Category: German aircraft
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Dornier Do.17E – Part One – The German Pencil

I am going have a lot of fun with The German Pencil – the Dornier Do. 17E that was interned by the Royal Ruritanian Army Air Force. It is a kit from my friend Paul and I’m going to try a wholly new idea for my display. This one will not be parked – it’ll…
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Prop Washing

Well, you don’t want a dirty propeller, now do you. Sign of a badly-maintained aircraft, that. All greasy around the spinner, like… Actually, I got to wondering at who decides what colour the propeller on an aircraft should be, and why. Some reasons seem evident, but some are obscure. a. American aircraft prior to WW2…
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Dornier Do.17Z – Part Four – Interniert

” What! ” you say…” The Swiss Air Force never bought Dornier Do.17Z bombers in WW2! ” you say… You say right. They never bought any – they were given one by chance. One landed by mistake at Basle – Birsfelden in April 1940 and the four crew members were interned. The plane was repaired,…
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Dornier Do.17Z – Part Three – Perfect Plastic Putty

Since being introduced to this material two years ago I have found my respect for it increasing. It’s English and fairly specific to the plastic kit hobby but really does fufil its purpose. The purpose is best circumscribed – the filling of broad, shallow depressions. It does not form a structural component so you cannot…
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Dornier Do.17Z – Part Two – A FROG Of A Different Colour

The experience of the FROG Dornier is interesting. The kit is an older mould and has raised panel lines but no rivets. I don’t mind as it will have a dark finish anyway. But it is an older kit. Thus the fit in some places is approximate. The fuselage is excellent, the wing box assembly commendably…
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Dornier D0.17Z – Part One – First FROG

Well, well, well. after all these years. My first FROG model. This should be an experience. This is a model donated by my friend Paul – part of a stash he kept since the 70’s and 80’s. I feel honoured to build it. The box shows age – you cannot expect it not to. The…
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Focke Wulf 190A – Part Three – The Internet Evening

When you want to build a kit straight out of the box, the first thing you do is cut the seals and open the box. When you want to build it to a different variant the first thing you do is go to the computer and open Google. It is the source of much of…
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Focke Wulf 190A – Part Two – Happy Hasegawa

I do not get a chance to build many Hasegawa aircraft – the kits are not as common on the shelves as they might have been in the 1980’s and 1990’s. I suspect his is a financial matter – they can be 25% pricier than other mainstream brands. I am not fussed – the examples…
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Focke Wulf 190A – Part One – Spoiled For Choice

Wobbling through Google the other day I discovered a colour scheme for the Focke Wulf 190 fighter plane that looked quite interesting. It has little to do with any boxed kit, but I can get other decals and paints readily. All you need is reference material and the inspiration. But what kit to get? There…
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Messerschmitt Me 109 E – Part Three – Never Mind If You Don’t Read German

Get up in that airplane, Pilot, and fly it. Ignore the instruments on the dashboard. You’ll be fine. Okay, it’s a small cockpit and you’re very tall. We can fix this. The fitters will unscrew the canopy and take it off. Wear a flying helmet. Or a wooly cap. You’ll be fine. Yes, I know…
