For my next build I’m going to tackle the Airfix Dornier Do17Z in 1/72. First released in 2015, it’s been absent for far too long till a brief reissue last year. A real shame as it’s a great kit.
We’ve had quite a few fantastic holidays in Crete in recent years, always try to learn something about the battle when I’m there. So when I saw that the this particular boxing came with decals for the Crete campaign, I had to have it!
Details are good throughout. You get optional bombs and a long range fuel tank for the bomb bay. Airfix even provide a full crew. Useful if you want to show how cramped the cockpit the Dornier could be!
The only problem I found is some damage to the struts of the undercarriage legs. This one is made from the soft pale grey plastic Airfix used until recently and it is often prone to bending. The more recent dark grey plastic seems more rigid and less susceptible to damage in the box.
Now, I should have opened up the bags and given it a once over when I bought it last year. That way I could’ve gotten replacements ordered from them. It’s little use trying now as it’s discontinued and Hornby’s policy on spares is to only provide for kits in the current catalogue. Have tried in the past with no joy. This leaves me trying to repair them, replacing at my own expense with SAC’s white metal legs, or robbing from the original Dogfight Double boxing in my stash. Have long considered building that one on the included flight display being shot up by the Defiant it came with!
Should be a good project. Once I’ve got a few things finished up, I’ll get cracking with it. It’ll be the start of a little collection of Luftwaffe and RAF aircraft involved over Crete.
Thanks for looking.
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Made a start this afternoon. Got the pilots seat and frame together. About 5 parts here. The frame needed some care to remove from the sprue. It’s quite delicate.
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Had a few minutes this afternoon to get the fuselage halves cleaned up. Bit of flash but nothing serious. Test fitted them together and no gaps were noticed.
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Looks pretty good. Too bad Airfix has already discontinued it after a short production. I’ve bought a few of their new-tooled kits, they’re very nice.
Thanks. It is a good one. I need to get back into it on the coming weeks as I haven’t made any progress since! Always found something else to do most weekends.
It is a pity Airfix only release the Dornier periodically. Hopefully you can find one. The Blenheim’s are nice as well. They always seem to do it with kits you want. I’m hoping they reissue the Kate next year.
I think though that ICM’s Dornier’s are still in production as an alternative. A fairly recent release too so a nice kit. Got their night fighter version to do.
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ooo-watching with interest Stephen… I’ve been um-ing and ah-ing about which wing thing to build next (HMS Punjabi (Tribal) has become tedious and expensive and I need a simple straight forward build to regain my mojo) and this one caught my eye in the stash (original boxing) and it’s counterpart the Blenheim, both by Airfix so I’ll be keen to see how yours builds out…
Will definitely be checking the Dornier kit to see if the undercarriage struts have similar issues-always a weak spot with Airfix kits, especially ones in the softer plastic…
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Bending and warping does seem to be a problem with the soft light grey plastic they were using. The more recent dark grey of the last couple of years is more resistant to bending, but have occasionally found parts snapped. Strangely even though this boxing is from lart year, it’s still in the old plastic. So it’s either old stock or from a different factory still using the old plastic (probably India, need to see what it says on the box).
Either should be a good choice for an oob build to get back into it after a long and laborious build.
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There appears to be quite a bit of fine and delicate interior detail parts. Are you planning to add any AM detail. I’ve done some browsing and Yahu, and Kelik produce some amazing detail parts…they look better than the colored Eduard PE. I like the crew’s separate arms so you have some flexability in their posing.
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Just oob with this one. Only AM I’m using are canopy and camouflage masks. Unless I get those metal undercart legs. The Yahu panels look fantastic, but I’m not sure how much will be visible through all that framing!
Quite possibly they were using what’s left of the old plastic?
Still, that don’t help us 
It’s either the Dornier, a Blenheim or a nice easy 1/72 Eduard spit or SH P40 Or do I strike out on part three of the Illustrious Trilogy and build a Taranto Swordfish 
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