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This is a 1/72 kit from Special Hobby of the Sack AS 6. The limited amount of information on this plane, but what is there is quite interesting. It was designed by a Bavarian farmer (Arthur Sack) who designs caught the eye of Ernest Udet. The Sack AS 1-5 versions were models and the AS 6 was the first, full size, powered design. It was an amalgamation of various existing parts. The cockpit, pilot seat and landing gear was salvaged from a BF 109B. The engine came from a BF 108. Brakes were donated by an old JU 88. From all that I have read, to say that this flew is generous. Its seems it made some nice hops up into the air that lasted a few seconds, with most of the hops ending in a collapse of one or both of the landing gear when the hop ended.

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The kit is injection molded with resin details (engine, cockpit side walls, instrument panel, exhausts) and one vacuform canopy. I started this kit a couple of years ago, but got fed up with the filling and sanding that needed to be done. That and whoever designed the injection mold parts of the kit never spoke to the resin designer so most of the resin really doesn’t fit the kit. Also, the instructions are at best suggestive of what goes where so most of the part location decisions are a hunch. One of my resolutions has been to clear out the shelf of doom and finish every kit I have started. This is one of them. I took some early progress pictures and then just stopped. So here are the progress pictures, followed by the finish kit.

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I need to add some more filler to some of the joints and that has been done. The next step is to try to get the cockpit built up. Both of the resin sidewalls are way too tall for the interior. So they will have to be reduced to fit the inside. Here is one side cut to fit with the other side awaiting trimming to show the difference between the two.

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The instrument panel is very basic

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After trimming the side walls they were installed along with the IP.

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I attempted to put in the seat, but it is way too wide for the cockpit. So after much sanding and trimming, I ended up with this crude situation.

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I thought about finding a smaller seat replacement or have an attempt at scratchbuilding. However, even though it has a vacuform canopy, not much will be seen through it once it is on. So the canopy was put on. (Why are vacuform canopies so terrifying? Each cut I make I feel I have just ruined it and then what? Hopefully I am getting better at cutting them out and making them fit.)

That was the build up until the time I stopped. I got this kit out and finished the darn thing.

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Once it is built up, it doesn’t look too bad. If you compare the box art to the kit, the artist decided the wings were fabric covered while the kit designers portray them as planks of wood. Anyway, once I restarted the kit, it was fairly enjoyable. It is also a bit weird and I like that. Hope you like the German version of the Flying Pancake. As always, all comments are welcome.

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I nearly picked that kit up, wow some of the parts look rough.....Glad it was you that did battle with it, not me! :wicked:

It was not an easy kit to finish, that's why it was put on the shelf of doom. The resin was nice, the plastic was sorta nice. Just neither one matched the other. Add to that it was one of Special Hobby's less than stellar offerings as far as fit goes. However, now that it is finished, it looks kinda cool. If you don't mind filling and sanding, fiddling and fettling, then this kit is for you.

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About the only thing that went really well with this kit is the wood finish effect on the propeller. Don't know if it translates as well in photos, but in real life, it came out really good. Otherwise most of the kit was always an effort.

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Well, I can safely say I have never heard of this engagingly daft subject! Great work, looks like it was an absolute pig to build :)

It really wasn't so bad when you take the limited run character of the kit. This is not one of Special Hobby's newest kits and really reflects what short run kits were 15 years ago. (Was 1999 really that long ago?). It does point out how far advanced kit engineering has come, even the limited run kits. If you don't mind sanding and filling and like unique subjects, this kit is for you

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-Good job , an one knows about flying records of this oddity ?

I pretty much gleamed all I could about this little aircraft from the internet and summarized it at the beginning of the thread. The best site I found on this aircraft is here: http://discaircraft.greyfalcon.us/ARTHUR%20SACK%20A.htm

It made more of a hop or two than a real flight. If you could find more, please let me know.

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Nigel,

I would say creatively eccentric rather than a weirdo. (2 things, kinda strange about that masking thing being fun; it's just a step above sanding and filling. Secondly, can't really be a weirdo if you don't know how to spell it! See graphics language for wierd.)

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Did I mention I have a tad bit of trouble with authority figures and following the system? (That's why my military career was so colorful and I ended up where I ended up. That or Leavenworth!) I am afraid semi-obedient is about the best you are going to get.

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