Preview: Two new crews for your He-111 from Border Model in 35th scale.

Border Model's new Heinkel He-111 H-6 in 1/35th scale now has pilots & crew to inhabit it. CADs of the promised resin in our preview...

Preview: Two new crews for your He-111 from Border Model in 35th scale.

Heinkel He-111 H-6 crew (flying & ground-based)

From Border Model

Kit No. BF-008 & BF009

1/35th scale

Five figures in each set

3D-printed resin

Price: TBA

Expected: TBA

To match the (recently for sale) Border Model's forthcoming He-111 H6 in 1/35th scale kit that we previewed a while ago, we now get two new crews in printed resin to match them, either in the "office" or next to the kite on the ground.

Two kits of five figures, printed in 3D resin, are to be offered to eager modellers; we will look at them both a little closer...

The subject – the He-111 crew.

A typical He-111 crew of four to five included a pilot, a navigator/bomb-aimer, a radio operator/dorsal gunner, and a ventral gunner. Duties involved flying the aircraft, navigating to the target, bombing, operating defensive machine guns from dorsal, ventral, and sometimes beam positions, and managing radio communications. 

Pilot: Controlled the aircraft's flight and navigation, often working alongside the navigator.

Navigator/Bomb-Aimer: Navigated the aircraft to the target and operated the bomb-sights for a precise drop. This position was often in the front glazing with good visibility below, and the individual could also man the nose gun.

Radio Operator/Dorsal Gunner: Operated the radio equipment for communication and manned the defensive machine gun in the dorsal (top) position.

Pilot and crew in cockpit of Heinkel He 111

Ventral Gunner: Operated the defensive machine gun located in the ventral (belly) gondola.

Beam Gunner: Some versions had an additional gunner in the beam positions (sides) to provide defensive fire.

 Night ops Heinkel He 111P showing a crew after landing at night

German Bomber Pilots for He-111 "Ground Condition"

From Border Model

Kit No. BF-008

1/35th scale

Five figures in each set

3D-printed resin

Price: TBA

Expected: TBA

Five figures were sold in the one box. Those of you who might have purchased the German U-boat figures can attest to the quality. These figures are seen in the poses it might take to fly and defend the plane. A pilot, navigator/bomb-aimer, and radio operator/dorsal gunner, along with the centre lower gondola and side MG-34 gunners.

The side stations of the He-111 are seen here in some good detail, and just how cramped it is in there for a gunner to fight from. Seen with his spare MG clips next to him and operating the MG-34 with his steel helmet on.

A closer view of the air gunner, with his parachute attached and in his flying overalls. One wonders why he isn't wearing a flotation vest. Surely this would make him from a period that isn't the "Kanalkampf" (Channel Battle)?

The top gunner with his MG-34 (these figures will not have weapons included as they will be in the kit).

The gunner is posed in his station on the single MG-34 on top of the kite, poised in his seat, on the lookout for Tommies.

German Bomber Pilots for He-111 "Ground Condition"

From Border Model

Kit No. BF-008 & BF009

1/35th scale

Five figures in each set

3D-printed resin

Price: TBA

Expected: TBA

The pilot & co-pilot and three crewmen make up this kit; again, no life preservers, so one would think that these are not Battle of Britain crews but maybe earlier or later? Who knows?

Not the same figures as above, but the second pilot and aircrewman. Seen with the "flying hands" and in response, the "no" hand :-) .

Fastening his parachute by its centre buckle, this aircrewman in his leather flying helmet is as detailed as the others; all are very nicely done, with those "Mae West" additions the only thing that we would have added.

This kit is not on their website yet, but Hobbylink Japan always gets their kits. Check out the Border Models website for more information...