La Reale De France by kpnuts - FINISHED - Heller - PLASTIC - 1/75

[kpnuts]

Thanks for the tip, should I allow the glue to dry first before rigging or rig while the glue is wet.

[popeye the sailor]

yes,  I would {adding to what Dr. Dafi mentioned}.   you could also use diluted white glue........paint it on before you cut it,  then shape with fingers very carefully.   your going for the look......not the feel 

[kpnuts]

Hi all yippee one mast and sail done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

very ....very nice KP!  the bottom hem is a little odd,  but there's not much you can do with plastic sails     you could try to loosen up on the offending line to lessen the effect.   you've done a great job on this model,  none the less 

[kpnuts]

Hi all I've just realised there are 24 more tassles to make for this kit, its becoming an epic build not sure I'm not sure it will be finished in my lifetime.

 

 

[kpnuts]

Hi all well I'm back on it and here is todays offering

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kpnuts]

Hi all here is tonights episode

 

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

do both sails  'billow'  in the same direction?   the main sail billows to the starboard side,  but it appears that the fore sail billows to the port side.   I hope I'm wrong.

[kpnuts]

Yes I had some confusion over that the pic on the box art shows them both billowing the same way, but the written instructions and the diagrams both show the way I have it also the vac formed sail has to be that way the only way I can make it billow the same side is to hang it upside down.

any way thought I would have a break from the rigging so decided to do the steps, they are supposed to have hand rails but they were so fine one was snapped on the sprue and one broke cutting it off the sprue so will have to make a couple out of copper wire

 

 

 

 

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

almost hated to bring it up........instructions can be a bear to decipher.   you could try cloth sails......with the work you've done on this vessel......it would be well worth doing       the steps look great......beautifully done!

[kpnuts]

Hi I've done a bit of research and revell do a kit of this with the sails that way and I've seen other build of this kit with the same configuration so I havent decided yet I am either going to leave it as is or remove the sails altogether and have the oars down.

talking of oars, this is on the back burner again 

 

as you can see from the parts list sprue 17 and 18 say 2 sprues sprue 9 and 9a are listed together with a sprue count of 2 I stupidly didnt count the number of oars on the sprues (there are 16 oars on each sprue) so the 2 on the parts list means 2 of each 9a and 9 (why didnt they list those to sprues separately or say 4 on the parts count, so now I have to go through the rigmarole of contacting heller again and waiting for the parts, this really is putting me off ever buying a heller kit again, I mean are all there kits like this, I dont think much of the're quality control if they dont even bother doing a sprue check on the contents of a kit.

[popeye the sailor]

sorry to hear that KP.    I haven't seen a revell kit with a sail configuration like that...........but the 80-5897 kit of the La Reale,  REALLY does show it!   whether you keep it as is, or change it around......it will still be a very nice build.   I wish you luck in getting the parts 

[mtaylor]

KP,

 

As that in the Model Kit Questions area:  http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/forum/26-plastic-model-kits-plastic-scratchquestions-and-reviews/   You might get more answers.   I've only built 2 Hellers, one eons ago and then tried a Vic about 14 years ago.  I wasn't missing parts but some of the parts were badly malformed.

[kpnuts]

Hi all here is as far as i can go its the side arms for her

 

[kpnuts]

Hi all was looking at this today and noticed the mast was bent.

so I thought how can I fix that and a cunning plan developed.

first break the top of the mast off then drill out a hole in the top of the mast and insert brass rod then reglue the top on

 

 

 

 

since this pic I decided I dont like the fore mast sail so have removed it was thinking of removing the main sail as well but my missus says no, what do you think would they have had one sail down and not the other or would they both be up or down.

[popeye the sailor]

I would say ...both {either way.   if not a lot of wind was desired,  the sails would have been reefed.   I say leave them up as well 

[kpnuts]

Well I'm not sure what's going to happen with the La Reale I've contacted heller several times but no reply, the 32 oars I do have couldn't go all on one side said some are different so I can't put them all on one side and display it that way. Not sure I can be bothered with displaying it in dry dock being refitted (lot of work involved and I will always know she's not complete) too big to keep hanging round, maybe time to bite the bullet and stick her in the spares drawer. All I know is she's taking up valuable room, not sure the missus will let me scrap her but, I am rapidly losing interest in her.

