Revell 1/72 Fw Flitzer

[NARSES2]

Fw Flitzer flown by Hptm. S.T.Bychkoff of Jasta 5 of the Russian Liberation Army, Germany 1946.

Formed from White Russians, Red Army defectors and deserters plus some enforced enlistment of P.O.W.s the Russian Liberation Army was formed in the Autumn of 1944 and it was originally planed that it would be formed of 3 Divisions with a strength of 50,000 men. In the end only the first division was formed with a strength of 20,000 men. The other two divisions were at various stages of formation when the war ended in 1945. The air element of  the RLA was formed of one fighter squadron and one night harassment squadron, but the fighter squadron was disbanded in 1944. It should be noted that the history of Russian troops serving in the German Army and the subsequent formation of the RLA is very messy, complicated and controversial so I have just briefly outlined it.

Bychkoff had been an ace in the Soviet AF but had defected to the Germans and helped form the Air Element of the RLA in 1944. In April 1945 he surrendered to the Americans but was handed over to the Soviets and tried and then executed as a traitor in November 1946.

So what if the war had gone on for another year or so and the Flitzer had come into limited service, would the German's have crewed it with aces or would they have used young half trained pilots as per the plans for the He 162 ? On the basis that they would have used the best of their surviving aces I've chosen to give this Flitzer to Bychkoff who actually flew a Me 109 G10.

It's the Revell kit which I started as a "quick, easy, relaxation" build, but it turned out to be a tad trickier than I'd expected. Nothing difficult, but there was a fair bit of p.s.r. needed on the fuselage seam (although that could have been me) and a bit of work elsewhere. I also used some wheels from the spares box as the kit supplied ones would perhaps look better on a tractor ? The transfers were the key to this project and indeed the starting point and are from a small set of Propagteam transfers specifically designed to cover three of Bychkoff's Me 109's.

So, to sum up. Not a shake and bake build, but also not a particularly tricky one, I was perhaps a little too casual when I started it and I've not been put off of building my second one. Perhaps as a Swiss AF aircraft in a Vampire scheme ? One point that I would note is that the Revell transfers I did use on this kit behaved impeccably, indeed they were so easy to use that I ended up applying all of the stencils !

[PR19_Kit]

Pretty smart, that one Chris. 

And it does look remarkably like a prototype Vampire in camo!

[Tophe]

Good! Lovely! (without swastika, it is like "good")
Ahem, at second sight I saw the swastikas, and I feel I am not allowed to clap my hands, sorry. But this twin-boomer would be nice in the other side

[Dizzyfugu]

Nice choice of markings! Even though I have doubts that Any German would have handed over the latest hi-tech to Russians? 

[TomZ]

 

TomZ

[Flyer]

 

[Glenn Gilbertson]

Good looking and convincing!

[Pellson]

Really nice!

[su27rules]

Nice!!

[Old Wombat]

Interesting. Neat premise.

[NARSES2]

Thanks gents

Nice choice of markings! Even though I have doubts that Any German would have handed over the latest hi-tech to Russians? 

I agree Dizzy, but maybe if they went on the basis of putting their aces in the latest kit ?

[TheChronicOne]

Ooooh.... yeaaah!!!  This is awesome!

[AeroplaneDriver]

Quite an attractive aircraft.  Nicely done Chris.

[NARSES2]

Thank you gentlemen