1/72 Heller CL-215

Gallery Article by Pascal Lafrenière on June 17 2020

 

      

I built this model for a colleague that retired from Bombardier (Canadair) after 42 years of service.

This airplane will be tail heavy so I filled the nose with fishing leads

Interior: 
Many details will be lost I paint wall green, floor light gray and black. Water tank are made of composite materials many different shades but most common I see on old airplanes was dark brown.

Cockpit mostly grey, I didn’t put too much effort.

Exterior: 
My colleague ask me to get the scheme with the original red straight band. So finally I found a good picture of C-FXTG. 

Click on images below to see larger images

Next steps was to make custom decals. My inkjet printer doesn’t do a good job I have tried in the past and I spent lots of money. Instead, I found a company in Victoria BC that makes nice airlines decals and can makes customs. www.V1decals.com To lower the cost I ordered same set for my own CL-215 and I found two colleagues that ordered some more. The new CL-415 it is easy to find good logo on internet “Québec” with the province flag, but on older model I have to find the white fleur de Lys on the light blue square. I finally got the files from the office of communication of the Québec government!

Decals went on easily and micro sol makes them seat perfectly on rivets contour. I am happy with the decals but found out that I should have taken smaller numbers for the side of fuselage and wings ( maybe 1/64th inches too high) But I am the only one that will notice that.

Engine: 
Since my colleague worked at the engine bay, I decided to leave one engine without cowlings, Brassins resin from Eduard looks so nice. The other engine I kept the ones from the kit. To fix the propeller, I used a brass rod.

Landing gear: 
I found SAC gears have some parts smaller than the Heller kit but it fits good. Only problem The way the gear are built it makes side pressure and CA glue doesn’t like that so I have to drill the gear put a metal pin to help hold in place. After everything was dry, I put epoxy glue around weak points of the assembly for stronger joint.

Final touch, 
All white antenna holds in pace with a metal rod. I didn’t put HF antenna. I found some pictures of CL-215 with HF antenna removed and the mast still in place, so that is the way my model will be presented. 

Pascal Lafrenière

Click on images below to see larger images

 

Photos and text © by Pascal Lafrenière