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1/72 scratch built Hansa-Brandenburg CC Flying Boat (star strutter)


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Interest is increasing at the moment over on the Flying Boats GB which is due to start in early September. I intend to participate in this GB but just to bring it to the attention of others here is a flying boat that I made a while ago. I found this in K. Munson's Fighters 1914-1919: the Hansa-Brandenburg star strut machines have always fascinated me and this one had the additional attraction of being a pusher! There is a detailed build log on ww1aircraftmodels.com if anyone is interested in how I manged to get the struts into place. In the meantime here are some photos and historical notes on the type. BTW before anyone comments I know that the nose marking is a bit on the large side but I only had transfers of this size and could not print ones to the correct size as the numerals and letter is white. The Schwarzlose machine gun is from Aeroclub, the rest is home made from card, rod, strip and wood for the propellor.

 

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The Hansa Brandenburg CC was named after Camillo Castiglione a banker who bought the Hansa and Brandenburgisch Fleugzeug-Werke Gmbh in 1916. The machine was designed by E. Heinkel and was powered by a Benz III 150 hp engine, a Heiro 220 hp engine or an Austro-Daimler 185hp engine.

 

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The machine was designed as a short range defensive fighter for use by the Austro-Hungarian navy and there was hope that the German navy would use them too but although they accepted one machine, German pilots tended to prefer floatplanes.

 

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The unusual multiple V strut (or star strut) configuration had been used on the Hansa-Brandenburg D1 fighter and the Hansa-Brandenburg KDW - a D1 on floats. Only 35 of this type were built and most were used by the Austro-Hungarian navy for protection of harbours and bases on the Adriatic coast.

 

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Lt Gottfried Banfield was the best known of the navy pilots to fly these machines which were in service during the summer and autumn of 1917. They were able to hold their own against the Italian flown Nieuport 11, although they were less manoeuvrable than the Nieuports they were slightly faster. Early machines were fitted with one machine gun but later examples had two.

 

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Thanks for looking.

 

P

 

 

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Fantastic.  I love the look of the star stutters, though the geometry of building a model of those struts bewilders me!  Well done.

Cheers 

Will 

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Absolutely superb!

The star strut arrangement must have been a bonkers challenge to get right. Let alone the rest of the astonishing detail you've incorporated into this little gem.

 

I wonder why they went for that strut arrangement? It must have been draggy as all get out. Perhaps it required less rigging than a conventional setup? In which case it may not have been as draggy as I'm guessing.

I also wonder a bit about how they handled on the water with that engine up there doing funny things to the CoG? (Not that there's anywhere else to put it!)

What a nifty machine! B)

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Beauty build! 

The conscructor of this miracle - what he was smoking or drinking back there in Germany about 1916?  Is just wine enough for THAT?

Congrats for selction of such nice subject and how you managed it!

Cheers

J-W

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