24-hour build: Heller 1/72 Arado Ar 96

I've previously published an article about my 24-hour Airfix Widcat, and this build followed much the same online format: start-to-finish in a 24-hour period with frequently posted updates. Unlike the new-tool Wildcat, the Heller Ar 96 was typical of a 70s kit, with raised panel lines, basic interior, and dried up, off-register decals.

There really isn't much scope for interior detailing when facing such a short deadline, so after just four hours' work the fuselage halves were ready to go together. I added some stretched sprue longerons and made a set of seat harnesses out of Parafilm, but the rest is from the kit. Fast drying Gunze lacquers and Tamiya acrylics/lacquer thinners were used throughout the build to speed things along.

Fortunately re-scribing was mostly confined to the wings as the fuselage was largely fabric covered. There was a bit of a fit issue at the wing root, resolved with a slice of styrene sheet, but otherwise I was impressed by how easily it went together. Just over 9 hours after starting it, the first coat of Gunze RLM02 paint was on. At this point the model was left to fully cure overnight, and I headed upstairs to spend some time with my long-suffering wife..

Work resumed next morning, masking and painting the black undersides, forward fuselage, and canopy. A gloss coat followed (drying time accelerated with a hair-dryer), then decal application. The markings came from various sheets in my spares box, including a couple of items from a 60-year old ABT sheet which performed perfectly!

I'd painted the undercarriage and prop earlier in the build, so they were added next. No attempt was made to detail the wheel bays, although in retrospect I probably would have had time to quickly box them in. Final touches were the D/F loop and aerial wire. I scraped across the finished line with about 20 minutes spare...

It certainly wouldn't win any awards, but considering how quickly it was put together I was quite pleased with it. No doubt the Special Hobby kit is streets ahead of the old Heller model, but I had this one in the stash and now it's finished. I consider that a win.