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HISTORICAL MINIATURES BY GEORGE GRASSE |
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HISTORICAL MINIATURES BY GEORGE GRASSE |
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HANNOVER CL.IIIa 2714/18 of FA(A) 253, 1918 |
by George Grasse
EDUARD 1:48 SCALE MULTI-MEDIA KIT BUILT FROM EU8008 HANNOVER CL.IIIa
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EDUARD
HANNOVER CL.IIIa BOX ART
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According to information printed on the box side, this kit was issued in 1995 and contains the early component style of Eduard of the Czech Republic. The basic components of fuselage halves, wings, tail unit, landing gear, and struts are plastic injection molded. The kit is supplemented by white metal castings for the engine, PE sheet for the complete interior, decal sheet to build two specific aircraft, and two more decal sheets of 4-color upper and under surface day pattern pre-printed camouflage fabric all of which are shaped to fit all flying surfaces so no cutting and sizing is required. The sheets also include pink rib tapes for the under surface and dark blue for the upper surface. The printing of the camouflage pattern seems too dark. There are five sheets of step-by-step instructions plus two full-color guides for detailing each of the two aircraft. |
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HANNOVER CL.III 3-VIEW
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| Three variations of the Hannover CL series were produced: CL.II (Argus engine), CL.III (Mercedes engine), and CL.IIIa (Argus engine). Except for details of the engine, the outward appearance of all three were strikingly similar. The first version, CL.II, appeared in late 1917 and was not properly identified by the Allies until early the following year. The second version, CL.III with the Mercedes engine, was intended to provide high altitude performance but few were built because the demand for the Mercedes engine was exclusively committed to fighter prodeuction. As a result, the third version, CL.IIIa. reverted to the Argus engine but it was recognized that the type would generally operate at lower altitudes anyway. As it turned out,k the Hannover CL series was exceedingly sucessful as a corps reconaissance aircraft (escort, short range reconaissance aircraft, artillery spotter, and photo machine) and a ground attack weapon in the Schusta/Schlasta staffels. This drawing is taken from Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War, compiled by O. G. Thetford and E. J. Riding, Harleyford Publications, 1954. |
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THE MODEL TO BE
BUILT
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%20253%20profile%20%20(Aeronaut%20%20Hannover,%20A.%20Kazakov,%20pg.168).png) |
| This specific aircraft, Hannover CL.IIIa 2714/18, is well-documented by the observer who commanded it, Ltn d R Hanns-Gerd Rabe. His last name, Rabe, stands for 'raven' in German, hence the black raven symbol in a white circle. Ltn Rabe's pilot was Uffz Peter Johannes (see photo below). 'Over the Front' quarterly magazine of the League of Aviation Historians has periodically published translated sections of Ltn Rabe's writings which cover exploits in all of the aircraft assigned to FA(A) 253 during mid-1918 and includes this Hannover CL.IIIa but also DFW C.V, Junkers J.I, and others. This profile was created by Alexandr Kazakov. This profile and the following photo are found in Hannover Aircraft of WW1, Aeronaut Books, see bibliography below. |
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PERIOD PHOTO VIA
PETER KILDUFF
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%20253%20photo%20(Aeronaut%20%20Hannover,%20Owers-Herris,%20pg.168).png) |
%20253%20Individual%20Acft%20Markings.png){kind=small}
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CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.
1
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| Most of the cockpit interior of Eduard's early-issue Hannover CL.IIIa is built up from PE parts as can be seen by the extensive sheet. A few parts have been assembled but many more to go. |
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CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.
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| As usual, early Eduard kits appeared with extensive PE parts. This photo shows the beginning of the cockpit interior. Not much to look at but it's a start. Many of the parts shown were soldered into place. |
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CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.
3
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| Fuselage halves are glued together. The Argus As.III engine support was inadequate to hold it in place. Scrap pieces of plastic were used to fill the bottom of the forward fusealge until the engine was properly positioned before the fuselage halves were glued together. The cockpit interior fit well. |
Bibliography:
Duiven, Rick and Dan-San Abbott. Schlacht-Flieger! Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military History, 2006.
Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam & Company Limited, 19
Grosz, P. M. Hannover CL.III, Windsock Datafile 23. Berkhamsted, UK. Albatros Productions Ltd, revised second edition 1999.
Owers, Colin A. and Jack Herris. Hannover Aircraft of WW1. Aeronaut, 2020. ISBN 9781935881841
Rabe, Hanns-Gerd (translated by Peter Kilduff). Comments & Reminiscences, Flying as an Observer in, Flieger-Abteilung (A) 253. Over the Front Volume 17, Number 4, Winter 2002: Journal of World War I Aviation Historians.
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