Hansa Brandenburg

Wings 72 1/72 scale vacuform.

The easiest kit in my collection. Start to finish four days. Kit contains 39 metal parts, decals for two planes and precut naval lozenge pattern.

This plane was flown by Lt. See Becht Commander of 2 C-Staffell of 1 Seeflugstation, Zeebrugge. This is the short fuselage version.

Hansa Brandenberg W-20 by Airframe 1/72 scale vacuform.

This a basic vacuform kit from Canada in the mid 70's. The kit consists of two sheets of very thin plastic of wings, fuselage, tail and floats. Everything between the wings is scratchbuilt. Decals are by Americal.

The W-20 was designed as a spotter aircraft that could be stowed on Germany's new "U-Cruiser" class submarine. Only 3 prototypes were built and it was claimed that four men could assemble the plane in 1 3/4 minutes and take it to pieces in 2 3/4 minutes.

Hansa Brandenberg D.I by Toko 1/72 scale injection mold.

Designed by Heinkel, the D.I went into service in late 1916 powered by a 160hp Austro-Daimler engine and was given the nickname Spinne (Spider). This may have been in reference to the unique form of interplane bracing. The D.I was armed with a non-synchronised 8mm Schwarzlose gun mounted on the upper wing in a narrow casing know as the "the coffin." 96 total D.I's were built. This model depicits 28.69 flown by Hptm Godwin Brumowski, Flik 41J, mid 1917

The model is built out of the box. The fuselage is overlaid with a thin veneer of dark cedar applied with super glue and stained. The swirl decals are by Blue Rider.

Hansa Brandenburg W 29 by Veeday, short run injection mold

In response to naval airmen requesting faster, more maneuverable and harder hitting aircraft to counter the heavily armed and faster Curtiss and Felixstowe flying boats, Hansa-Brandenburg (commonly referred to as Brandenburg) received a contract on Jan 17, 1918, to build three W29 prototypes. The W29 reached front lines in the weeks of May 1 to 15, 1918. The first recorded combat sortie was on July 4, 1918, when four W29s under the leadership of Oberleutnant z.S Friedrich Christiansen attacked three Felixstowe F.2a flying boats. One W29 went down with a holed radiator and the three Felixstowes were forced down in the half hour battle.

For many years after the war, the Hansa-Brandenburg monoplanes were built under license in Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Norway and Japan and enjoyed a long service career in these countries. (Windsock Datafile 55)

The Veeday W29 was first of four kits released in the mid eighties and was the beginning of the short run injection molded kits. At best it was a thick, clunky kit but it was the beginning. The instructions were vague, there was no reference material that I knew of and the fit was terrible. The naval lozenge was the wrong size but I recall that they went on easier than any decal I had ever worked with, actually contouring to the curve of the wing. By todays standards, this is a terrible kit but it is posted to show the beginning of short run injection molded kits.

Hansa-Brandenburg W29 by Toko, injection mold kit, 1/72nd scale.

We moved forward about 10 years with the Toko release of their HB W-29. A clean, crisp kit with decals for several aircraft, including post war.

This model depicts HB W29 Number 2512 flown by Oblt. z. S. Friedrich Christiansen on July 6, 1918 where he led the attack on the British submarine C.25. The sub was not sunk but was severely damaged. The kit decals were used and the aircraft has the broad Balkenkreuz used by the Navy. Oblt. Christiansen's personal insignia is emblazoned on its rear fuselage.

The kit was built out of the box and the only problem I remember is aligning the float struts. The building time would have been less than 20 hours.

Hansa-Brandenburg W29 by MPM, injection mold, 1/72nd scale.

This kit was going to build for someone but AMS took over. I started adding the metal etched parts, I detailed the interior more than I normally do and the construction looked too good to pass it on. So my customer lost out and I added my third W29 to the collection.

I like the early German markings so I decided to build the first prototype, number 2204 with the 150 Benz Bz.III engine that made its maiden flight on March 27, 1918. The MPM kit is not as clean as the Toko kit but the results are pleasing to me. Building is out of the box with most of the metal etch parts used. The lozenge is from the kit and the crosses are from Americal. Building time was about 15 hours.