Scale Plastic & Rail

Tristar 35049 Fiesler Fi 156 Storch

 

 

 

 

Tristar 35049:

1/35th Fieseler Fi-156 C-3/Trop “Storch”

 

 

Scale:1/35

Price £30.95

Contents: 9 Tan Styrene Sprues + 1 Clear Sprue + Rubber Tyres + Decals for 5 Aircraft

Product Link: Here

 

 

The newest 1/35th Aircraft kit came through the post this week (Well actually the snow beat the postman this week  - whatever happened to rain, hail or shine ?) It is the newest updated version of the Fieseler Fi-156 Storch released by Tristar in 1/35th scale  - this version is the C-3/ Trop "Storch" (or Stalk in English as you may have guessed - because of its large wings and long undercarriage legs.) This kit has always been in the no – man's land for modellers, a popular choice as it was involved in many well known incidents in WWII, like being Erwin Rommel's preferred method of transport, and the aircraft that flew Mussolini from his mountain prison cage on Gran Sasso (with a little help from Otto Skorzeny and  some German Fallschirmjägers)

 

 

But it has been until Tri-Star's first and now this subsequent release not widely modelled, I think because of the scale it was kitted in. The Hasegawa kit has always been a 1/32 scale aircraft – and the Storch if you were going to put it into a diorama it would be next to 1/35th figures or vehicles. I know there isn’t much difference in scales – but we are a finicky bunch us modellers – and we DO like everything to be correct. So hats off to Tristar for bringing  us now two kits of this aircraft from both early and late in the war in 35th scale. (and post war – but more on that later)

 

 

As a result of the Harsh and desert/dusty condition the  C-3 version of the Storch was developed – it had filters on the engine and an extra machine gun in the universal cockpit's rear cabin position with the space for a gunner and spare ammo, the aircraft also had provisions for an external fuel tank or external camera under the fuselage and two extra internal tanks in the wings. The Liaison role this aircraft was so good at came with the necessity of a long range, and that was the major change in this version. The majorities of Storch were C's and the Trop version was also popular in the harsh dusty Russian front.

 

 

This version comes with several updated features from the first C-1 kit, including updated new wings and cockpit seating and external tanks. Let's see if it meets up to the expectation? Let's see if it beats the 1/32 Storch from Hasegawa as well – Seeing the 32nd Storch from Hasegawa is the main competition I will compare this Tristar release and it's features to my  1/32nd Storch from Hasegawa which has just been run out again in 32nd scale again – (yawn) to see if it aces the old faithful out!

 

 

Let's start with the Instructions – they are a clear five double sided  black and white instructions in English and Chinese. There are scarce words on them though except for the introduction and makings choices. The pictures though are very self explanatory and are not confusing to me (and I am daft as a brush) the construction is simple enough and starts with the cockpit, and thats where we will start.

 

 

 

One word about the plastic on offer.  It is not flash free but there is little clean up involved – but nothing overly time consuming. The tan plastic Is attached to the sprue frames by thick joints – this again isn’t much of a chore but does take a bit longer than most to clean up. The great thing though is that each sprue comes in its own bag – something some kit makers ignore at their peril. Thus leaving us poor old modellers to obsess over the aircraft with scratches all over it – that isn’t the case here. The skin itself does a great job of re creating a cloth stretched aircraft fuselage – it's very subtle but just enough to encourage a great weathering job. There is a bit of clean up to be done on most of the small parts but nothing major to hold back construction really. The dimensions of the wings and main fuselage are only one or two milimetres off the plan measurements i was able to find so i am happy with the size of the kit. I don't have any definative drawings so i am sorry i cannot bring those out for this review.

 

 

The pilot's seat is a simple affair but much more detailed than the Hasegawa version that it isn’t just a plain metal seat – Tristar's has padding on it as an option as well – it sits snugly inside the metal seat so you can have it your way ™. The rear gunner's pedestal is on a swivel which I like better than the Hasegawa "C" model Storch. There is the option with the Tristar kit that there isn’t with the Hasegawa model of a pedestal for the gunner or a straight seat as in a 1 seater transport configuration.

