Are there any companies which manufacture WWI bombers? As I am a keen modeler of WWI large scale (1/32-28) fighters, I am keen to build a few bombers. Unfortunately I have only been able to find small scale (1/72) models of dubious quality.
Any suggestions on obtaining 1/48 scale bombers?
An alternative would be to scratchbuild, but are any plans available?
Regards,
Unfortunately the only 1/48 WW1 bombers I know of are the old Aurora D.H.10 and Gotha G.IV.
Both of these have been out of production for decades, and have not been re-issued by SMER or Glencoe unlike some of Aurora’s other kits.
You might have some luck finding them on Ebay or at a second-hand sale, but one in good condition with original box is likely to be ridiculously expensive.
Aurora also made kits for the Breguet 14 and D.H.4, both single-engined light bombers. These are also O.O.P and much in demand by kit collectors, so are hard for modellers to find at a reasonable price.
I have the Gotha G.IV which I got for around £15, as some of the parts had been painted and a couple of bits were missing; It’s probably the most expensive kit I’ve bought so far, in any subject or scale 
- but as a great fan of 1/48 WW1 aircraft, there isn’t much choice at the minute when it comes to multi-engined bombers!
Let’s hope that Roden or Eduard produce some kits of this type in the future. Their 1/72 aircraft are very impressive, I’ve built their Felixstowe F.2A twin-engined flying boat.
There’s a much better selection in 1/72 scale, though they’re not 1/48 they are big and impressive models. Airfix’s Handley-Page 400, Eastern Express’s ex-Frog Vickers Vimy and Glencoe’s Martin MB2 are all cheap and readily available.
Roden/Toko’s Gotha and Felixstowe (I think they also do a Zeppelin-Staaken bomber, not sure though) are more expensive, but well worth the money.
HAve you checked out Eduard’s lineup? I know they make many WW-I era planes, but I’m not sure whether they offer bombers.
Can’t help you on the 1/48 scale - but I can recommend the Roden 1/72 kits as being of good quality. I have been very impressed with their kits. VERY nice detail for the scale. I know they make several bombers in 1/72, the Gotha and the Felixstowe Flying boat are two of them that come to mind. If I was looking for a WWI bomber - that’s where I’d start.
Chris
Many thanks for all the replies.
Maybe it was a case of wishful thinking on my part! I will most certainly have a look at the kits mentioned. The only two kits that I have encountered were two Russian bombers (I Forget who the manufacturer was.) in 72nd scale. Unfortunately the detail was atrocious.
Although I have never been really impressed with Airfix, I will probably start there, as a friend of mine is an importer. What is the quality on Airfix products - the last kits I looked at was a few years ago.
Thanks again!
Corvus,
Copper State Models makes a 1/48 scale Gotha G.III. There’s a preview here:
http://www.rollmodels.net/ninbox/airplanes/CSM-Gotha/gotha01.htm
I can also recommend Roden’s 1/72 scale planes. Their kits are a bit fiddly, but the detail is excellent. Go to: http://www.rodenplant.com to see photos of the bombers.
Regards,
Forgot to mention Maquette’s Sikorsky “Ilya Muromets” - that’s probably the grotty Russian kit you’re talking about.
It’s not exactly a brilliant kit (though I’ve seen far, far worse Eastern European kits; notably Alfa’s 1/72 Yak-4 and Su-2 - unbelievably bad!) but as far as I know is the only kit of this subject available, and with some work can build quite an impressive model of the first ever 4-engined aircraft.
I built one of these a few years ago - it was one of my first WW1 aircraft kits. I didn’t add any rigging wires, and the painting is very basic by my present standards, so I’ll probably rebuild and repaint it some time in the future.
Hi-Tech produce a very fine injection molded AEG GIV in 1/48 scale, which although it is not quite as large as a Gotha or Friedrichshaven, is still a big twin-engine bomber!
Just for quick reference, yeah the Maquette Ilya is a rough kit. However, it CAN be built up quite nicely, and is actually (from what I hear) a bit more accurate than the ICM kit.
Nothin’ fancy on this one- just clean building and a few small additions.
Any chance of more photos of your Ilya? It looks great!
This is the Hi-Tech AEG GIV in 1/48 scale…
