KIT:

HiPM 1/48 FW-56 'Stosser'

KIT #

 48-011

PRICE:

 £

DECALS:

 4 options

REVIEWER:

Scott Van Aken

NOTES:

 Short run with etched bits

HISTORY

Back when the Luftwaffe was still a clandestine air force operating from bases in Russia, it was decided that it would be a good thing to have an advanced trainer that could be used as a light fighter for protecting high-value targets.  Focke-Wulf proposed a parasol monoplane with twin 7.92mm machine guns and the ability to carry up to 3 10kg bombs. During a fly-of with competing, but rather similar designs by Arado and Heinkel, the Focke-Wulf was deemed to be the superior design and was put into production in 1935. Between then and 1940 when production ceased, over 1,000 had been built. Mostly used for training, some were used as hacks and glider tugs as well as for other projects. A few were exported to Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Spain.
 

THE KIT

My previous experience with a HiPM kit was their P-51H Mustang. While that wasn't terrible, it did need some work. This one seems to be better done than that previous kit. Several plusses, one of which is that there are no resin parts. The injected pieced are well molded with very good fabric representation. No hills and valleys on this one. I did notice that many of the parts on the sprue suffered from slight mold mis-match. Not a problem on big pieces, but the smaller ones will suffer from this. Another nice touch is that the little 'finlets' are already molded on the tail plane. Thank you. You'll also notice a one-piece prop. No ejector pin marks on any parts other than two small ones inside the fuselage halves.

The kit includes a clear injected windscreen and lenses for the gun sight. A small etched fret is included for the instrument panel, seat belts, and a piece to put behind the intake to prevent a see-through problem. Some minor trimming of the seat is needed to get it to properly fit. There is also sidewall detail in the cockpit section similar to what Mirage provided in the PZL P.11c. To be quite honest, there is a LOT of extra room in the box as this isn't a complicated kit. I would suggest a razor saw to remove parts as the sprue attachments are pretty close to the parts.

Instructions are very good providing clear indications of where parts are to fit and also including 'info views' for alignment and parts placement. A few small parts will have to be made from stretched sprue. What is missing is any interior color information. Was it silver as was often the case with these planes or RLM 02? Markings are provided for four planes. The cover plane is from Luftkriegschule 7 in Tulln during 1941. It is in overall RLM 71 over 65. Exterior paint color info is provided. Next is a Bulgarian plane in basically the same colors, but with pre-war insignia. A Republican Spanish plane is next in Light Grey/Green with Dark Green and Brown mottling all over. The red fuselage and wing bands will need to be painted on. Finally, a Hungarian lane from 1940, again, in pre-war insignia. This one is in a disruptive pattern of Sand, Brown and Dark Green over Light Blue. A fun paint job if ever there was one! Decals are by Propagteam so will be ultra thin and very opaque.

 

 

CONCLUSIONS

I had not expected to see a 1/48 FW-56, but am glad one has been done. I'd like to think that HiPM has improved since the last time I tried to build one of their kits and I'm sure that it has. The minimal parts count on this kit should make it one that will appeal to many who'd like to try a large scale short run kit.

Kit courtesy of me and my credit card.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and quickly by a site that has over 200,000 visitors a month, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.

Back to the Main Page

Back to the Previews Index Page