The Fieseler Fi 156. A Detailed Guide to The Luftwaffe’s Versatile Storch - Including Post-war Production, by Richard A. Franks (Valiant Wings)
The eleventh “Airframe Album” series from Valiant Wings Publishing is about the famous Fieseler Fi156 Storch. This was a much needed theme, as the series offers everything that modern modellers want when they are tackling a specific subject.
Contents include:
A wealth of historical photographs and detail images of preserved examples.
Period detail images during production and service use.
Fully detailed 3D isometric views by Chris Sandham-Bailey of all prototype and production airframes
Full colour profiles and camouflage and marking notes by Richard J. Caruana
130 pages in total!
Lists of all Storch accessories and decals produced in all scales
Kit builds of the Smer (ex-Heller) Fi 156C and a conversion of the Academy Storch to a K-65 Čáp in 1/72nd by Libor Jekl, plus the Tamiya 1/48th example by Steve A. Evans.
The first 25 pages include a brief narrative history of the development and operational use of the Storch by the Luftwaffe and other Axis nations, as well as captured and evaluated examples and post-war production (more than 60 b/w photos).
Next follows the technical description, a detailed coverage of construction and equipment, dealing with cockpit interior, canopy, forward fuselage details, landing gear, wings, tail, engine, cowlings, exhausts, propeller, fuel/oil/electrical systems, armament, radio, flares/camera, landing light, etc, with many color photos of preserved examples in museums, period b/w photos and diagrams showing internal detail/structure. Items like the protruding oil cooler, side entry doors etc, are depicted with much attention to detail and from various useful angles, much appreciated by modellers.
Among the wonderful close-up photos we counted more than 30 from the archives of a well known Greek modeller and IPMS member, George Papadimitriou.
The Evolution section (left photo) includes 34 isometric 3D drawings illustrating differences among all variants, with explanatory captions and extra photos when needed.
Camouflage & Markings section will be much appreciated as it deals with the many colourful paint schemes, 33 color side profiles by Richard Caruana, and some nice and rare color photos. Hot climate/Tropical schemes in North Africa are well covered as well as winter/eastern front camouflages. RLM paint numbers are given with many special notes and a colour table, but no modelling paint equivalents or suggestions on what is available from the paint manufacturers. However this task is of course more than difficult as the Storch was used by almost… 20 nations and their Air Forces!
The builds section features three construction, step-by-step articles, two in 1/72 (Heller/Smer and Academy) and one in 1/48 scale (Tamiya). No Hasegawa model built in 1/32 scale - a fine kit but long out of production and difficult/expensive to find. All three are excellent builds with many photos and interesting and unusual paint schemes.
The last pages include extensive appendices with lists of all kits ever released in all scales, accessories, masks and decal sheets about the Storch, as well as related publications.
All in all, an excellent book and an ideal reference for modellers and aviation enthusiasts alike. It will certainly be an essential companion for anyone tackling the Hasegawa (1/32nd), Tristar (1/35th), Esci or Tamiya (1/48th), Academy or Airfix/Heller kits in 1/72nd scale.
Airframe Album No 11: The Fieseler Fi 156 retail at £17.95 per copy + postage and packing.
ISBN: 978-0-9935345-6-0
You can order the book online using the following link:
http://www.valiant-wings.co.uk/airframe-album-no11-2125-p.asp
