WTM 1/144 Fieseler Fi 156 Storch Pt. 6 - Finished

After putting this aside while I experimented with different types of stands I have decided to get the darn thing finished off. To be honest it just needed some touching up...

I know the camo pattern scheme is debatable, but I like it. As a war game marker it is a generic symbol of the type anyway. It was a fun wee project and I fancy repainting some more of these ready painted models (Tim Gow over at Megablitz has a wonderful example of a Brewster Buffalo in Finnish colours for example, I'd like to do one of those).

Hope you like my Storch and the accompanying 1/144 Finnish JU-88 is in the works.

WTM 1/144 Fieseler Fi 156 Storch Pt. 5 - Fake prop

Another small step towards completion, but I'm quite pleased with this - it's my fake prop...

It isn't quite finished, but I was so glad to get a decent circle of plastic cut that I'm posting this up anyway. So, a bit of touching up and that's that really. An enjoyable little project and a nice little plane.

WTM 1/144 Fieseler Fi 156 Storch Pt. 4 - Decals

Making the most of my sick day at home I rattled together the decal and weathering stage of this model. One change I have made from my earlier plan is to apply a camo pattern...

I came across this scheme online, it represents a Finnish Storch - ST-112 - from 1944. As this is the period of WW2 I am interested in for my Finnish war game army I couldn't resist applying this pattern to my Storch.

I'm not doing much more to this model, simply making the fake 'flying' prop and making a new stand for it. Hopefully I will have this in the bag at the weekend.

If you ask me which I enjoyed making more, the Eduard 1/144 kit or this ready made conversion I would have to say the kit. In the end there were lots of niggling little rough edges to this 'off the hanger' (pun for Tim) model. But I realise this model does fulfil my requirements for a war game toy.

WTM 1/144 Fieseler Fi 156 Storch - Part 2

Right, having drilled a wee hole and glued in my stand attachment rod I masked off the canopy. Then I decided a Humbrol grey primer was a good idea, to help cover the dazzling German camo, it's decals and provide the grey of the Finnish Storch's lower surfaces.

I did minimal touching up of the WTM model, just sanding down some noticeable seams but doing no filling whatsoever. This is a war game model after all.

Once dry I shall start masking off the lower surfaces so I can spray on the Olive Drab (Humbrol Light Olive) uppers.

WTM 1/144 Fieseler Fi 156 Storch

Remember my quandary over whether to splash out the cash for the lovely Fox One 1/144 Westland Lysander? Well I solved this problem when I found a far cheaper alternative in the World Tank Museum's 1/144 Fieseler Fi 156 Storch.

This little recce plane is for my Rapid Fire! based Finnish (late war) army group and under the RF! rules I just need one unarmed observation aircraft. The Lysander would have been great but at £24 plus postage from Japan it would have cost double the cost of the rest of my 1/144 Finnish air group put together! Luckily I came across the World Tank Museum Storch on eBay at just £6 and after a quick check I confirmed that the Finns did have two of these German aircraft in their inventory.

It's a bit of a fudge - the Storch being a liaison and not specifically a recce aircraft - but the price sealed the deal for me.

The only slight issue with this model is that it comes in a snazzy German camo scheme and decals, but I reckon a quick over-spray will soon sort this out. The other issue is that I cannot find any colour reference for a Finnish scheme for this type - not surprising as there were only two I suppose.

What I will do is use the generic Finnish 3 colour - dark olive, green and sky blue - camo that seems to have been their default scheme (based on Signal's 'Finnish Air Force 1939-45' colour plates).

The WTM model itself is a lovely little thing (for £6), and though you can pick up a Zvesda or Revell 1/144 kit for just £3 I don't begrudge the extra money for this ready made model. There are a few little seam marks but nothing too bad. Overall I am very pleased.

NEXT: A bit of sanding and then over-spraying.

UPDATE: Happened to find this (confirmed by another shot I found of a museum example)...

Source: Flickr - s.niemelainen

Just plain olive drab on top then.