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1/72 scale model of Heller
Another Heller Fennec model was made as described on page 1......
This one #80279 probably released
1993 had its instructions printed in a similar fashion as Airfix kits.
Humbrol was the owner of both at the time.
I wanted a HAITI air force aircraft and those used were actual ex- French Fennecs that were delivered. A few photos found on the internet confirmed that the aircraft had the air cooling intake, the hardpoints and the bigger canopy hoods which are a feature of the Fennec.
It was decided not to install any hardpoints/ pylons, so from wing kit part #8 I removed the "lower wing stabs". A razor saw was used. The resulting large gaps were closed with plastic card and filled with putty.
The kit part #6 for the cowl seems
correct for this version, the Fennec.
The rest of the model was assembled straight out of the box, but I added considerable amount of weight inside the nose to prevent "tail sitting". I tried to retain the kit's raised rivets which look great for such an old aircraft type.
The model first got a primer coat
of light grey, often I use a simple Revell Aqua 75 "steingrau" thinned
with a mix of the Revell acylic thinner.
The Haiti air force Fennec aircraft
had a grey scheme with red markings. I airbrushed Fed.Std 36375 for the
grey, with Gunze Sangyo 308. Than the red areas were applied after masking.
The aft side of the propeller and
wheels were airbrushed black as well as the nose cowl anti-glare panel.
The front of the propeller is light grey. The remainder was hand painted
like the undercarriage legs, cockpit and so on. Also the exhaust fumes
on the sides were airbrushed. The wheel hubs and legs are aluminium coloured.
The kit's canopy is correct as for the
Fennec (and looks like the early style "high" canopy hoods and has also the "crash bar").
The Haiti roundels "stars-and-bars"
type were scratch hand made with plain decals. Some were also found in the spares
box. The white areas first were applied.
The model got a varnish coat using
Johnson Future / Clear / Pledge with 15% Tamiya Flat Base X-21 acrylic
mixed in to get a semi-matt result. This gives an even sheen and protects
the decals for the years to come.
page 2
page 3
HAITI
...
[ area: 27,750 km2 | population: 12 million | capital: Port-au-Prince | GDP per capita nominal 1,900 USD ]
Haiti was the first free independent nation in the Latin America after a slave revolt. But in its 200 years of independence, many conflicts and dictators ruled the country and still until today unfortunately it is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. It also suffered frequently from earth quakes and each year of many hurricanes. Today, it seems the country is ruled by criminal gangs.
The Corps d'Aviation d'Haïti was formed in the second World war and its main base was at Bowen Field, Port-au-Prince, a former U.S. Marine Corps airfield. The country was later supported by France and the United States also because of neighbouring "socialist" Cuba. After the Second World War they also got some F-51D (that explains how it roundels look like "stars-and-bars"). Other types were PT-19, Beech T-11 and a single Boeing 307 airliner. C-47 transports were used as well as some helicopters like the S-55 and H-34.
In 1973 the Forces Armées d'Haïti received 12 T-28A second hand Fennec aircraft from France. (these were thus the French version of the T-28 modified as Fennec). After serving with the air force, many were sold to US buyers.
Several Cessna Super Skymasters and six SF-260 TP light aircraft were delivered which were only briefly flown and quickly sold.
Currently, no air force exists anymore but the police has a single UH-1 helicopter apparently.
Forces
Armées d'Haïti North American Fennec
and at "Port-au-Prince" / Potoprens airport ,
Haiti
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Created this page
March 30, 2016