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Avia B-234C "Barak" w/ "Shalom I" & Avia S-92 "Snunit" of the Israeli Air Force in the War of Independence '48 - '49


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Hi Guys!

This will be my report.
I already open the topic to reserve my idea. © ;)
I am using Dragon's Ar 234C with V-1 and Revell's Me 262A, both 1/72.

Background story is following and build starts very soon.
I hope you are interested in these. :)

Edit:
And here the background story:

In the 30s of the last century, before WW2 began, Germany developed some planes with new kind of engines, jet engines.
Two of these planes, which came to service, were the Arado Ar 234 “Blitz / Lightning” and the Messerschmitt Me 262 “Schwalbe / swallow”
As result of the allied air raids on german aviation industries the production was spread and moved to southern part of Germany or occupied territories - including Czechoslovakia.
After the war the Czechoslovakia kept the production line for the Me 262 and the Ar 234 in the Avia, czech plane manufacture.
Avia keep the Me 262 without any big changes and build them as S-92 single seater fighter and the trainer CS-92.
But beside the twin engine Ar 234B the Ar 234 was developed to the C-standard with 4 engines in two nacelles, that didn’t come to service in German Air Force during the war. So the Ar 234C became Avia B-234C.

May the 14th in 1948 the new state Israel was founded when British mandate of Palestine ended.
Instead of founding an additional arab state in Palestine, the Arabs decide to destroy the jewish state. Arab groups in the former Mandate, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, supported by other countries, declared war to Israel on May the 15th.

It was necessary for the new Israeli Air Force to get planes, fighters and bombers.
But there was an embargo by western countries. So they found in Czechoslovakia a country, that was willing to sell them weapons. Israel decided for the S-92 as “Snunit” (swallow) and the B-234C as “Barak” (Lightning)) and the planes were shipped disassembled. In Israel the planes were assembled and two new squadrons were founded.
The B-234C squadron became first operational – so they gave the name “First Jet Squadron”.
The S-92 squadron was named “First Fighter Squadron”.

In need of long distance attacks (Iraq, Saudi Arabia) and the short range of the jet bombers the IAF decide to purchase a flying bomb. But none were available.
The idea of one of the mechanics, to look for the forced
labourers which were forced to build the V-1 for the Nazi was successful. The IAF found some survivor, who immigrated to Israel after the war. Below them were also engineers, which kept in mind how to build. First flying bomb in Israel was produced as “Shalom I” (Peace 1).

Edited by MiG-Mech
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I like the story and the Arado is one of my favourite aircraft, have 5 built/unbuilt in 1/48th (you should check out my current build in the WhatIf section :D), so I will be following this one with real interest!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Okay guys, now I will have time to start the build. :)
Here you can see, which kits I will use.
They should be known.
comp_DSCF2184_zpszicarzao.jpgcomp_DSCF2185_zpslqdf3rg6.jpg

Here where the decals are coming from.
I am not finally sure, which decals I will use for the Messerschmitt, D-117 or D-120 from the S-199 kit.
Also for the Arado, maybe from the Vautour IIB "The Big Brother" with hebrew letters below the cockpit.
But camouflage will be the czech one tone grey-green, perhaps one of them bit more dark or light.
And the V-1 ? Also grey-green ? Sand ? Mixed camouflage from sand, brown, green, blue or grey ? Dark olive ?
comp_DSCF2187_zpsjopa5apw.jpg

And some books for enquiry:
comp_DSCF2188_zpskhugm2ew.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Small update. Slowly but surely.
I prepared parts and cokpit for first paint.
Coz of using same colour for cockpits and gear wells I will start with the Me now.
The Ar fits good together, except the engine nacells. The exhaust pipes dont fits well in the housing, so I am trying all the time to get them inside by rasping.
I also fear of tail sitting, so I add some weight, but there is not much space. Maybe I dont install the one cylinder in the nose gear well and put nuts inside. You will not see anything of this, when it's finished.
The big bomb I will change to an aux tank.

comp_20150906_214857_zpsvr82htmm.jpg
comp_20150906_214910_zpsvqn7d8pj.jpg

The Me from RoG is quite good. If you glued fuselage together and wings you dont need glue any more.
But the canopy is, like often (?) at Revell, bit blind.

I already built the twinseater version.
schraumlg%20links%20hinten_zpshfevwu2f.j

Edited by MiG-Mech
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  • 2 months later...

It was scheduled not to use any aftermarket parts.
But the canopy is to bad - you can see at the pic.
For that I bought exchange vacu canopy.

DSCF2495_zpso7cb5qft.jpg

Edited by MiG-Mech
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