Dornier Do.24

Mike, Italeri makes the Do 24. I don't know whether it's currently available. Revell made a 1/110 scale PBM Mariner and a 1/136 SeaMaster. The PBM was last released in the mid '90s in R-M's SSP. The P6M was last released in the '80s in the History Makers series. The Convair R3Y Tradewind was released in the same series. Hasegawa released a P5M Marlin in 1/72 a few years back. I don't think they're generally available right now. Seaplane fanatics have long waits between new kits.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

The P6M & R3Y (IIRC) were also released in the '90s or early 2000s in the SSP series. I have 1 or 2.

Hi:

I am less familiar with models of the Do-24, but a similar Do-26 Seeadler is available as an exceptional kit in 1/50th scale, with civilian markings. This plane is quite a bit sleeker in appearance then the Do-24 (IMHO). And the silver fuselage and yellow wings of this model are striking. The model is missing a swastika (German law) on the tail but does have the red band and white circle. Adding your own swastika should be no big deal.

The kit is Reimers Modellbaubogen Dornier Do 26 V1 Seeadler and it is a recent release (2003) and state of the art in every regard. There are four propellers on this bird, two forward, two backward, in only two engine pods above the wings, which adds to the sleek design; and the wings are gull shaped like an F4U corsair, but attached to the upper fuselage. It even has an operational "tilting" rear engines which automatically release the wing tip floats when in the raised position, as per the prototype. The model has a nice dolly and a full interior cockpit. Instructions are in German and English and it has clear computer generated construction diagrams. It costs about $30 (poor exchange rates, because the Euro/Dollar imbalance) when ordered from Germany. Production standards are superb for this model and reviews I have seen say all the parts fit meticulously. Coloring is flawless.

I have it unbuilt and can attest to most of the positive comments about this model. It is high on my to do list (we always say that ....).

So if you are not locked into the Do-24 specifically, but want an impressive Dornier seaplane from the 1930s, this could be your ticket.

It can be purchased at

Once at the site, click the search box with the word "seeadler" and you will find it quickly and where there is a nice picture of the built up model. Click the picture for an expanded viewing. For an American site where you can buy it for $17.95 (no picture on this site), click into ..... Another picture of the built model is seen at I urge everyone to check out the model at the above web sites, whether or not a German seaplane is in your future, since it is such a nice model.

Take this puppy built to your next model club meeting and you will steal the show. It is a show stopper for real, if for no other reason then I do not know of it having yet been built in America.

Vess Estes Park, Colorado

For an "in-box" review of Reimer's Do-26 Seeadler, see ....

..../V

Hasegawa also did a Shin Meiwa Flying Boat. Sword has a Grumman Goose, Monogram did the venerable Grumman Albatross and Airfix the Grumman Gosling/Widgeon, all to (+/-) 1:72.

-- John ___ __[xxx]__ (o - ) --------o00o--(_)--o00o-------

The history of things that didn't happen has never been written - Henry Kissinger

"Mike Keown" wrote

****** Big and expensive...... but a Do 24 non the less.

Cheers - Jim.

"Jim" wrote

***** Hmmmmmmm? In 'Sort of' choose - kit

In Manufacturer choose - MPM-HML

In Scale choose - 1/48th

In Type choose - Dornier

Then click on 'Full Information'...........

Woof! Good luck. cheers - Jim.

If you look into 1/72 scale for flying boats and floatplanes you'll be building models for a good many years.

The ESM 72 database for floatplanes and seaplanes shows 986 different kits and models. The feature article listing was in Vol.5, #4 with updates in every issue since then (currently preparing Vol.7, #4).

Subscription is $25 per volume, $30 outside the U.S. If you are looking for a particular aircraft drop me a line and I can tell you who made it.

