Vintage Classic - Airfix Storch+++FINISHED+++

[GREG DESTEC]

These kits are almost always less than a tenner a,d so they should be! Second hand kits can change hand for much more than the reissues, which at least have decent transfers.

 

This is the old airfix nugget reissued last year, which i picked up on Amazon for £8:99 inc post.

 

Looking forward to it as it a type i have always liked,

 

Cheers Greg

 

 

 

 

Edited June 19, 2021 by GREG DESTEC
Titles

[AdrianMF]

Nice choice. I built one last year and I hope your moulding is better than mine was! The landing gear legs, even the compressed ones, are too long by 7mm or so.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[GREG DESTEC]

Just now, AdrianMF said:

Nice choice. I built one last year and I hope your moulding is better than mine was! The landing gear legs, even the compressed ones, are too long by 7mm or so.

 

Regards,

Adrian

Hi Adrian,

 

I've been looking for that thread, as I remember your build, in winter camo and skis. I am also wondering how the glazing fits, as it looks a bit daunting 😯

Cheers Greg 👍

[AdrianMF]

41 minutes ago, GREG DESTEC said:

I've been looking for that thread

It’s here, with a not particularly helpful title. Sorry it goes on a bit. My glazing was terrible and short-shot to boot, but it was from the late 70s/early 80s when Airfix quality seemed to take a dive. Hopefully yours will be better.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[GREG DESTEC]

Just now, AdrianMF said:

It’s here, with a not particularly helpful title. Sorry it goes on a bit. My glazing was terrible and short-shot to boot, but it was from the late 70s/early 80s when Airfix quality seemed to take a dive. Hopefully yours will be better.

 

Regards,

Adrian

Many thanks Adrian 👍

[Adam Poultney]

Is that a defensive gun on the desert scheme? I didn't know they had them on these

[Graham Boak]

If by "0on these" you just mean Storchs, then some did.  If you meant desert Storchs, I don't know.

[GREG DESTEC]

37 minutes ago, Adam Poultney said:

Is that a defensive gun on the desert scheme? I didn't know they had them on these

The option is there to add one but I dunno how accurate that is! I will see if I can hunt down a photo of two to check. 

 

Cheers Greg 👍

[Black Knight]

The desert scheme represents one used by Erwin Rommel.

In a couple of photos I have the m/g can be clearly seen

I can't post the photos due to copyrights

[PlaStix]

Hi Greg. Another fine choice of kit for your second build. I might have some photos somewhere, of the Storch that flew a few years back at the Cosby Victory Show, which takes place near where I live. If I can find them I'll post some here for you. I'm looking forward to following this build too.

Kind regards,

Stix

 

[Black Knight]

This may or may not worry you;

Airfix left off some of the small struts, between the two main ones and the wing or the fuselage and the wheel strut ~ I can't remember which ones

Compare your parts with these photos. (mine. taken of the F.S. at Cosford museum)

 

 

 

[GREG DESTEC]

11 hours ago, PlaStix said:

Hi Greg. Another fine choice of kit for your second build. I might have some photos somewhere, of the Storch that flew a few years back at the Cosby Victory Show, which takes place near where I live. If I can find them I'll post some here for you. I'm looking forward to following this build too.

Kind regards,

Stix

 

Hi Stix,

 

Thank you for the kind comments, I would be pleased to see your photos if it when you find them. The Airfix kit is rather basic to say the least but then it is one of their very old moulds, and owes no one any favours!

 

I have made a start to this one and will post some progress shots  at the weekend.

 

Cheers Greg 👍

[GREG DESTEC]

9 hours ago, Black Knight said:

This may or may not worry you;

Airfix left off some of the small struts, between the two main ones and the wing or the fuselage and the wheel strut ~ I can't remember which ones

Compare your parts with these photos. (mine. taken of the F.S. at Cosford museum)

 

 

 

Thanks very much for the heads up. I have been looking at other builds on BM and scouring the net for images. I see what you mean about missing parts. Stretched sprue may do the job for the missing supports. 

 

Cheers Greg🍺

[modelling minion]

Nice choice Greg.

I built quite a few of these in my younger years with varying degrees of success, I think most of mine were finished in Rommel's scheme. Speaking of which it definitely did carry a defensive MG in the rear canopy.

 

http://www.ww2incolor.com/german/Rommel_Storch.html

 

Couldn't really imagine one of Germany's top Generals being transported around the front line in an unarmed aircraft.

[GREG DESTEC]

1 hour ago, modelling minion said:

Nice choice Greg.