 

Both Plastic & the Clear Panel & Decal (Blown up) options with the real I.P. below right

 

 

The Instrument panel of the Tristar kit is a clear affair with decal sheet to back it – so you can just paint the front with the glass effect – very convincing, there is also a regular instrument panel made out of styrene but this is the old way now – get with the times!! J Nice to have the choice though -  Here is a period picture of a Storch I.P. and the kit version in clear. I am sure that some aftermarket companies will see this as an excellent after market kit opportunity, and they would be right, but I think with a careful attention to detail you would not need anything else, a few wired here and there and you are all set.

 

 

The pilots control stick rudder pedals  and canopy frame are simple as they are in the real thing but they are moulded sharply and look good for weathering and any super detailing you would want to add.  The cockpit pieces and indeed most of the parts on this kit fir together with clever notches that allow you to only fit your pieces in the RIGHT way – so even if you don’t like reading the instructions  (c'mon thats all of us) Tristar have made it hard to stuff up. The cage around the pilot is pretty simple to construct and is only a three piece affair with a pair of braces at the back. No scratch build type of construction here.

 

 

 

There is no pilot figure as there was with the Hasegawa kit – but the figure in the Hasegawa kit is almost so bad you can't recognise that it is a human so that is no great loss there. I would love to see a Luftwaffe pilot or ground-crew from Tristar in the future.(Hint hint) The rear facing MG 151 is ok and  sits on a swivel mounting clear part in the rear of the cockpit "glasshouse" and so can be posed at any angle. Spare ammo is provided – this gun is sufficient but those super-detailers may like a brass barrel as it isn’t hollowed out. But again still better than the Hasegawa offering.

 

 

Next in the instructions is the construction in 1/35 scale of the Argus As 10C-3 inverted V8, air-cooled, radial piston engine which developed 240hp. This is in 22 pieces and is quite simple in construction. Free of flash in the cylinder heads which is nice as cleaning between them can be a chore. The piston heads themselves have little half-round notches on them which help them attach to the engine so they are even easier in construction than I first thought, no real chance of stuffing that up. Attached to the engine is the pair of exhausts which were r tooled for this kit to go upwards so that the heat they generated would keep away from the drop tank under slung beneath the fuselage. The engine is an absolute dream to put together – and it fits easily together with minimal fooling around, but at the same time it is done intelligently that just a little grime on the engine would make it look just great.

 

The Cowling of the engine is in four parts and you will be happy to know that you can use the new C-3 cowling with vents on the top and excellent raised rivet detail on the top – you can have the side parts of the cowling off if you like which did happen in hotter climes in while in operation – especially the western desert.

 

 

The tail section is easy as long as it is done in the right way. You should put the two horizontal tails together and the tail ruder actuator through the back of the fuselage and then capture the tail inside the clamps at pretty much the same time you attach the tail wheel so clear the bench and get it all ready before you start. Tail surfaces can be posed in any position but you should take care to not glue them in if you want to move them after assembly.  You have the choice of the wheel option on the rear or the tail skid depending on which aircraft you want to model – The Hasegawa just has the skid option only.  Here are the two options for you to see in-situ.

 

 

 

Next the canopy – the rear facing machine gun goes through the round sliding prespex in the rear of the glass house – this has a handle just like the real thing that swivels – make sure you put the sight on the front of the gun AFTER it goes on the Perspex. Although there are brass barrels and sights for this gun the version provided is pretty passable. The canopy sits on the top of the cockpit, and it really must be secure here as it holds the ingenious wing receptacles which just slide into the  cockpit sides on some notches. The bottom lower sides go on next to fill out the glass house and then you have the choice of securing the pilot's door closed or open, an excellent option to leave the cockpit open I think.

