Calling all MN Richelieu & Jean Bart fans

[softsea]

Hi all

Another Heller model that is also very rare (I've seen people trying to buy it, but never seen it for sale) is the Prinz Eugen, and the worst of it is that there's no other large scale plastic model available or planned for the near future.

Happy modeling
Jo�o

[Mr. Grumpy]

the other site has a chap selling a Rich for $60.

on the other site's forum, scroll down to Simon's post. its close to the end of the first page.


i think the same guy is named Stumper and has an ad on this site too.


Joao....he is also selling a Prinz for $80.

[Timmy C]

And in case you don't know what "the other site" is, it's Steelnavy.com

Because we can do that here.

[softsea]

Joao....he is also selling a Prinz for $80.

Thanks for the info, but to tell the truth I would like to by that model, along with the Admiral Scheer, but I can't afford it now.
Plus, $80 + shipping is very expensive for a Heller second hand model, considering that on stores the larger models are being sold around 25-30� and that I bought my L�tzow and Graf Spee for 15�.

Maybe the molds of those ships are still in good condition, so we might see a new release of them.

Cheers
Jo�o

[Filipe Ramires]

Jo�o,

If I recall correctly Quit�cnica shop in Lisbon had a few months ago some old boxes from Heller and I recall seing either Prinz Eugen or Admiral Hipper on sale there and cheap prices...second hand models I believe. Give them a call, they might still have them.
Regards and best luck.

Filipe

[softsea]

If I recall correctly Quit�cnica shop in Lisbon had a few months ago some old boxes from Heller and I recall seing either Prinz Eugen or Admiral Hipper on sale there and cheap prices...second hand models I believe. Give them a call, they might still have them.

I contacted them one year ago about the Adm. Scheer, but they only had the Hood for 50�. I'll probably give them a call next Monday to see what Heller models they have (my L�tzow and Spee were both bought on Kitmania).

Many thanks Filipe and good job on your projects.

Jo�o

PS: too bad you couldn't come to the CMRL lunch in BA.5, very few 'ship makers' there - only me, Chai�a and also Daniel Figueiredo, who is falling in love for modern Russian ships.

[Filipe Ramires]

I contacted them one year ago about the Adm. Scheer, but they only had the Hood for 50�. I'll probably give them a call next Monday to see what Heller models they have (my L�tzow and Spee were both bought on Kitmania).

Many thanks Filipe and good job on your projects.

Jo�o

PS: too bad you couldn't come to the CMRL lunch in BA.5, very few 'ship makers' there - only me, Chai�a and also Daniel Figueiredo, who is falling in love for modern Russian ships.

Jo�o,

The models I have seen in the past at Quit�cnica were not new ones but old models in old boxes that they bought from a private modeller collection...myself I bought a couple of IJN Tamiya 5500 cruisers for a very cheap price. I am not sure if they are still there but I can pass there during the week and check if they still have them. They are not listed in their site catalogue and they might even not know that they have them. They seemed a bit lost in the middle of all the boxes but a bit of modelling archeology was done and found some precious stuff there.
Regarding CMRL lunch yes I couldn't be present there this year due to professional activity which was very busy at that time. I was present at ModelTr�ia 2008 with Cha��a, Rui Matos and Pedro Brand�o and we started a Warship SIG there. Daniel got the bug of the Russian/Soviet ships indeed...I still have that bug it was a bit asleep lately until Moskva docked in Lisbon ! In any case I am finishing a Kilo and Alfa diorama and also a Delta III SSBN...plus several WWII projects on the way.
Regards,

Filipe

[bgire]

Just read the new Heller 2008 paper catalogue this afternoon in my local -French- hobby shop. Most 1/400 ships are listed, including Richelieu, Jean-Bart and the German ones.
I don't know if this will become true (since last July, Heller had been declared "dead" at last four times). I'll ask my local dealer if those ships can be right now ordered. Stay tuned...

