In Box Review of Heller 1/35th Scale
German Infantry Battle Group Machine Gunner
Appui-Feu (Fire-support)
Kit no. 114
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1977
Out of production.
I paid a mere $3.50 for this kit at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1977
Out of production.
I paid a mere $3.50 for this kit at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
THE KIT:
Heller is an old prolific plaster model kit manufacturer based in Paris, France. They manufacture all manner of plastic model subjects in the popular scales.
The 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 one of the end flaps of the kit to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box is blousy. It is 3” too long.
The cover art shows a color illustration of 3 German machine-gunner troops. on a grassy field against an all-white background. Similar to how Tamiya also does the majority of their box art backgrounds.
The men are all dressed in field-grey trousers bloused into black jack boots.. They all wear steel helmets.
The first man on the left is standing and aiming a MG34, that is resting on the second man’s right shoulder. He has a gas mask canister and a shovel in a carrying case, a canteen, canvas sack and ammo pouch on his belt.
The second man (in the center) is supporting the MG34 on his right shoulder. He is armed with a MP40 sub-machine gun that is slung over his right shoulder. He has the same field gear on his belt as the first man has.
The third man is kneeling on his right knee and is holding a steel ammo can for the MG34 in his right hand, with it sitting on the ground. He is armed with a 98K carbine in his left hand.
The lower corner of the box art says: Kit contains 3 figures, numerous accessories and 50 parts. In French.
This is repeated on both of the side panels of the box in French and again on the bottom of the box in German and English.
Heller is an old prolific plaster model kit manufacturer based in Paris, France. They manufacture all manner of plastic model subjects in the popular scales.
The 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 one of the end flaps of the kit to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box is blousy. It is 3” too long.
The cover art shows a color illustration of 3 German machine-gunner troops. on a grassy field against an all-white background. Similar to how Tamiya also does the majority of their box art backgrounds.
The men are all dressed in field-grey trousers bloused into black jack boots.. They all wear steel helmets.
The first man on the left is standing and aiming a MG34, that is resting on the second man’s right shoulder. He has a gas mask canister and a shovel in a carrying case, a canteen, canvas sack and ammo pouch on his belt.
The second man (in the center) is supporting the MG34 on his right shoulder. He is armed with a MP40 sub-machine gun that is slung over his right shoulder. He has the same field gear on his belt as the first man has.
The third man is kneeling on his right knee and is holding a steel ammo can for the MG34 in his right hand, with it sitting on the ground. He is armed with a 98K carbine in his left hand.
The lower corner of the box art says: Kit contains 3 figures, numerous accessories and 50 parts. In French.
This is repeated on both of the side panels of the box in French and again on the bottom of the box in German and English.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
Like the majority of Heller figure kits. This one holds 3 dark-green parts trees in a sealed clear cello bag and a gelatin capsule of glue. However, this capsule turned hard and I threw it away.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet, printed on both sides in 8 ¼” x 12” page format.
The face side is the assembly instructions, showing each one of the four figures once. Text is all in French
The reverse side has painting instructions in English and German.
Trees are not alphabetized. Instead they are numbered. They have part number tabs on the parts.
Dark-green tree number 1 holds: one of the figures, divided into separate head, front and back of torso, arms and legs. Also a helmet, rifle, ammo pouch, the MG34 and its bipod, a shovel in carrying case, canteen, canvas tarp, 2 bayonets in scabbards, steel helmet and a base plate to mount the figure on. (22 parts)
Like the majority of Heller figure kits. This one holds 3 dark-green parts trees in a sealed clear cello bag and a gelatin capsule of glue. However, this capsule turned hard and I threw it away.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet, printed on both sides in 8 ¼” x 12” page format.
The face side is the assembly instructions, showing each one of the four figures once. Text is all in French
The reverse side has painting instructions in English and German.
Trees are not alphabetized. Instead they are numbered. They have part number tabs on the parts.
Dark-green tree number 1 holds: one of the figures, divided into separate head, front and back of torso, arms and legs. Also a helmet, rifle, ammo pouch, the MG34 and its bipod, a shovel in carrying case, canteen, canvas tarp, 2 bayonets in scabbards, steel helmet and a base plate to mount the figure on. (22 parts)
Tree number 2 holds: another figure, divided the same and with the same equipment, but also including a bayonet in and out of the scabbard, a gas mask canister and a steel helmet. (19 parts)
Tree number 3 holds: the third figure, divided the same as the other 2 figures and the same equipment as the number 2 man. Plus a 98K carbine and 2 potato masher type grenades under a section of belt (21 parts)
There is a small slip in the kit that is a service request on one side in French.
Detail is very good.
Recommended
Recommended