[kpnuts]

Hi all I've just emailed heller explaining to the person who dealt with the parts problem last time that I am a member of several forums that this build is posted on, and that it doesn't look good on Heller's part when I can't say when the build will restart.

But I've had a great idea, I love the sleek lines of the hull, what if I put some rockets on the side and turned her into a space galleon.

[popeye the sailor]

sad to hear my friend....perhaps one can be found cheaply on E-bay,  or a local craft site.   you can also consider trying your hand at making them from scratch.   they can be made of wood or even plastic {there are resources where materials can be found}.   please don't trash it....you have done some really good work........hate to see it all for naught 

[mtaylor]

Hmm... I've seen plastic oars somewhere in my snooping around looking for stuff.. ModelExpo or Bluejacket maybe?

[kpnuts]

Well I decided to have a go at making the missing parts and after 2 hrs and on my third attempt, this is what I have

 

I'm quite pleased with it, its a bit crude but when its installed I dont think it will notice too much. 

I know one thing I will never buy another heller kit. its not the kits (the kwak apart) they are great kits I've loved the La Reale, its their complete ignorance I've sent 2 emails just asking would they let me know even if  they are going to send the parts, not one single reply to 8 emails, now I call that down right rude. I intend to send one more email informing them that they are not the only kit manufacturer out there and if they treat all their customers the way they have treated me I wont be the only customer they loose.(since they obviously ignore emails it probably wont do any good but it will make me feel better) You don't buy model kit and expect to have to make the parts yourself. Rant over so only 15 more of these babys to make 

[popeye the sailor]

BRAVO!!!!    looks good KP!

[mtaylor]

KP,

I'm curious...  did you send it in French?   I think Heller is still there.  Copy the email into Google Translate and try it that way... I always add to the top of any email I send to France "translated by google translate" in both English and French and then paste the English version below the French.

[kpnuts]

Hi mark no I didn't but since they sent the first lot ok, they obviously understood my english then.but thanks for the tip.

[Jean-Pierre]

My language happens to be french.  For some unknown reason, my Apple computer tends to try and translate from Spanish sites into what Google wants me to recognize as a french translation.  NO WAY: I always have to revert to the Spanish text to understand what is written.  So googleing your message   into French might be the best way to ...encrypt it!!  I am definitely sure, as they operate on a world basis, that they actually know English quite well.  I even thought, but I may be wrong on this, that their operations had been taken over by Airfix!

 

I also built this exquisite model a number of years ago, and if I were to do it all over, I would try to duplicate the 7 handles on the rows: this is, I think, a fairly obvious shortcoming on an otherwise superb model.  Another point that deserve attention is the masts: I of course replaced the plastic sails with cotton ones, and the masts were not stiff enough to carry their weight without bending.  So, I think they are better replaced with wooden ones (as their shape is quite simple, this would not be too difficult to achieve.  Or they could be strengthened with a wooden core.

 

Happy modelling, and good job with your extra rows!

 

JP

Edited June 27, 2015 by Jean-Pierre

[kpnuts]

Hi all well now, now that I've started making them they are sending replacements, isn't that typical

[popeye the sailor]

well......at least you had a contingency plan.........    oh well......all's fair in love and modeling        say........how are those coffee stirrers coming along?

[kpnuts]

Hi all well I'm as excited as a flea on a dog,,,,,,,,,, they've arrived and I see no other problem to finishing this(famous last words) out all day today but will post pics later, I am so happy.

[kpnuts]

Hi all a small update, everyone was telling me the sails should not be billowing in different directions, contrary to the instructions and the fact that the sails are vac formed and can only but put on that way, I decided to make sure its right I would do the fore mast sail furled.

 

 

 

[Thunder]

Hi, I have done many Heller kits and only sent for parts once. They sent replacement but this was 20 years ago. What use to annoy me was the duplication of parts to fabricate another kit for little expense. Left you wondering which if any were representative of a real ship.

 

With regard to sails, you will often see he main sail set but the fore furled. Erhaps you could do this.