 

 

 

 

 

The wheels go on next -  firstly the rubber tires go on their wheels, now some don’t like rubber tyres and I understand why – these it very tightly – no sag there  – the only negative I see is they are not weighted. The struts are pretty straight forward after you realise where they sit inside the kit. The legs of the Storch are kitted here in two alternative ways – in flight or on the ground. This excellent feature lets you show the Storch with its distinctive legs straight down as it is when flying as well as spread out as it is on the ground.

 

 

All the ailerons and the elevators can be assembled at the straight or deployed positions on the kit. There is a bit of confusion and some of the pieces are TINY – but just follow the instructions to the letter and you will find you have a pair of very convincing drooped flaps with all of the actuators and pieces in place. The kit does issue as second set of wings from the original kit which are not used in this version as there is the extra set of wing tanks on this the C-3 bird.

 

 

 

The six decal and markings options for this aircraft are printed by Cartograph and as I see it are flaw-free. They are in excellent register and the colours are strong and constant through the sheet.

1. German Air Force, 2 (H)/14 , Farbe in North Africa  1941

2. German Air Force, 1/JG 54 , From Russia 1942

3. French Air Force, Force Francaise Atlantique, Gr3/33 Post WW II

4. Italy Air Force, Commando Aeronautica, Tirana, Ailbania,1942

5. Czechoslovak Air Force Post WW II

6. Air Forces of the Polish Republic Post WW II

 

Pictures of each aircraft colours and markings with their decals following are in the picture series below.

 

 

 

These are a bunch of nice  choices that should please a lot of people as several of the producing countries are represented her including the ones produce in France in the early war and the Czech variants from when the production was switched there late in the war. It is also excellent that Post war decals are supplied as the Storch did see active service with several nations long after the conflict – notably with France until 1970. – Thank god they aren't only another version of Rommel's Storch or the Grand Sasso kite! Colours are called out a Tamiya and Mr. Colour/hobby colour shades which would suit a lot of modellers as these are pretty popular in the modelling community. The swastikas are split so they can be sold in certain countries which ban it by law, easy to put together though.

 

 

 

There is an excellent sheet of masks for the canopy which will save hours and hours or a few dollars from you buying the masks for the job. This is an excellent thing as the nature of the excessive amount of masking needed would otherwise be a real chore and a bonus that it is included. The first Tristar Storch had an option of a pre painted canopy which although is nice wasn’t the preferred optioned by most modellers so top marks for making life easier for us.

 

 

Getting on to the canopy I must mention that I have two canopy sprues – so it's either Tristar being generous or an error these but I am not complaining! The canopy goes together quite easily and no real danger areas there unless you use too much glue. There is the excellent option of an open door to show the insides of the aircraft or just the closed option.  The glasshouse cockpit tops are the hinge for the ingenious mounting of the wings – which sit on the canopy without their struts to support them even they are such a strong mount.The canopies are not pre-painted like the C-1 boxing which is good i think -  the colours never match!

 

 

Technically this kit is an excellent fitting and quite fun to put togethers, Accurate in dimensions that i can see from the small plans that i have as well. Once you have your references there to double check some of the angles on the many struts and "scaffolding" inside and out this is a simple affair. The Storch is such an easy kit to make (and fun) that I am actually going to take this apart, paint it and re-assemble it. I hope this being built shows you everything you need to know about the kit.

 

 

 

 

 

SO WHAT DO WE THINK?

From never making a Storch before  I am now a fan of this one in 35th. I have had the older Hasegawa sitting in my cupboard for years now and I think now I am going to sell it. I couldn’t live with the inferior detail and options that the Hasegawa kit has, not that that kit is horrible – it is just that this kit from Tristar is so much better.Yes there is a little clean up - but its so minimal and the benifits of this kit are so easy to see.

 

It is in the right scale to be posed with  accompanying figures and vehicles and with its many options there is so much scope for different options and marking I think you will see many kits of this around – especially in dioramas.

I loved making it and would recommend the kit to anyone

Adam Norenberg

 

Our great thanks to Model Wholesale UK for the review sample.