Zeppelin Rammer
One more project just arrived from Brengun and this is the Zeppelin Rammer. This is a small airplane designed at the end of the WW2 by the Germans with intentions to use them in bomber attacks. But before I forward to the kit descriptions as well as the build, I would like to provide some historic info.
No Rammer or parts of it was ever built! On the Internet is circulating art showing a Rammer smashing unharmed through the tail-fin of a B-17 leading everybody to believe that this was the plan. But the aircraft was designed as a rocket-carrier with a dozen (?) R4M rockets in the long nose. That was a cylinder containing rockets and a plastic cap (transparent or painted) like that on the “Natter”. The pilot would be instantly killed when crashing his tiny aircraft into the massive B-17 with 900 km/h by the high g-forces. The Rammer was meant to start its rocket engine to get close to a formation of B-17 after being towed to their altitude, then fire its missiles and escaping with a dive. When his solid-fuel-rocket-engine was empty, the missiles have been fired and the nose-container released, the center of gravity of the Rammer would be restored to keep it flyable. The name Rammer was pure propaganda and meant to keep the engineers from doing service as ordinary soldiers with a Panzerfaust to destroy tanks. That was the secret intention of most projects during the last days of the war.
Brengun delivers this kit in 1/72 scale and a great benefit is that it has two kits inside. For the ‘Luftwaffe 46’ fans this will be great to give maximum imagination in camouflage and markings finish. This kit has stock code BRP72013 and it comes in a standard soft box with great art on the front with camouflage patterns printed on back side. Simple and effective. Inside is one assembly leaflet, two frets with grey plastic, two transparent cockpit enclosures, one small sheet of brass etched parts and one small decal sheet.
Parts are so good and precisely made. With that number of parts (12 plastic in total) it is really a fast build kit. The cockpit is very simple but has enough, pilot seat, floor section, pilot controls and one very small plastic control table. Basic instructions suggest cementing cockpit parts inside of one fuselage half but I first assembled the fuselage halves and then inserted all cockpit elements from above. Much faster and more precise from my point of view. Also the wings and tails have no any mark point or guide pins and holes; you need a bit attention to make them in symmetry.
Painting offers a few options and I chose one in entirely RLM 02 grey color. Decals are just a few and easy to slide and place but I noticed one problem. Due to the law regulations, swastikas are printed as sliced into two parts. It is not problem with big size but in this size, this can be a problem to some modelers, especially to less skilled. So I decided to use one decal sheets with 1/144 scale swastika, kindly provided by Hobbyshop. No matter of different scale, I find a pair of decals to easily match the rammer size.
This is a very easy to build kit with very interesting look. Brengun did a great job on this kit and I recommend it to all who like a bit specific subjects. You can find your sample here!
Great thanks to Brengun for sample kit and special thanks to Uwe W. Jack from Flieger Revue for his historic assistance. I recommend you this magazine, great source of info!!!
Srecko Bradic
