Build Review Special Hobby Fi.103A-1/Re.4 Reichenberg - manned V-1 1:48

[Mike]

I've always liked the V-1 because it was the first of its kind, albeit for an evil bunch of dooh-dads.  I'm really excited for the new Takom kit that includes a launch-ramp, although I'll need a bigger display cabinet   Anyway, this is the crewed V-1, with a rudimentary cockpit and space for a human just in front of the pulse-jet intake.  Why anyone would want to fly one of these things other than for testing purposes is beyond understanding, but there you go.  Different times and all that.

 

I bought this fairly recently, although it's a reasonably old kit, and slapped it together for a bit of a build-fix while I was painting my Vengeance and Claude, and it turned into a larger project because I replaced some of the interior, made up my own instrument panel and seats, plus a bit of wiring.  I also dug out a Tamiya V-1 Dolly from their kit in the same scale, tidied up the many deep seams and sink-marks, and replaced the missing pull-handles from soldered brass.

 

I painted it with my usual Gunze Mr.Color paints, and finished it what ended up as an homage to one of the proposed colour schemes, as it was quite different by the time I'd finished mucking about with my airbrush. I quite like the tiger-stripe look, but that's just me Here are a few pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you were wondering where the canopy went in the last pics, they lifted/slid off the cockpit by the looks of things, so I've left mine loose at least for now.  I might glue it down to go in the cabinet later.  If you're interested in finding out where it all went wrong and why I did certain things, there's a short WIP here.

[HL-10]

Lovely looking model!

I like the camouflage scheme especially.

I remember building the Heller 1/72nd one it came in a twin pack with the Natter.

[Pete in a shed]

Very out of the ordinary build, I like it a lot. Just needs a scale Hanna Reitsch to go with it..

Pete