Luftwaffe Avia B.35

[Nick]

I suppose I should announce my entry which hopefully will make an appearance at Telford. 

In 1938 the Czech aviation firm Avia were working on the B.35 monoplane fighter developed from their biplane B.534. It was rather basic for the time having fixed undercarriage and spats and only one machine gun in the nose. Flew in 1939 and abandoned after the German invaasion.

My thinking is that Avia produce a squadron or two and these are sent to France for use by the Luftwaffe. They don't last long against the Hurricanes....

The kit is the old and basic Kopro kit which looks the right shape. Only 25 parts in the box including the stand!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avia_B.35
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avia_B-135   Anybody know what the differences were?

[JasonW]

B.135 was basically the B.35 with retractable landing gear. Other minor differences included a revised armament B.135 had engine mounted cannon and two machine guns) and more powerful engine. There was also a slightly different prop and the wing leading edge of the 135 was straight as opposed to the slight curve of the B.35.

The B.35 was test flown by the Czechs just before the Germans invaded. The Luftwaffe test flew the B.35 as well but had no further interest once they completed their testing. The Bulgarians flew a squadrons worth of B.135's and used them for homeland defence. I believe they were able to shoot down a US bomber during one of their missions over Bulgaria.

[dogsbody]

A couple drawings from this book:








Chris

[JasonW]

I have that book, priceless info on this little known fighter. Also have their book on the B.534 fighter. Lots of great info, pictures and drawings from Czech archives.

The B.35/135 book is the only book I've been able to find on the aircraft. Not a lot of English language books out there on Czech aircraft.

[TallEng]

If you close your eyes and squint a bit
Doesn't that just shout "the one before the Spitfire"?
Substitute the engine with say a Kestrel, make the fin
A bit more 'Spitfire' like and et voila......

Regards
Keith

[PR19_Kit]

......., make the fin
A bit more 'Spitfire' like and et voila.....

As it is it looks very 'Hurricane' like.

[The Wooksta!]

I always fancied grafting a Merlin onto one.

[kitbasher]

......., make the fin
A bit more 'Spitfire' like and et voila.....

As it is it looks very 'Hurricane' like.

A real life whif Spitfire + Hurricane mashup to me. Seen the design before and thought the wing plan was similar to the Spit's, but never twigged the Hurrican factor until now.  It's the rear fuselage and fin/rudder that does it.

[JasonW]

As far as the B.35, the KP kit isn't too bad. Decent really when considering the age of the molds. If you're in the market for a B.135 kit Nick there is a 1/72 injection kit available from RS Models which is pretty good. One boxing has Bulgarian and another has Czech whiff markings for an operational aircraft in 1940.

[Captain Canada]

That is going to be a nice one Nick ! And thanks for the pics Chris, that is an interesting looking aero and one I basically knew nowt about ! Defo has potential.

[Army of One]

Side reminds me slightly of a Lagg 3 tail n front part a slightly squashed Typhoon......

[NARSES2]

As far as the B.35, the KP kit isn't too bad. Decent really when considering the age of the molds. If you're in the market for a B.135 kit Nick there is a 1/72 injection kit available from RS Models which is pretty good. One boxing has Bulgarian and another has Czech whiff markings for an operational aircraft in 1940.

I've built the RS kit and can vouch for it 

[nighthunter]

So, in the spirit of the Build, I created the "Avro Swallow Mk. I/Ia" from the B-135:

[Dizzyfugu]

Has potential. And I have a KP B.35 left, as well as an early Hurricane Merlin. Maybe that becomes #11 for the GB, I like the sleek lines of the Czech aircraft, it's really pretty. 

[PR19_Kit]

That looks like someone at an Aircraft Repair Depot grafted a Hurricane tail onto a Spitfire front. 

But I like it a lot.