Happy modeling,

Tom Young for MAI/ESM 72

Italeri. 1/72

Spartan interior, otherwise a great kit - I've build two of them. Recomendes. Best regards, Slider

Limiting to 1/72 (and with flying boats, if you get any bigger scale for a collection, you better have a very understanding woman or none at all) and limited to things I either have or have seen first-hand:

Do 24 -- Italeri, a nice kit Do 18/Do G --Matchbox/Revell, not bad, except for the trenches and sink marks Do 26 -- your choice is Mach 2 or Air Model vac (though that's OOP, I believe). I built the Mach 2 Do 26. Run away. Run away as fast as you can. BV 138 -- Supermodel, invest in filler and sandpaper. Lots of it. We're talking quarts and reams. However, you can get a good result. BV 222 --Revell Germany, very nice, very big

PBM -- Your choice are Execuform or Rareplane (OOP) vacs, or Mach 2. You might not need to run away, but be ready. PBY -- There might be a reason to consider some kit other than the Academy, but I don't know what that reason is. PB2Y -- Rareplanes vac, if you can find it. JRS/S-43 --A pretty nice Sword kit. Grumman Goose --Another decent Sword kit. Grumman Widgeon -- Ancient Airfix or recent Pavla. The Pavla is better, but the instructions expect you to build almost as many parts from scratch as come with the kit, and the props are stinkers. Fairchild 91 -- Sword/Azur. Nice kit.

Stranraer -- Matchbox. A very nice kit. Walrus -- Matchbox. Looks okay. I recall an Airfix kit too, but have never seen it. Sea Otter -- Aeroclub. Very nice. Seagull ASR.1 -- Maintrack vac. Very buildable, but requires some engineering forethought if you expect it to keep from falling apart of its own weight. Sunderland -- Airfix. Rivets like grapefruit. No real interior. Very little aftermarket. Why hasn't someone come out with a better kit?

I've also got a Hasegawa Emily tucked away in the closet. More grapefruit, and some other surface issues, but on the whole it looks like a good kit.

Mark Schynert

IIRC, Execuform, (still around?) has a PBM & PB2Y. Airmodel also has a BV-231(?). Bigger than the BV 222. Some other outfit, Heavykits, IIRC, has announced a Hughes Spruce Goose.

Added to this list is the Hasegawa Mavis. Similar in remarks to what you said about the Emily. The Hasegawa Martin PB5M Marlin, went together nicely. The Hasegawa Shin Meiwa, dry fit nicely, haven't built it yet, probably never. The Airfix Grumman Duck JF-1, I think, went together nicely. No real interior and old nowadays.

Any more?

-- John ___ __[xxx]__ (o - ) --------o00o--(_)--o00o-------

The history of things that didn't happen has never been written - Henry Kissinger

Azur's Loire 130, Cams 37A & Potez 452 (tough to build). Azur is supposedly coming out w/ a big 'un (4 engines) in '04. I believe it's a LEO - Loire et O...? ###.

Huma's Dornier Wale (whale) OOP - occasionally on eBay.

And then there are the WWI seaplanes: Roden's Felixstowe and, what looks like a Lorhner (sp?) seaplane by various countries/manufacturers. That is, the plane looks the same no matter which country/manufacturer built it. There are various model manufacturers who produce them in 1/72.

The Airfix Duck was designated J2F-6.

For a while I saw the Airfix Walrus (in the plastic hanging bag package) at my local hobby shop for USD $15.00. The Matchbox is supposed to be better.

-- MGFoster:::mgf00 earthlink net Oakland, CA (USA)

A 1/72 Spruce Goose? Might as well move to McMinneville first and buy a

1/4 acre for it. I've got no dimension info for the original--what would that scale out at in 1/72?

Mark Schynert

We're looking at the house next door. Have to have more rook for the models, libraries (MAI and Lynne's Judaica) and Disney stuff.

Tom

I think the Goose had a 320' span, so, what, about 53"?

I have one of the 1/200 kits and that sucker is almost as big as Airfix's Sunderland. 1/72? Yeow!

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Somewhat larger than a B-52. Kim M

I have a 747 vacuform in 1/72 that I thought was big. A C-5, for example, just scares me. :-)

Tom