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Spiros Pendedekas
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Revell 1/72 Arado E.555

September 23, 2021 · in Aviation · · 50 · 3.4K
This article is part of a series:
  1. Revell 1/144 Junkers G.38
  2. Revell 1/72 Arado E.555
  3. The First and the Last: Junkers G.38 & Arado E.555
  4. Dragon 1/72 Mistel 5
  5. Revell 1/72 Junkers F.13
  6. The First and the Last: Junkers F.13 & Mistel 5

Hi everyone!

This is my "Amerikabomber".

In response to the RLM's Amerikabomber project, Arado's E.555 proposal included a series of long range jet bomber designs of various sizes, powerplants, crew and weapon load configurations. Those designs would be capable of striking the continental United States from Germany.

Arado had accumulated some experience from the development of its own small, shorter-range jet bomber, the Ar 234 Blitz, which first flew in June 1943.


Several different E.555 design configurations were proposed and considered; the Arado team's overall goal for the project was an aircraft with high speed, long range and capable of carrying a four-ton (4,000 kg) bomb load. Perhaps the most striking was the E.555 I, a six-jet, angular flying wing design with remotely-operated defensive turrets.

Apparently, no aircraft were developed or constructed and the entire E.555 project was cancelled at the end of 1944.

Depicting the E.555 I design, this is yet another amazing Revell kit, reminiscent of the now older times (roughly one-two decades ago)...

...when Revell kept surprising the modeling world, by offering modern kits of desirable subjects (with many of theme never being released by anyone in the past), excellent decals and constantly low prices: talking about modeling quintessence!

This is another model of the “” build idea, suggested by Paul Barber @yellow10.

It will be paired with my Revell ...
https://imodeler.com/2021/09/revell-1-144-junkers-g-38/
...in order to provide a "First and Last" story through those models. More soon!

The kit was a joy to build and utterly fun to paint!

Should you wish to read the build review, plese do so by visiting my beloved site Modelingmadness:
https://modelingmadness.com/review/axis/luft/46/pen555.htm


Below are attached some in-progress shots.
Happy modeling!
Reader reactions:
17  Awesome

26 additional images. Click to enlarge.


50 responses

  1. Awesome Build! @fiveten I love the Luft 46 stuff, and the abandoned ideas of desperation. The paint scheme you chose is great. I really like this build. I also can see where it may have inspired the guys who made "Raiders of the Lost Ark".

    1 attached image. Click to enlarge.

  2. Awesome build, Spiros @fiveten.
    An icredible German design.
    Saw it a couple of days ago on MM but love to see the extra pictures in this post.
    I specifically love the paintwork on this build.
    The demarcation on the wingedge is beautifully created with patafix.
    It would have been wonderful if it really took to the skies.

    • Thanks my friend @johnb!
      Patafix is indeed a great aid, in order to create nice (not too hard, not too soft) demarcation lines.
      Indeed, it would have been great to see this machine fly (though big Allied cities, NY included, would loose their sleep!).

  3. Great build of a fantastic-looking airplane, Spiros @fiveten. I really like the paintwork and weathering. I guess in the Man in the High Castle universe, this would have been the bomber that delivered the Heisenberg device destined to destroy Washington. Scary to think about alternate histories. I've never seen one of these built before. It must be huge in 1/72.

  4. I guess the paper-planes of the Luft’46 have had their glory days in the early century, with many kits coming to the market, including this one. Still, according to Scalemates, Revell re-issued the E.555 9 years ago.
    It’s a great build Spiros! Like others here mention, the camo really enhances the lines of the design. Thumbs up my friend

    • Thanks my friend @holzhamer!
      Indeed, many Luft46 models arose during the millennium period. Add to that the boost of dedicated internet sites (like the fantastic Luft46.com) and we were talking about a definite expansion to the modeling subjects envelope, which, many of us liked a lot! We could create our what if Luft46 fleet, with believable looking subjects!

  5. When done well a whiffer can look pretty darn cool. There is a freedom in being able to do your own thing or add lib or be able not to
    be constrained by historical accuracy when doing the painting. Looks like a fun build Spiros. Thankyou ,for sharing and yes the kit does look like the inspiration for "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

    Two thumbs up.

  6. Wow, this ia a great build and it looks great too! Yeap, big time Raiders of the Lost Ark. It also looks very modern, like with a newer set of engines hidden into the fuslage and with some stealthy technology, I can see this flying around today.

  7. Great work! I love the paint scheme you did, it seems a lot more plausible than the ones Revell suggested in the initial release.

    • Thanks my friend @vacrat!
      Yep, truth is that in what-if subjects the proposed schemes are at times more flamboyant towards flashy, maybe not too believable; that's why when I build what-iffers I opt for something more "operational", even if looking tad conventional and simplistic.

  8. Quality build Spiros.

  9. Very cool subject and your quality work shows it off nicely!

  10. Very nice build. Glad Luft '46 never came to reality though.

  11. Spiros, @fiveten
    I have really enjoyed reading your article, and the pictures you have have posted here show just how nice this model really is. You have done a fantastic job with it, (as is your usual standard). 🙂

    Congrats on having it posted in the headlines over at M2 !

    I still have to finish up my first and last... They are both "almost" done, but lately I have not had any spare time for building. I will try to get them done soon, and I will definitely update the "First and Last" build journals when I do.

    Thanks for sharing these F&L models with us. I definitely pressed the "like" button. This idea that Paul came up with was a good one ! Thanks Paul... 🙂
    @yellow10

    Take care my friends, and stay safe.

  12. 🙂 ... Greetings ... 🙂 :
    Extraordinary build of a very peculiar aircraft Spiros !
    Nice paint work in every aspect of the process.
    Some of the design appearances seem so up to date, like the tailfins.
    Good job on this one.

  13. Wow, it has been on my wishlist for a while. It is one of the most amazing looking abandoned Luftwaffe projects.
    Looks great!

  14. Love it! It was fun watching the "Bat Wing" come together. Nice job, Spiros.

  15. Nice. From the drawing board to the Spiros plane factory !

  16. Cool looking model, nicely done! Wonder what the range would have been with six jet engines of that vintage.

    • Thanks my friend @gwfabian!
      With that era's fuel hungry engines, the whole wing innards would be required to be "wet", in order for this bomber to reach its supposed destination, let alone the fact that those low MTBF (Mean Time Between Overhauls) engines would require overhaul after each (or, at least, after other) mission!

  17. Very cool! Looks like it has some hours on it with the paint and weathering - very nicely done!

  18. That's very impressive and super cool Spiros @fiveten! That is some great scale modeling work sir. 🙂

  19. Nice job, Spiros (@fiveten). Reminds me of the plane in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

  20. Great job. it is a spectacular model.

  21. Very nice Spiros (@fiveten), I am not sure if I've ever seen this kit built and presented.
    I need to agree with the first post from Walt, I always think of 'Raiders' whenever I see this kit on-line.
    Nice work indeed!

  22. An awesome build, Spiros!

  23. Nicely done, Spiros. Another craft I've never heard of, and a very interesting design. I wonder if it would have been successful...

  24. Dear Spiros, this is really a great build of an amazing-looking airplane, with paintwork and weathering in high quality, in a so interesting theme. Congratulation!

  25. What a strange aircraft! You have done an excellent job (as usual) my friend @fiveten. Thanks for sharing.

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