Bruno

[bgire]

For you, Jean Bart fans, a first list of errors in the Trumpeter 1/700 kit, translated from Mr Moitrot (Forum l'Arsenal, thanks to him) :

The overall kit is good, but :
- Both bulges are missing.
- Small roof under B main turret barrels is too short and should have angled corners forward.
- Second 57mm turrets (counting from bow) should have their base ring projecting slightly above the vertical bulkheads.
- A free passage way should exist below both fourth 100mm turrets (counting from bow).
- Wrong shape for the roof under the two 57mm turrets, just aft of the funnel.
- There is a passage way transversally, under the aft roof (which supports the central 152mm turret). The kit shows its "entrance" only on both sides.
- The three range finders on top of the 152mm turrets are identical and must use the M8 part. Unfortunately only two M8 parts are supplied.
- No searchlight by 1955 on forward blockhouse.
- Main 380mm barrels are too high in their turret : should be lowered a little.
- Portholes on both sides are wrong : Trumpeter used a Richelieu hull. Correct arrangement can be found on Jean-Bart official plans here :
All the plans :
http://www.servicehistorique.sga.defens ... php?id=227
Exterior profile is the plan : C2-02

- Main deck was wood covered from the stern to the first wave breaker. Natural wood colour.
- The bottom end of the bow underwater is rounded with a triangular paravane handling plate added, as on Richelieu.

Hope this helps

[shipmodeler]

Last item: stern or bow?

[Timmy C]

Bow.

[Aidan]

Heller are "officially" dead, but, Heller are owned by the Airfix company, who are now owned by Hornby. Hornby are re-vitalising the Airfix/Heller range, last year they re-issued Hood, KGV/PoW, Bismarck/Tirpitz and Scharnhorst/Gneisenau in 1/400 and the word on the grapevine is they may well re-issue the French Battleships as well, so it might be worth waiting a while to see what happens. It would be a real shame to spend 60, 70, or 80 pounds for a second hand kit from the likes of E-Bay, only to find that a few weeks later you can get the same thing in the shops for �20-�30 brand new.

[bgire]

I mean this :

[Gerarddm]

He clearly said bow in the original sentence. You wouldn't have paravanes hanging off the stern.

[bgire]

Heller are "officially" dead

Correction : Heller is not dead. Not yet. Heller has been a hard-to-kill company : sometimes almost bankrupt, sometimes bought by other companies... and still there. They're now owned by a Parisian company which specialized in jewellery (!). Money has been injected (two millions euros AFAIK) and Heller, which is now independent from Airfix is slowly recovering with still some "hard to understand" policy about re-issues and rare new items.
I don't know however about the case with Airfix on which company owns the various moulds.
According to rumours, Heller should (re)-issue the large pre-war sub Surcouf with optional parts in 2008. Scale 1:400 as usual.

[softsea]

I hope they recover, and I must confess that I love those kits, they offer a fine base on which to work on and the price is smaller that those of other companies.
They are full of mistakes and need a lot of work to make them 'right', but when a Tamiya 'Tirpitz' (which is now very old) costs about 60-70� and it still needs so much work, after-market parts and attention to make a realistic model (and as we see new Japanese or even Chinese models of IJN Battleships or other large ships being sold for 200� - when Revell can make a new 'Bismarck', with lots of details and much more accuracy for about 70�), IMO one must cherish Heller and be very aware of the - at least 'silly' - inflation that those companies are trying to bring to our community.

Happy modeling
Jo�o

PS: Filipe, I'll email Quit�cnica tomorrow, but if by any chance you go by next week, please check on status and prices of those Heller kits.
Um BEM HAJA in advance .

[Guest]

Heller is a very good ship kit producer. Its Richelieu and Jean Bart are two of my favorite kits, despite some minor flaws. Its Soleil Royal and Victory are spectacular. Heller's customer service never failed me. I hope it will survive for a long time.

[varga75]

Here in Slovakia 1/400 Heller models are sold in every bigger toyshop.
1/400 Richlieu I have seen minimum 2 times in last months. The price is
approx 42 EUR. Currently I'm building Prinz Eugen with WEM Photoetch.
And several other Hellers are in my TODO list.

Happy modeling
Jan

[Jack Ray]

Here's what the finished item will look like - if you are fortunate enough to find one!

http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... index.html

Dave

That is very neat. I especially like the Corsairs with the yellow and black "Suez" invasion stripes.

V/R,

Jack

[Guest]

No more Oerlikons for Suez era?