In Box Review of Minicraft-Hasegawa 1/32nd Scale
Rommel’s Storch
Fieseler FI-156C-1
Kit no. 1141
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1979
Out of production.
Available in later issued kit no. 08058. Copyright 1992. With just the Storch and no Rommel figure, from Kitlinx for $46.35 or from 1001 Hobbies for an INSANE price of $393.99 or from Squadron for $4.76.
Available in later issued kit no. 08858. Copyright 1992. Again without the Rommel figure, from 1001 Hobbies for $62.99 and also at Kitlinx for $44.79.
Available in later issued kit no. 08149. Copyright 2004. Without Rommel figure at one place overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1979
Out of production.
Available in later issued kit no. 08058. Copyright 1992. With just the Storch and no Rommel figure, from Kitlinx for $46.35 or from 1001 Hobbies for an INSANE price of $393.99 or from Squadron for $4.76.
Available in later issued kit no. 08858. Copyright 1992. Again without the Rommel figure, from 1001 Hobbies for $62.99 and also at Kitlinx for $44.79.
Available in later issued kit no. 08149. Copyright 2004. Without Rommel figure at one place overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch ("stork") was a German liaison aircraft built by Fieseler before and during World War II. Production continued in other countries into the 1950s for the private market. It was notable for its excellent short field (STOL) performance and low stalling speed of 50 km/h (31 mph).
French-built later variants often appear at air shows. Compared to most other liaison aircraft of the period, the Storch was quite large and heavy, with its wingspan exceeding 14 meters (nearly 47 feet) and its weight slightly over 1,300 kg (2,900 pounds) when fully loaded. It was significantly heavier, slower, and less agile than Allied liaison aircraft such as the American Piper L-4 or Stinson L-5, or the British Auster.
SPECIFICATIONS:
General characteristics:
Crew: 2
Length: 9.91 m (32 ft 6 in)
Wingspan: 14.25 m (46 ft 9 in)
Height: 3.05 m (10 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 26 m2 (280 sq ft)
Empty weight: 930 kg (2,050 lb.)
Gross weight: 1,324 kg (2,920 lb.)
Powerplant: 1 × Argus As 10 V-8 inverted air-cooled piston engine, 180 kW (240 hp)
Propellers: 2-bladed
Maximum speed: 175 km/h (109 mph, 95 knot) at sea level
Cruise speed: 130 km/h (81 mph, 70 knot) (econ. cruise)
Range: 390 km (240 mi, 210 nm.) at 150 km/h (93 mph; 81 knot) and 1,000 m (3,280 ft)
Service ceiling: 4,600 m (15,090 ft)
Rate of climb: 4.60 m/s (905 ft/min)
Armament:
Guns: 1 × MG 15 machine gun
The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch ("stork") was a German liaison aircraft built by Fieseler before and during World War II. Production continued in other countries into the 1950s for the private market. It was notable for its excellent short field (STOL) performance and low stalling speed of 50 km/h (31 mph).
French-built later variants often appear at air shows. Compared to most other liaison aircraft of the period, the Storch was quite large and heavy, with its wingspan exceeding 14 meters (nearly 47 feet) and its weight slightly over 1,300 kg (2,900 pounds) when fully loaded. It was significantly heavier, slower, and less agile than Allied liaison aircraft such as the American Piper L-4 or Stinson L-5, or the British Auster.
SPECIFICATIONS:
General characteristics:
Crew: 2
Length: 9.91 m (32 ft 6 in)
Wingspan: 14.25 m (46 ft 9 in)
Height: 3.05 m (10 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 26 m2 (280 sq ft)
Empty weight: 930 kg (2,050 lb.)
Gross weight: 1,324 kg (2,920 lb.)
Powerplant: 1 × Argus As 10 V-8 inverted air-cooled piston engine, 180 kW (240 hp)
Propellers: 2-bladed
Maximum speed: 175 km/h (109 mph, 95 knot) at sea level
Cruise speed: 130 km/h (81 mph, 70 knot) (econ. cruise)
Range: 390 km (240 mi, 210 nm.) at 150 km/h (93 mph; 81 knot) and 1,000 m (3,280 ft)
Service ceiling: 4,600 m (15,090 ft)
Rate of climb: 4.60 m/s (905 ft/min)
Armament:
Guns: 1 × MG 15 machine gun
THE KIT:
Minicraft-Hasegawa is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer. Minicraft is based in Torrance, CA USA and Hasegawa is based in Yaizu, Japan.
This kit came in a large shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. My box got very crushed over the years, while under a pile of my other kits.
The box art shows the Storch and the Rommel figure posed as they are shown in an actual wartime black and white photo I found on the web of the scene
Here is where trouble begins. Although the colors are correct: earthy-yellow base with dark green spotted camouflage, white rudder flap and fuselage band. The fuselage lettering code is wrong. The wartime photo shows it was black CB+TL. On the box art it is CB+ T, with the letter L missing. On the wartime photo the letters CB are both on the white fuselage band and the B is not spilling off the band.
