He-162 "Gecko"

Paul · January 02, 2015, 01:37:13 PM

Hi all!

We all know the Heinkel He-162 Salamander. But... with US colors I renamed my model for "Gecko".

This is the 1/72 HobbyBoss kit. I think this model is perfect for a kid who is starting in the hobby. There's no cockpit, but the exotic design is very attractive. I am a "slow build modeler", but even with my slow speed, I built this model in a weekend. The decals I used are very old, so we have a lot of silvering. It was a funny time in the workbench.

Cheers!

Paul.

Captain Canada · January 02, 2015, 01:53:06 PM

Beauty ! Such a neat looking little aeroplane. The US colours and markings look good on her.

sandiego89 · January 02, 2015, 02:06:00 PM

Looks great Paul! Great paint.

If you are airbrushing or spray painting I might suggest painting the model, then spray a coat of clear (or future) over the whole model, then decals, then another coat of clear. This helps reduce silvering by providing a smoother surface so air does not get trapped under the decal.

kerick · January 02, 2015, 05:53:05 PM

Tiny! Looks great. It needs to be parked next to a 1/72 Pitts Special for size comparision.

dumaniac · January 02, 2015, 07:35:56 PM

looks great in those colours

zenrat · January 02, 2015, 09:32:22 PM

Cool. Kudos for including the paint tin to provide scale. It's tiny!

NARSES2 · January 03, 2015, 06:05:38 AM

Yup like what you've done with that

Echo your thoughts on the kit. I built 3 in one sitting - Italian, Japanese and Finnish

KiwiZac · January 03, 2015, 05:09:04 PM

I really like the 162 and I've wondered how the Hobby Boss kit was. Must now add it to the list! Great build!

Paul · January 14, 2015, 04:40:22 AM

Hi all!

sandiego89, This was exactly what I did in this model, using Future. But some decals I used was from the time of Noah's Ark.

zenrat, the paint tin was there to provide a "crutch". The model is a "tail-sitter". I had to cement the model on the base.

KiwiZac, IMHO there is only one bad thing in this model: the cockpit. It's too poor.

Thank you folks for all views and comments.

Cheers!

Paul.

Dizzyfugu · January 14, 2015, 04:52:36 AM

Quote from: Paul on January 14, 2015, 04:40:22 AM
KiwiZac, IMHO there is only one bad thing in this model: the cockpit. It's too poor.

Second that. The He 162 is a simple aircraft, as is the Hobby Boss kit - but it is IMHO a very good representation if you are not into uber-detailing. Then the Dragon kit might be the better/more ambitious option, but also much more expensive, esp. with PE parts.

The only two SERIOUS drawbacks of the Hobby Boss are for one the cockpit, and the kit's structure. The cockpit is basic, to describe it positively, and much too small - it's even hard to cramp a pilot figure inside in order to hide the overall bleakness! And the massive construction of the kit makes adding weight in the nose more or less impossible.