| True Details Heinkel 111 control surfaces 1/48 scale |
| Michael Chilton |
| Contents of the set: 2 wing flaps 2 elevators 1 rudder 1 rudder trim tab. Print this page. |
| All items are well moulded with little or no flash and have good detail. |
| A) The flaps |
| These are slightly too long to fit the resulting gap on the kits wing once the kits flaps have been removed and will need to be trimmed back. The curvature on the inboard end of the flaps isn't quite pronounced enough to follow the wing contour and will need to be adjusted by immersion in hot water, which should cure the problem. |
| Both flaps have cut outs on the leading edge to represent the mounting points for the hinges. However when viewed from the rear these cut outs are not visible on the upper surface even when the flap is fully depressed, therefore half of each cut out needs to be filled and sanded smooth. |
| Two other problems exist however. |
| 1) The distance from the leading to trailing edge is too great which results in a overhang behind the wing if the flap were in the housed position, this can be adjusted by careful sanding of the leading edge and constant measuring against the kit. |
| 2) The cross section of each flap is far too deep and would result in a large area of flap standing proud of the wing under surface if mounted in the housed position. The problem occurs because the flap is moulded as a symetrical aerofoil, but in reality the flaps underside is actually flat with a near 90 degrees junction with the leading edge. There is then a gentle curve towards the trailing edge(what you would get if the resin flaps were cut in half). On the real aircraft the underside leading edge of the flap is flush with the underside of the wing, and the curved face of the flap is housed under the upper wing. Because of the way the resin flaps are moulded it is impossible to get them to fit as on the real aircraft. It is this that made me decide to discard the resin flaps and utilise the cut off kit parts, which can be built up with plastic card and shaped correctly to fit in their original locations. The result is more pleasing. |
| B) The elevators |
| The elevators on the kit need to be carefully removed so that the hinges are left on the kit. The resin elevators only need to have an actuating rod for the trim tab added, then they can be glued in place, remembering that the elevators should be fixed so that the hinges on the kit are in contact with the end of the recess on the elevators, this will result in the characteristic gap between the elevator and horizontal stabilisor seen on all Hienkel 111's when the elevators are raised or lowered. |
| C) The rudder |
| The rudder also needs a trim tab actuating rod and the trim tab adding. However, the leading edge is far too long and needs sanding back and reprofiling until the rudder just fits into the tail, then it can be glued in place. |
| Conclusion |
| Conclusion: A nicely made and detailed update set which will make any Heinkel 111 kit that little bit different, but unfortunately spoilt by the shape of the flaps. |
| References |
| The preserved Heinkel He111H-20 at the RAF Museum, Hendon, London. Aero Detail 18. He111H-6 Flugzeug Handbuch 2He111H-11 Ersatzteiliste. |
| Michael Chilton |