In Box Review of Heller 1/35th Scale
French Gnome-Rhone Motorcycle
Kit no 177
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
OUT OF PRODUCTION
HISTORY:
The Gnome-Rhone AX42 was built by the old French eronautical company and was born in 1938. It was derived from the 750 cc military type 2 motorcycle which was designed to meet specifictions for a choice of all-purpose motorcycles to equip the motorized French army.
It's main characteristic was it's frame of pressed and welded steel sheet. It's robust and fool-proof twin-cylinder engine required very little maintenance. It's ease of handling and long range enabled it to fulfill any type of mission.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Length: 2240 mm (7.35 ft)
Width: 770 mm (2.53 ft)
Height: 1085 mm (3.55 ft)
Capacity: 800 cc
Max speed: 95 km/h (59 mph)
Transmission: 4 speed
Tank capacity: 17 litres (4 1/2 gal)
Consumption per 100 kms: 7 litres (.79 gal)
The Gnome-Rhone AX42 was built by the old French eronautical company and was born in 1938. It was derived from the 750 cc military type 2 motorcycle which was designed to meet specifictions for a choice of all-purpose motorcycles to equip the motorized French army.
It's main characteristic was it's frame of pressed and welded steel sheet. It's robust and fool-proof twin-cylinder engine required very little maintenance. It's ease of handling and long range enabled it to fulfill any type of mission.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Length: 2240 mm (7.35 ft)
Width: 770 mm (2.53 ft)
Height: 1085 mm (3.55 ft)
Capacity: 800 cc
Max speed: 95 km/h (59 mph)
Transmission: 4 speed
Tank capacity: 17 litres (4 1/2 gal)
Consumption per 100 kms: 7 litres (.79 gal)
THE KIT:
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows a Gnome-Rhone motorcycle and rider posed against and all-white background. Similar to how Tamiya does their box arts.
The motorcycle is overall light tan with a black license plate on the front fender. It has a French tri-color followed by a white 58 468 on it. Gnome-Rhone logos are on the sides of the fuel tank.
The rider wears tan trousers bloused into his shoes, brown leather jacket and a hemet with goggles draped over it. He has a cloth pouch slung over his chest and a rife slung on his back.
The bottom of the box says "French Military Motorcycle Cavalry 1939-1945 Gnome-Rhone. This box contains one motorcycle and one motorcyclist. About 50 parts to assemble."
This is said in French, English and German, marked with the flags of those languages countries.
One side panel says that the kit is Heller Junior and MADE IN FRANCE, followed by 3 color box arts of other AFV kits that Heller marketed.
1. A Willys Jeep
2. A AMX30
3. A AMX13
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows a Gnome-Rhone motorcycle and rider posed against and all-white background. Similar to how Tamiya does their box arts.
The motorcycle is overall light tan with a black license plate on the front fender. It has a French tri-color followed by a white 58 468 on it. Gnome-Rhone logos are on the sides of the fuel tank.
The rider wears tan trousers bloused into his shoes, brown leather jacket and a hemet with goggles draped over it. He has a cloth pouch slung over his chest and a rife slung on his back.
The bottom of the box says "French Military Motorcycle Cavalry 1939-1945 Gnome-Rhone. This box contains one motorcycle and one motorcyclist. About 50 parts to assemble."
This is said in French, English and German, marked with the flags of those languages countries.
One side panel says that the kit is Heller Junior and MADE IN FRANCE, followed by 3 color box arts of other AFV kits that Heller marketed.
1. A Willys Jeep
2. A AMX30
3. A AMX13
The other side panel repeats 2 of these box arts, the AMX 30 and the Jeep. It says there are 50 parts and model is 77 mm in length.
Heller was an older prolific model company based in Paris, France. They used to make all manner of model subjects in the popular scales. They went out of business on August 31, 2006.
Heller was an older prolific model company based in Paris, France. They used to make all manner of model subjects in the popular scales. They went out of business on August 31, 2006.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 2 dark-green trees of parts in a sealed cello bag with the decal sheet and a gel capsule full of glue with instruction sheet for it. The instructions complete the contents.
This kit contains 2 dark-green trees of parts in a sealed cello bag with the decal sheet and a gel capsule full of glue with instruction sheet for it. The instructions complete the contents.
he instructions consist of a single sheet, folded twice to fit the box. It is printed on both sides.
One side has the history of the motorcycle, a list of the names of the kit parts, one exploded-drawing to use for assembly, color listing and a customer service coupon, all in French ONLY.
The other side of the sheet repeats all this in English, except the exploded-drawing.
There are no parts trees illustrations provided.
Trees are numbered 1 & 2, rather than the usual alphabetizing seen in most model kits.
Dark-green no. 1 tree holds: the frame, handle-bars, fuel tank, exhuast, motor, seats, speedometer, luggage rack etc. (26 parts)
One side has the history of the motorcycle, a list of the names of the kit parts, one exploded-drawing to use for assembly, color listing and a customer service coupon, all in French ONLY.
The other side of the sheet repeats all this in English, except the exploded-drawing.
There are no parts trees illustrations provided.
Trees are numbered 1 & 2, rather than the usual alphabetizing seen in most model kits.
Dark-green no. 1 tree holds: the frame, handle-bars, fuel tank, exhuast, motor, seats, speedometer, luggage rack etc. (26 parts)
Dark-green no. 2 tree holds: wheels, front fender, front axle assemblies, figure (separate head, torso, arms and legs), a helmet, cloth sack, pistol holster, rifle etc. (16 parts)
The decal sheet holds 2 different license plate numbers and the Gnome-Rhone logos.
Highly recommended. Kit has very good detail.
Highly recommended. Kit has very good detail.
This kit was willed to me by a modeler friend that died of cancer years ago.