1:32 Fi-156 C

The Storch that landed in twenty meters

The Fieseler Fi 156 was the peak of the prewar search for an aircraft with the shortest possible takeoff run. A high-set wing with automatic slots on the leading edge and flaps along the whole span let it take off into a light wind almost from a standstill and land on an area the size of a tennis court. The long legs of the landing gear with their generous travel took even a plowed field. Thanks to that the machine suited liaison flights, the evacuation of the wounded and the spotting of artillery fire.

Two appearances in one package

The sheet covers a military machine with the codes 4E and ON from the fall of 1939, which served with a reconnaissance unit, and against it an ambulance version with the codes CI and QZ in an overall white finish. The contrast between the two options is rewarding for a display case: one machine has classic camouflage above, the other is white as paper and carries only the national insignia and a red cross. In a large scale it stands out how small and yet how airy a structure this was. The letters of the codes are printed deeply enough not to show through on a white surface, which with light bases is often a stumbling block.

Application and preparation

The enclosed mask makes the most demanding part of the build easier, namely the greenhouse canopy with its dense network of frames. Without it, hours of cutting tape are involved. With the decals, the white finish of the ambulance machine has to be really smooth, because on a light surface every edge of the film is visible. A coat of gloss varnish before application and a matte top coat once dry will help. The package does not contain the model, paints or thinner. Before applying them, lay the markings dry against the fuselage and note the position in pencil, because once the film has bonded to matte paint it can no longer be moved.