The Fiesler Storch by GPM, 1/33 scale
The new kit of the Fiesler Storch from GPM is in fact, I understand, a reworking of an older kit by master modeler Tadeusz Grzelczak, who drew the two B17 models, by Fly and GPM, respectively, that has been much discussed on this site. Among countless other models by him you will find also the B24 Liberator, by Fly and GPM in two versions.
Now, this is very interesting. The Storch kit in fact combines the best of two worlds, the handdrawn design with a keen sense of what's in fact humanly possible (or realistic) to attain with a paper model, and the finish of a computerdrawn design.
Let's start with the handdrawn part, which is still clearly visible in the instruction sketches:
These still retain the mystique and fascination of being able to construct an intricate structure in three dimensions from simple paper sheets, and I like them very much. They are a far cry from the rather sterile instructions sketches that accompany many newly designed kits (although the number of sketches there may be far greater). Even if the instructional value of the modern sketches may be great, they lack the fascination of this handdrawn work of art.
Having said this, the execution of the print sheets themselves are a great improvement of the old Grzelczak sheets. I have not seen (and was not aware of) the older version of the Storch, but I can compare to other models by Grzelczak (such as the B17 and the B24), and the present kit is a vast, to say the least, improvement.
In this sample (scanned at 100 percent, 72 dpi) you will hopefully see the distinct and thin contour lines, the excellent shading and colouring, and the rather good 3D-print effects. In fact, these are so good in places, that I would hesitate to improve on them by attempting to double hatches etc. with extra copies of thin paper. That might simply turn out to be too clumsy. But we'll see, eventually.
This kit depicts the tropical version of the Storch, as used in the desert campaign in Africa. The camouflage pattern is well done, but it should also be pointed out that there is no weathering at all. This is a matter of taste, and the main point is that the shading for ribs and other underlying structures is very well done.
A point of criticism, however, would be the all-black outlines of parts, instead of a darker shade of the colour of the part. The black lines will tend to make cuts stand out rather clearly, as evident also from the publicity photos of the finished model:
A note of curiousity on these photos is that the propeller has been built for the wrong direction of rotation (as compared to the parts in the kit, the included three-view drawing, and photos of remaining Storchs). Prospective builders should look out for this, but there is not really a problem since the parts provided invite you to do it correctly - just as long as you do not let yourself get distracted by the photos!
As for level of detail, I would say it is excellent, without crossing the line of becoming outright daunting. At 340 parts the model is simply eminently buildable, and the "glasshouse" of the cockpit does not require vacuformed parts. The Grzelczak affinity for making moveable rudders and flaps is retained, and the new 3D-printing effects should make the cockpit interior come out much better than in any original Grzelczak version (which tend to be a little bit on the intuitive side from the examples I've seen; someone else has termed his style as "cartoonish", but that is all gone in this modern update).
So what you get, as already pointed out, really is the best of two worlds. The kit thus is thoroughly recommended. For my part I will scale it to 1/16 eventually, and I will not build it until I've found a way of recolouring it into the Swedish Air Force colour scheme of olive and grey, with Swedish national insignia and accurate markings. But that's another challenge, and a project for the future.
Meanwhile, here's the lowdown on the kit: Size A4 (thank you, GPM!), which makes scanning and enlarging much easier; six pages of parts (mixed colour and black-and-white - parts to be doubled on card are printed on regular thickness paper, too); four pages of instruction sketches (including an excellent three-view drawing); building instructions in Polish, German, and English (thank you again, GPM!). Although the translation sometimes leaves you hanging there wondering what you really are supposed to do - a common weakness so far for many translations from Polish - the mere effort to provide it is commendable.
Leif
The new kit of the Fiesler Storch from GPM is in fact, I understand, a reworking of an older kit by master modeler Tadeusz Grzelczak, who drew the two B17 models, by Fly and GPM, respectively, that has been much discussed on this site. Among countless other models by him you will find also the B24 Liberator, by Fly and GPM in two versions.
Now, this is very interesting. The Storch kit in fact combines the best of two worlds, the handdrawn design with a keen sense of what's in fact humanly possible (or realistic) to attain with a paper model, and the finish of a computerdrawn design.
Let's start with the handdrawn part, which is still clearly visible in the instruction sketches:
These still retain the mystique and fascination of being able to construct an intricate structure in three dimensions from simple paper sheets, and I like them very much. They are a far cry from the rather sterile instructions sketches that accompany many newly designed kits (although the number of sketches there may be far greater). Even if the instructional value of the modern sketches may be great, they lack the fascination of this handdrawn work of art.
Having said this, the execution of the print sheets themselves are a great improvement of the old Grzelczak sheets. I have not seen (and was not aware of) the older version of the Storch, but I can compare to other models by Grzelczak (such as the B17 and the B24), and the present kit is a vast, to say the least, improvement.
In this sample (scanned at 100 percent, 72 dpi) you will hopefully see the distinct and thin contour lines, the excellent shading and colouring, and the rather good 3D-print effects. In fact, these are so good in places, that I would hesitate to improve on them by attempting to double hatches etc. with extra copies of thin paper. That might simply turn out to be too clumsy. But we'll see, eventually.
This kit depicts the tropical version of the Storch, as used in the desert campaign in Africa. The camouflage pattern is well done, but it should also be pointed out that there is no weathering at all. This is a matter of taste, and the main point is that the shading for ribs and other underlying structures is very well done.
A point of criticism, however, would be the all-black outlines of parts, instead of a darker shade of the colour of the part. The black lines will tend to make cuts stand out rather clearly, as evident also from the publicity photos of the finished model:
A note of curiousity on these photos is that the propeller has been built for the wrong direction of rotation (as compared to the parts in the kit, the included three-view drawing, and photos of remaining Storchs). Prospective builders should look out for this, but there is not really a problem since the parts provided invite you to do it correctly - just as long as you do not let yourself get distracted by the photos!
As for level of detail, I would say it is excellent, without crossing the line of becoming outright daunting. At 340 parts the model is simply eminently buildable, and the "glasshouse" of the cockpit does not require vacuformed parts. The Grzelczak affinity for making moveable rudders and flaps is retained, and the new 3D-printing effects should make the cockpit interior come out much better than in any original Grzelczak version (which tend to be a little bit on the intuitive side from the examples I've seen; someone else has termed his style as "cartoonish", but that is all gone in this modern update).
So what you get, as already pointed out, really is the best of two worlds. The kit thus is thoroughly recommended. For my part I will scale it to 1/16 eventually, and I will not build it until I've found a way of recolouring it into the Swedish Air Force colour scheme of olive and grey, with Swedish national insignia and accurate markings. But that's another challenge, and a project for the future.
Meanwhile, here's the lowdown on the kit: Size A4 (thank you, GPM!), which makes scanning and enlarging much easier; six pages of parts (mixed colour and black-and-white - parts to be doubled on card are printed on regular thickness paper, too); four pages of instruction sketches (including an excellent three-view drawing); building instructions in Polish, German, and English (thank you again, GPM!). Although the translation sometimes leaves you hanging there wondering what you really are supposed to do - a common weakness so far for many translations from Polish - the mere effort to provide it is commendable.
Leif
