peice on the sprue is fine, in fact the astrodome part is a really nice piece,so it looks like im replacing the nose with vacform. i have a little vac canopy experiance with one kit i built so im not quite going in at the deep end, but is there anything i should be aware of (especially what glue to use) as i nomally use a tiny (and i mean tiny) drop of cyano for glazing. p.s. nice spitfire mal!