Hi everyone!
This is my Revell 1/72 FW 200 Condor airliner, finished as Adolf Hitler's personal plane.
Designed by Kurt Tank, the FW 200 resulted from an interwar Deutsche Lufthansa specification for a transatlantic passenger land plane, an aggressive and unusual concept at the time where airlines used seaplanes on long over-water routes.
Whereas existing airliners cruised at altitudes below 5,000 ft, the FW 200 was designed to cruise economically at an altitude of over 9,800 ft – the highest possible without a pressurized cabin.
Until the arrival of Boeing 307 and Douglas DC-4 in early 40s, the FW 200 was the world's most modern airliner.
The designation "Condor" was chosen because of its very long wingspan, like the condor bird.
Upon Japanese Navy's interest for a “Search and Patrol '' military version, the 10th prototype was designed with military equipment.
Ultimately, the specific aircraft was held in Germany as war broke out, becoming the basis for all later military Condors used by the Luftwaffe.
In order to replace his somewhat limited capability Ju-52, at the suggestion of his personal pilot Hans Baur, Adolf Hitler chose the third FW 200 prototype (the V3, Werknummer 3099), as his personal transport.
The specific machine was reconfigured as a plush two-cabin airliner, with Hitler's seat equipped with a wooden table, a seat-back armor plating and an automatic downward firing parachute.
It was originally painted per the Lufthansa livery.
In line with Hitler's preferences, it carried the markings "D-2600" and was named "Immelmann III" in honor of Max Immelmann. As the war progressed it changed designation to "WL+2600" and finally, to "26+00", painted per the standard Luftwaffe camo. It was destroyed at Berlin Tempelhof Airport in an Allied bombing raid on 18 July 1944.
The Revell kit is a very good "modern" kit of this important airliner, the only drawback being the absolute lack of any means of passenger interior.
Should you decide to read the full build review, you may do so by visiting my beloved site Modelingmadness:
https://modelingmadness.com/review/axis/luft/fw/pen200.htm
Happy modeling!
Really superb paint job my friend!
I built this kit in my very early modeler years.
Always nice to be reminded of the past:)
Thanks my friend @s-nagorsnik!
Nice ! My favourite plane.
The older Revell kit from the 60 ies Actually has a bit more exterior detail than the current one as it had flaps. Rare for a kit of the time. Not sure why the newer mould issue did not.
At any rate you model looks superb.
Congrats !
Thanks my friend @bernardbedeur! I believe this kit was designed "at a price" and maybe this could be an explanation for the somewhat "simplified" external detail (and also the lack of passenger interior, among, possibly others). However (and this could possibly be justified by the seemingly not too high sales and also not too many models built) I believe that Revell should have put some note detail at this otherwise very potent kit.
Very nice Spiros! Beautifully built and painted sir! ?
Thanks my friend @garybrantley!
Saw this over on MM and have been waiting for the post here...One of my favorite, Spiros. Looks really nice. WELL DONE!
Thanks my friend @gwskat!
Fantastic work! Great big plane!
Thanks my friend @lis!
Ditto to all of the above positive adjectives. Caught your article on M2 Spiro's and once again you've pull out the rabbit from the hat and made an oldie but, goodie look good.
Two thumbs up.
Thanks my friend @stephen-w-towle!
You have GOT to get a day-job, as you must have entirely too much time on your hands, as fast as you're churning out builds!
Another nice one! I've always love the sleek lines of the Condor. Had I not decided to get rid of the larger kits in my stash I'd be motivated to pull this out and get going...
Thanks my friend @gkittinger! A nice'n'sleek airliner indeed!
Beautiful work. I really like the look of the Condor, it is a pretty impressive and big plane. You have built an excellent representation of a great looking plane. I have built the 1/48th Trumpeter kit and I enjoyed it but think my results were rather underwhelming. Not a kit issue, a builder issue.
Thanks my friend @luftwaffe-birdman! I am sure your Trumpeter Condor is great!
I have spotted a Trumpeter copy in an Athens hobby shop, patiently waiting cor its still high price to drop 🙂
What an excellent result on this Condor, Spiros @fiveten
It was a pleasure to see it presented on ModellingMadness as well.
A great build supported by an equally article.
I have added it to my wishlist.
Thanks my friend @johnb!
Let's hope Revell will reissue it...(with a new extra sprue catering for a passenger interior and, why not, containing some other extra goodies - like plumbing for the wheel wells - ok, I am carried away too much now, I understand it might somehow pose a kind of industrial risk for a company to reissue a kit that did not sell too much AND to add an extra sprue - the latter would require a hefty investment...).
A great job! I thought this was coming, seeing it in MM.I remember this kit in Revells 1998 catalog.
Thanks my friend @roofrat!
Nice work, Spiros. I’ve had that in the stash for 30 years. I don’t really know why I never built it. Thanks for the inspiration to tackle it soon.
Thanks my friend @j-healy! Looking forward to see yours!
Spiros,
That is a really nice model one rarely sees built! Well done. I have the original 1960s edition and hope to build it one day.
Thanks my friend @thevid!
That's a great looking bird, Spiros! Nice work, nice to see your post on the MM Website.
If you google search 'Scourge of the Atlantic' the FW 200 comes up multiple times.
Thanks my friend @georgeswork!
This is a wonderful model and I like it a lot! You have chosen a variant that illustrates the sleek and elegant lines of the Fw 200 in the best possible way - a great result!
Thanks my friend @rosachsenhofer!
Nice one Spiros, quite the looker I'll say.
Thanks my friend @beauslx!
Another good looking model Spiros, your production line seems to be in full swing.
Thanks my friend @tom-bebout!
Nicely done! Cool to see this rare and historic bird!
Thanks my friend @CRCsquad!
Beautiful work Spiros, another big model kit that is nicely done!
Thanks my friend @v1pro!
Looks good Spiros my friend, well done.
Thanks my friend @kalamazoo!