Introduction

The Fieseler Storch is a remarkable aircraft as anyone lucky enough to see it fly can tell you. The aircraft has an extremely short take off and landing, I have seen one stop in as little as 10 feet. This offering from HobbyBoss in 1/35th scale is the second release of the Tri star model offering with this being the wounded evacuation aircraft. I am surmising that the very short landing distance required will make for the most comfortable way of transporting seriously wounded individuals. My only concern would be that I suspect the aircraft is vulnerable to turbulence. 

Review

This offering from HobbyBoss arrives in a cardboard tray, with a separate cardboard lid showing the artwork. When you open the box, the sprues are individually bagged with a segregated compartment for the smaller sprues and easily damaged items. A look over the product reveals no major issues that I can detect, with the comments I have seen previously about the glazed areas having a crackle effect not being present in this release. I suspect that there are some ejector pins marks that will need to be addressed, but with that potential issue out of the way access to the parts is good. Gates between the parts and sprue are reasonably small, and not excessive in number. 

The cockpit of this release appears to be reasonably detailed, but no harness detail is present, and I am sure at the very least this aircraft would have had a lap belt. Two instrument panels are supplied, one in a clear moulding and one in the sandy coloured plastic. The clear option has a decal supplied for placing behind the instrument pedicle, with you just required to paint around the instruments. This being a 1/35th scale release, it does leave me wondering how much detail has been omitted inside the cockpit area - with on-line images of preserved aircraft showing a mix of details present. With that said, with this being the Tri-star kit previously released there will be various product available for up grading the model. The area behind the pilot has space to accommodate two stretchers, which are provided with access doors for placing the stretchers in the aircraft - also provided with the option to have them open or closed.

A multi part engine is provided for the model, which in form matches on-line reference very well. There is, of course, a lot of wire detail that would need to be added by the modeller who wishes to expose the engine. A look on-line reveals a huge number of images for this aspect of the model, and so painting and detailing the engine should prove a relatively easy task. I have taken a look at Eduard for up grading details, but they only list items for a Hasegawa and I am unsure how many of these items can be used with this release. The engine cowlings have all been supplied as separate parts, so if you have a reason to expose the engine - doing so will not be an issue. 

The exterior surfaces of this release provide the modeller with what I believe to be a reasonably accurate shape and form. The tubular frame giving the aircraft a lot of its detail through the cloth surface is replicated where needed and the shapes they cause well represented on the fuselage. As I have said, there are no issues with the glazed canopy that I can see. The wings have separate leading and trailing edges. The flight control aspect of the wing, while separate does not appear to have the option to alter their position from neutral flight. All of the actuators and counter balances appear to be present, judging from on-line images and so the result should be pleasing. The tail flight controls are also provided separately, but in this case can be displayed as the modeller desires. The undercarriage has the plastic portion of the leg moulded over a shaped wire, and so giving the model a robust undercarriage that would have to be fairly brutalised to break. I also believe that this has been done as if moulded completely in plastic breakage would occur. 

HobbyBoss has provided four finishing options for this release, but I am sure that you will be shocked and amazed that NO detail of what these finishes represent is provided. On the plus side Swastika’s have been supplied as two part decals, but these are not covered on the finishing sheet.

Conclusion

This release from HobbyBoss in 1/35th scale of a Fieseler Storch, will surprise many modellers by the very low number of parts that go into the making of this model. Looking over the provided detail, I am pleased with what is included but cannot help thinking that some aspects of the interior will need to be added by the modeller - at least the harness detail for the pilot and I also presume that some form of clamping needs to be added for the stretchers in the rear at the very least. General shape looks good, but I do not know about the accuracy of the dimensions. As regards what is provided in the box, I have no concerns and the addition of masks for the large glazed areas is a nice touch.