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A built model of the Heller 1/400 "Seine" oiler

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  • Member since
    January 2006
A built model of the Heller 1/400 "Seine" oiler
Posted by EPinniger on Sunday, January 21, 2007 12:36 PM
This may be of interest given the recent discussion on the Heller and Revell tanker + merchant ship kits: link. This is a built model (not mine) in the Modelwarships.com gallery - the first time I've seen an example of this kit built up. It's certainly very different to the Revell Glasgow/T2 tanker kit. What class of ship does it represent - is it a French design?
  • Member since
    August 2006
Posted by honneamise on Monday, January 22, 2007 1:56 AM

Unfortunately, I don´t have the instructions at hand right now, but the Seine is definitely a french design of 1937/8. Four ships were planned but only two were completed after WW2, entering civilian service. In 1961 they were renamed Seine and Saone and converted to fleet oilers, a role they fulfilled until the 1970s. Here is a french link with a few good photos:  

 http://www.netmarine.net/bat/pr/seine/index.htm

The Heller model is spot-on and I love the perfectly rendered full hull - something that the Revell T2 lacks... The kit is very detailed (dozens of individual winches) and builds up into a fine replica - the one seen on modelwarships.com is more or less OOB with photoetch railing and some other pe items added. An interesting feature is that the breakwater was added for the current release of the kit (as part of the "Task Force"-Set) - I had the old 70s kit and the deck was smooth with no breakwater! Heller seems to actually care to keep their molds "up to date" even if the subjects are long out of service.  

What the kit needs are some photoetched doors- the superstructures are molded integrally with the decks (still, Heller is the only brand where you find molded-on superstructures that are perfectly 90° to the decks with not the slightest tapering) so they lack all the doors. Still, they found a convincing way to include open bridge windows. The 4cm single mount Bofors guns are very simplified but L Ársenal have the proper substitutes in preparation - these are the only issues I have with the kit and they are easily overcome.

Well worth building, even if the subject is a little obscure. Somewhere on the L Ársenal gallery there is a photo of a Heller model pre-dated to the civilian version - looks great, unfortunately I do not remember the name of the builder so you might have to do some digging...  

  • Member since
    September 2006
Posted by hasse n on Monday, January 22, 2007 11:50 AM
Thank´s Epinniger and honneamise for the information, and keeping the plastic merchant fleet building alive. Sometimes it´s a little bit lonely when building this ships, cars, navy ships, tanks and other kits is so much bigger in the forums.
  • Member since
    September 2006
Posted by hasse n on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 5:20 AM

What about this scratchbuilt 1/400 scale model of Altmark, this is not only ship model building this is skill and art

http://xoomer.alice.it/bk/amici/Tassinari/Altmark%201:400/index1.htm

 

 

  • Member since
    August 2006
Posted by honneamise on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 6:35 AM
Thanks for the link, hasse n - what a beauty. Apart from the fact that the ship is fully scratch-built(!), this is also the most realistic paint job on a hull that I have ever seen! I´ll keep the pictures for reference - that is how I want my ships to look!!!
  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: West Virginia, USA
Posted by mfsob on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 8:39 AM
*looking at the pictures of the Altmark* Now that, gentlemen, was built by a craftsman.
  • Member since
    September 2006
Posted by hasse n on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 9:14 AM
 hasse n wrote:

What about this scratchbuilt 1/400 model of Altmark, this is not only ship model building this is skill and art

http://xoomer.alice.it/bk/amici/Tassinari/Altmark%201:400/index1.htm

 

 

When pointing at the pictures to get them bigger, there is HOME to the upper left, point there, and there is more great modelships to find. 
  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: Seattle, Colorado
Posted by onyxman on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 10:22 AM

Truly, this guy is a genius!

Clicking on "Home" doesn't work for me. "La pagina non puo passere trovata" The page can not be displayed?

  • Member since
    September 2006
Posted by hasse n on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 12:32 PM

Hello Fred! mayby this works,

http://members.xoom.alice.it/stefsap/ 

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