Some cool Heller info

[aurfalien]

Hi,

I came across this and really enjoyed it;

http://www.tsrfcars.com/toys-heller.htm

Kinda makes me think they were at the for front of all this stuff back in the day.

[jbwelda]

that was really a super article there! I imagine that the author had quite a life with that sort of experience to start it!

it really shows to me how the instructions we think of so mundanely, are actually very artful and beautiful in their own right.

I have never really explored Heller kits, how are they generally regarded? I know the do, or did, some historic cars that haven't been otherwise offered, but how is the detail level? the fiddliness factor? stuff fits and is fairly straight and true? any particularly good or particularly poor (fitting and look wise) kits available?

jb

[jbwelda]

and check this out...he says he executed this drawing with China ink and water in less than an hour.

[lordairgtar]

I know Phillipe thru emails back and forth. I'm a big fan of the old Heller / AMT kits. He was missing an important piece in his collection, the double kit featuring the Matra and Brabham open wheel cars sold under the AMT label. I sent him one of my unbuilt minty fresh kits.

[lordairgtar]

I have never really explored Heller kits, how are they generally regarded? I know the do, or did, some historic cars that haven't been otherwise offered, but how is the detail level? the fiddliness factor? stuff fits and is fairly straight and true? any particularly good or particularly poor (fitting and look wise) kits available?

jb

Awesome detail in the old IMC fashion. With care, they are awesome models. The Alpine A210 being the fiddliest. I think with taking time through each build step, they make nice models.

[aurfalien]

Wow, that's a cool car indeed.

Seemed like Heller was the only one doing awesome cars like this back then.

I wonder why they don't have similarly cool line ups now? At least it doesn't inspire passion in me. But back then when Phillipe was in, they seemed just killer.

[10thumbs]

My experience with Heller models is only from the historic sailing vessels, Clipper Ships and 18th Century warships. The Heller models are the finest I've ever seen, extremely well detailed with lots of parts that fit very well with very little flash! The ships I have are 1:150. The rigging is pretty close to being exact, more detailed than any other model ship. I have the Gorch Fock, the Amerigo Vespucci and the Royal Louis, with the Preussen and Passat still in their boxes. Anyone familiar with historic sailing ships will know their value.

I imagine the car kits are just as detailed and valuable.

Michael

Edited March 4, 2015 by 10thumbs

[southpier]

that whole website is pretty cool

[Atmobil]

I did read that article once before and what struck me then and now is this:

The first kit I designed was that of an Alpine-Renault A210 Le Mans car.

I even tried to get a windshield rubber seal to work but it did not, and I had to revert to the standard method of gluing the windshield in place.

This really is a sign of how ambitious they where at Heller back in the day.

[unclescott58]

Wow! A great article. Interesting. I have never built, or even owned a Heller kit ever. Looking at the instructions he posted, it looks like they were not easiest kits for average model builder to build. Beautiful stuff though.

Scott

[Mike_G]

I have an old Heller 1/8 BMW 100RT motorcycle kit that's pretty awesome- the engine cylinders are built by stacking individual cooling fins using a little jig supplied in the kit.

[Draggon]

Phillipe is also quite the accomplished slot racer, and designed the paint on the 1972 Olsonite Eagle Indy Car. This pic shows him in the restored car.

[Foxer]

Very interesting link to Heller history.

Interesting that he designed and "measured" many just from photos. Don't let our rivet counters see this!

[RancheroSteve]

I have the Heller Lotus 49B and the Union re-branded McLaren M7. Apart from the tires being a bit square and un-realistic looking, they appear to be excellent kits, but not necessarily easy to build. I've sourced some better tires from Hobby Link Japan and I'm planning to make a start on the Lotus sometime this year.

[Tom Geiger]

Nice article! I've always been a fan of Heller models since I lived in Europe. I have a decent collection of the older vehicles, especially the Citroen trucks. Assembly wise, these remind me of the early 1960s Revell kits. A bit over ambitious in detail, so they are fiddley to assemble. But in the end you have a very nice model.

[Roadrunner]

My experience with Heller models is only from the historic sailing vessels, Clipper Ships and 18th Century warships. The Heller models are the finest I've ever seen, extremely well detailed with lots of parts that fit very well with very little flash! The ships I have are 1:150. The rigging is pretty close to being exact, more detailed than any other model ship. I have the Gorch Fock, the Amerigo Vespucci and the Royal Louis, with the Preussen and Passat still in their boxes. Anyone familiar with historic sailing ships will know their value.

