In Box Review of Tamiya 1/48th Scale
German Dornier DO-335A "Pfeil" Fighter
Kit no. 61074
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 2000
Available a few places overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 2000
Available a few places overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
The Dornier Do 335 Pfeil ("Arrow") was a World War II heavy fighter built by the Dornier company. The two-seater trainer version was called Ameisenbär ("anteater").
The Pfeil's performance was much better than other twin-engine designs due to its unique push-pull configuration and the lower aerodynamic drag of the in-line alignment of the two engines.
It was Nazi Germany's fastest piston-engined aircraft of World War II. The Luftwaffe was desperate to get the design into operational use, but delays in engine deliveries meant that only a handful were delivered before the war ended.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter-bomber
Manufacturer: Dornier Flugzeugwerke
First flight: 26 October 1943
Introduction to service: 1944
Retired: 1945
Primary user: Luftwaffe
Produced: 1944–1945
Number built: 37
The Dornier Do 335 Pfeil ("Arrow") was a World War II heavy fighter built by the Dornier company. The two-seater trainer version was called Ameisenbär ("anteater").
The Pfeil's performance was much better than other twin-engine designs due to its unique push-pull configuration and the lower aerodynamic drag of the in-line alignment of the two engines.
It was Nazi Germany's fastest piston-engined aircraft of World War II. The Luftwaffe was desperate to get the design into operational use, but delays in engine deliveries meant that only a handful were delivered before the war ended.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter-bomber
Manufacturer: Dornier Flugzeugwerke
First flight: 26 October 1943
Introduction to service: 1944
Retired: 1945
Primary user: Luftwaffe
Produced: 1944–1945
Number built: 37
THE KIT:
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Shizuoka, Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a DO-335A-O sitting on a concrete runway. It is in a splinter-pattern of 2 shades of green over a light-blue under cariage. It has a black fuselage code of VG + PH and a white serial no. 102 on the rudder.
One side panel of the box has a color 3-view of the box art subject, further showing that the fuselage code is repeated under the wings. This is followed by a paragraph in Japanese and the copyright for the kit as 2000.
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Shizuoka, Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a DO-335A-O sitting on a concrete runway. It is in a splinter-pattern of 2 shades of green over a light-blue under cariage. It has a black fuselage code of VG + PH and a white serial no. 102 on the rudder.
One side panel of the box has a color 3-view of the box art subject, further showing that the fuselage code is repeated under the wings. This is followed by a paragraph in Japanese and the copyright for the kit as 2000.
The other side panel has another 3-view of a DO-335A-1 version, in the same camouflage scheme as the box art with a white 1-3 on the sides of the rudder.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 6 medium-grey trees and a clear tree in 4 stapled-shut clear cello bags, a metal nose weight wrapped in bubble-pack, the decal sheet and two instructions.
The decal sheet has swastikas included, seat belts and dashboard instruments.
Trees are alphabetized.
Medium-grey letter A tree holds: the fuselage, air intake, nose-top gun panel lid, upper fuselage panel, bomb bay doors etc. (20 parts)
The kit contains 6 medium-grey trees and a clear tree in 4 stapled-shut clear cello bags, a metal nose weight wrapped in bubble-pack, the decal sheet and two instructions.
The decal sheet has swastikas included, seat belts and dashboard instruments.
Trees are alphabetized.
Medium-grey letter A tree holds: the fuselage, air intake, nose-top gun panel lid, upper fuselage panel, bomb bay doors etc. (20 parts)
Medium-grey letter B tree holds the wings and a boarding ladder (9 parts)
Medium-grey letter C tree holds: the seat, head rest, bulkhead, dashboard, fire wall, foot pedals, nose wheel compartment, wings inner support beam, landing-gear legs and pants, bomb cradle, cowlings etc. (30 parts)
There are 2 identical medium-grey letter D trees. They hold: wheels, elevators, bomb, exhaust pipes (15 parts each)
Medium-grey letter E tree holds: the propellers, spinners, antennas, cowling parts etc. (18 parts)
letter F tree is clear. It holds canopy parts and light lenses (5 parts)
Printed inside the bottom of the box's tray is IMPORTANT INFO CONCERNING THIS KIT in 14 languages, including English.
The second instruction is a single-sheet, printed on one side in 16 1/2" x 11 1/2" format. It is a color guide for a DO-335A in a splinter pattern of 2 shades of green over a light-blue under carriage as a 3-view, with no markings shown and Tamiya's address in Shizuoka, Japan and this sheet was printed there. Sheet is folded twice to fit the box.
The 3rd sheet is 6 1/4" x 10 1/4", printed on both sides and all in Japanese. It has black and white illustrations of the DO-335 and it's DB 603 engine, a German BV-141, a German Gotha G-9, 2 Japanese bombers, a British jet fighter, a German Heinkel He-219 and it's cockpit, boarding ladder and a U.S. trainer aircraft.
The 3rd sheet is 6 1/4" x 10 1/4", printed on both sides and all in Japanese. It has black and white illustrations of the DO-335 and it's DB 603 engine, a German BV-141, a German Gotha G-9, 2 Japanese bombers, a British jet fighter, a German Heinkel He-219 and it's cockpit, boarding ladder and a U.S. trainer aircraft.
The nose weight and poly caps are next.
The decal sheet completes the kit contents.
Detail is engraved. Flaps are all molded solid.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.