The biggest problem is that you cannot do this letter code, because these letters are not provided on the decal sheet in the kit. You would have to go and buy another decal sheet of these kind of letters.
One side panel of the box gives the history of the Storch, its specifications and a color photo of a repeat of the box art scheme.
Minicraft-Hasegawa is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer. Minicraft is based in Torrance, CA USA and Hasegawa is based in Yaizu, Japan.
This kit came in a large shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. My box got very crushed over the years, while under a pile of my other kits.
The box art shows the Storch and the Rommel figure posed as they are shown in an actual wartime black and white photo I found on the web of the scene
Here is where trouble begins. Although the colors are correct: earthy-yellow base with dark green spotted camouflage, white rudder flap and fuselage band. The fuselage lettering code is wrong. The wartime photo shows it was black CB+TL. On the box art it is CB+ T, with the letter L missing. On the wartime photo the letters CB are both on the white fuselage band and the B is not spilling off the band.
The biggest problem is that you cannot do this letter code, because these letters are not provided on the decal sheet in the kit. You would have to go and buy another decal sheet of these kind of letters.
One side panel of the box gives the history of the Storch, its specifications and a color photo of a repeat of the box art scheme.
The other side panel of the box shows 3 color walk-around photos of the model made up in the box art scheme. Followed by: Manufactured in the United States under license from Hasegawa model Co. in Yaizu, Japan.
Monogram’s address in Torrance, CA. Printed in the USA and Hobby Industries' street address in Rexdale, Ontario, Canada.
Monogram’s address in Torrance, CA. Printed in the USA and Hobby Industries' street address in Rexdale, Ontario, Canada.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 4 tan trees and a clear tree of parts, decal sheet and instructions. The trees are not cello-bagged. Instead, they are wrapped in tissue-paper.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 12 pages in 8 ½”x11” page format.
Page 1 has a black and white photo of the Storch, minus the Rommel figure, made up in the box art scheme and minus the letter code and white rudder flap.
Over the history and specifications of the Storch and Minicraft’s street address in Torrance, CA.
Pages 1 on through to page 9 lists 8 assembly steps. However, I physically count 21. Each step has a black and white photo of the assembly in the step.
Page 10 and 11 are painting and marking guides.
Page 10 shows a side-view, a two-view and another side-view of the Storch.
The side-view at the top is in the cover art camouflage. It shows the black fuselage code SF+RL and no white rudder flap.
It says it is General Rommel’s airplane. Makes me wonder if Rommel had two personal aircraft?
The two-view shows both sides of a Storch in a wave-pattern camouflage of dark-green and red-brown over a light-blue undercarriage, with a large orange heart, outlined in white, under the cockpit and black fuselage code SB+UG, with the cross on a white fuselage band and a black swastika on the sides of the rudder.
The third profile shows a Black-green over blue undersides with the fuselage code of SU+LL with the last letter on a white field.
This kit holds 4 tan trees and a clear tree of parts, decal sheet and instructions. The trees are not cello-bagged. Instead, they are wrapped in tissue-paper.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 12 pages in 8 ½”x11” page format.
Page 1 has a black and white photo of the Storch, minus the Rommel figure, made up in the box art scheme and minus the letter code and white rudder flap.
Over the history and specifications of the Storch and Minicraft’s street address in Torrance, CA.
Pages 1 on through to page 9 lists 8 assembly steps. However, I physically count 21. Each step has a black and white photo of the assembly in the step.
Page 10 and 11 are painting and marking guides.
Page 10 shows a side-view, a two-view and another side-view of the Storch.
The side-view at the top is in the cover art camouflage. It shows the black fuselage code SF+RL and no white rudder flap.
It says it is General Rommel’s airplane. Makes me wonder if Rommel had two personal aircraft?
The two-view shows both sides of a Storch in a wave-pattern camouflage of dark-green and red-brown over a light-blue undercarriage, with a large orange heart, outlined in white, under the cockpit and black fuselage code SB+UG, with the cross on a white fuselage band and a black swastika on the sides of the rudder.
The third profile shows a Black-green over blue undersides with the fuselage code of SU+LL with the last letter on a white field.
Page 11 shows top and bottom views of each of the Storch's on page 10.
Page 12 Is the parts-trees illustrations.
Trees are alphabetized.
Tan letter A tree holds: the fuselage halves, wing spars, Rommel and pilot figure, propeller etc. (19 parts)
Tan letter A tree holds: the fuselage halves, wing spars, Rommel and pilot figure, propeller etc. (19 parts)
Tan letter B tree holds: elevators, wings, seats, wheels etc. (23 parts)
Tan letter C tree holds: gun, more struts, dash board, steering wheel etc. (64 parts)
Tan letter D tree holds more struts (41 parts)
The clear letter E tree holds canopy windows (6 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kit contents.
The detail is very good.
Recommended.
Recommended.