I imagine the car kits are just as detailed and valuable.

Michael

Oh yea. I set out once to find and purchase a Heller HMS Bounty, and was shocked to see the prices. Needles to say, I never got one.

[tim boyd]

I met him a few years back when a person who worked in my organization at Ford took me to his studio. It was quite an interesting discussion. But very clear that his interests lie elsewhere these days (which is fine).

I remember first reading his articles in MCS, then later discovering the Heller F1 and LeMans kits around 1974 or so....a very rich history and it's cool to hear that you all appreciate reading about it.

TIM

[Vince Nemanic]

I met de Lespinay sveral years ago at the Monterey Historics, where he was racing a Renault Alpine. I asked for his autograph, and he was quite surprised that I remembered his work for Heller. We spent a few minutes talking about an article he did in Model Car Science and his days designing kits. A very nice man

[keyser]

He was US importer for Gotti wheels, and was involved in grey-market imports of R5 Turbos and A310's. I almost bought R5Turbo Maxi after talking with him a bit back then. Great guy, very knowledgeable. Amazing collection too.

Very interesting link to Heller history.

Interesting that he designed and "measured" many just from photos. Don't let our rivet counters see this!

BTW, I'm one of those "I like it to look correct" (not "rivet counters" yet again ), and few can do that. He did, and if you'd look at the freehand drawing he did posted above, you'd know he knew how to make it look correct. It's not all about measurement, it's about spatial relationships and proportions.

Thanks for dragging the "rivet counters" into this thread. Nobody else had any comment about that, since Heller stuff from that era is pretty amazing. Can't buy them at HL for 40% off, and the multipiece bodies will make you crazy. Real modelers appreciate the end result, so it's worth it.

Edited March 4, 2015 by keyser

[aurfalien]

That leads me to my next thought because as you justly said he did things that looked right which doesn't always imply "measured right".

I've heard a few reviews of his 907/8 kit and they all seem to voice that its not a 1/24 or even 1/25 kit but some odd size in between.

Since I understand the actual 1:1 907/8 looked really small in person, perhaps his interpretation was to also make it look smaller then your normal 1/24 scale model?

[DrGlueblob]

I've built a lot of Heller models in different subjects. I still find one on Amazon sometimes for a reasonable price. Good, basic kits that you can superdetail the heck outta, or just enjoy as is.

[unclescott58]

That leads me to my next thought because as you justly said he did things that looked right which doesn't always imply "measured right".

I've heard a few reviews of his 907/8 kit and they all seem to voice that its not a 1/24 or even 1/25 kit but some odd size in between.

Since I understand the actual 1:1 907/8 looked really small in person, perhaps his interpretation was to also make it look smaller then your normal 1/24 scale model?

Fujimi's Porsche 917K has that "right look", but seems off in scale. When sitting with other 1/24th scale models, it looks too big for 1/24th scale. I still like the kit though. The look of any model or toy car is more important to me, than if it measures out true. I wonder if sometimes things translated to correct size in scale, do not look right to the eye?

Scott

[gtx6970]

I have a couple Heller kits on hand. and have been thinking of picking up a few more. Primarily the cars of the 20's or 30's . Not neccesarly any particular brand or model in particular. But I like the big open cars from the period

Is there any particular kit to look out for and/or to avoid

[ZTony8]

The Heller kits certainly have declined in design over the years.I have a Ferrari 330P4 kit from the 70s,3 versions of the McLaren M7,and a Testor boxed Porsche 917 and they're miles ahead in features and parts count from the greatly simplified WRC Peugeot,Citroen,and Mitsubishi kits from later on.

[Atmobil]

I have a couple Heller kits on hand. and have been thinking of picking up a few more. Primarily the cars of the 20's or 30's . Not neccesarly any particular brand or model in particular. But I like the big open cars from the period

Is there any particular kit to look out for and/or to avoid

I have only built the Citroen C4 "Waterman" van but I got several of the kits and from my point of view they are all equal. They can be fiddly to put togheter but if you are careful and do things properly and take your time on it they will end up as great models. If you like the big open cars, then the Delage D8SS and the Mercedes 500K will fit the bill. My personal favourites is the Talbot Lago Record 1950 and the Renault Vivastella and the Delahaye 135 looks really great.