I built quite a few of these in my younger years with varying degrees of success, I think most of mine were finished in Rommel's scheme. Speaking of which it definitely did carry a defensive MG in the rear canopy.

 

http://www.ww2incolor.com/german/Rommel_Storch.html

 

Couldn't really imagine one of Germany's top Generals being transported around the front line in an unarmed aircraft.

Thanks Craig, 

 

nice link to a supportive image. Next question would be did the Storch carry a gunner? I can't imagine the pilot asking the general to deal with attacking enemy fighters! I will be adding the mg on my build, and having a go at the North Africa markings.

 

Cheers Greg 👍

[modelling minion]

Good point, I hadn't thought of that but then I don't think that there would have been any room for a dedicated gunner as well. I would have thought that the escorting 109's would have dealt with any marauding Allied fighters before Erwin had to get on the MG.

[Bodmin]

Glad to see I'm not the only one who's entered with this kit. I shall keep an eye.

[GREG DESTEC]

Evening all!

 

Progress to date has been fine. The Airfix kit is indeed a "classic" with the usual flashy parts and thick poorly fitting transparencies. Despite this i am enjoying making it in to a Storch like shape. 

 

Given the small and claustrophobic office i have neglected to add any internals of my own save a blanking piece for the rear which would otherwise be a void. The photos show joining the fuselage produces a step, which i treated to lashings of filler and sanded up a dust storm. So far so good. Next i decided to try and get the large glass house canopy to fit. I tried dry fitting it with the parts taped together, which was a faff. However it did seem that it could be done. I cemented one half with clearfix and let it set. I then added the second half again with clearfix, which allowed a lot of maneuvering to get "best" fit. I have yet to add the ceiling part with the wings and am debating as to whether to do the wing section as a subassembly and add the whole thing to the roof of the cockpit.  You will also see i have painted up the crew, who will help hide the fact that theres not a lot on the insides!

 

Anyway, its underway now, and i hope to progress more over the next few days. Thanks for looking in and all your comments.

 

Cheers Greg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AdrianMF]

Nice work on the crew. It’s a bit of a slog, but it does fit together (sort of) in the end.

 

The fuselage on my rather older example was step-tastic too - at the time I blamed moulding by Heller decades ago, but it seems that isn’t the case.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[GREG DESTEC]

11 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

Nice work on the crew. It’s a bit of a slog, but it does fit together (sort of) in the end.

 

The fuselage on my rather older example was step-tastic too - at the time I blamed moulding by Heller decades ago, but it seems that isn’t the case.

 

Regards,

Adrian

Hi Adrian,

 

it very has many of the characteristics of your kit. I'm not looking forward to the landing gear!

[PlaStix]

Great to see you are underway Greg but, yeah, it does like you are going to have an 'interesting' time with the fit of some of those parts! The crew look great though! I'm sure get it all sorted in the end with a bit of 

Kind regards,

Stix

 

[GREG DESTEC]

8 minutes ago, PlaStix said:

Great to see you are underway Greg but, yeah, it does like you are going to have an 'interesting' time with the fit of some of those parts! The crew look great though! I'm sure get it all sorted in the end with a bit of 

Kind regards,

Stix

 

Thanks Stix,

 

Attachment of the clear parts is somewhat tenuous. The bit I'm worried about is the roof of the cabin which supports the wings. But it's all part of the fun?!😂

 

Cheers Greg

[Bodmin]

On 6/1/2021 at 3:21 PM, GREG DESTEC said:

 The bit I'm worried about is the roof of the cabin which supports the wings. But it's all part of the fun?!😂

I'm watching closely how you deal with this. Mine is an awful fit. Infact all the clear parts are 🤔

Edited June 3, 2021 by Bodmin
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[GREG DESTEC]

1 hour ago, Bodmin said:

I'm watching closely how you deal with this. Mine is an awful fit. Infact all the clear parts are 🤔

I will try and record some of my process to see if it's of some help. I am currently doing a bit of paintwork as painting the canopy etc will be difficult once the wings and associated struts are on. 

 

Cheers Greg 👍

[JohnT]

This old timer of a kit came out in the same week or few weeks as Airfix WW1 tank as I recall. At least my memory has them both appearing at the same time on those racks Woolworths had for Airfix bagged kits. 
 

I got both the same week due to some judicious use of pocket money and pleading or as some might say whining. I thought both great as the Storch had appeared in some Commando story books. 
 

I don’t recall any build problems but then again my skill set back then was of the school  if it doesn’t fit you haven’t used enough Britfix 77 glue yet. Some folks say I’ve not improved over the sixty years since. 
 

Im looking forward to seeing what you do with this wee rough diamond.