+64 06 3555515
Description
The Airspeed Horsa glider is best known for its participation in the D Day invasion of France, Operation Market Garden and Operation Varsity the crossing of the Rhine, this 7000 kg glider could carry 25 fully equipped troops or a small vehicle such as a jeep.
The aircraft was almost entirely constructed from wood and the over 2000 examples constructed were contracted out to the furniture industry who made the various components that were eventually bought together to form the complete airframe.
I have a personal connection with the Horsa, as my grandmother, who was a french polisher before the war, worked in one of these small factories fabricating the fuselage rings. She told me how one day she made the decision to walk 100 yards up the road from the factory to an empty bus stop as the stop outside the factory was crowded. A V1 buzz bomb came down directly over her, struck overhead power lines and bounced across to the other bus stop killing 30 workers. Apparently my grandfather was shocked at her appearance when she got home as nearly all of her clothes had been blown off!
The Bronco Horsa
The Horsa was a large aircraft with a wingspan of 27 meters and a length of 20 meters, in 1/35 scale that equates to a wingspan of 77.14 centimeters and a length of 57.14 centimeters. A large scale kit of this important aircraft has been rumoured for some time and Bronco has now fulfilled modellers’ wishes by releasing the Mk 1 with the Mk 2 now announced, the main difference between the marks was the Mk 2’s ability for the entire cockpit section to swing open to ease the loading of vehicles, it makes sense for Bronco to release these kits in 1/35 scale as no doubt they will appeal to diorama builders and there are abundant figures and vehicles available to construct any number of scenes.
The kit comes in a sturdy cardboard box with an attractive scene on the front featuring a Horsa loading troops and bicycles, the box art scene is repeated inside on a frame-able sheet which is a nice touch.
The kit is spread across 17 grey plastic sprues:
3 clear sprues
1 small PE fret
1 decal sheet
1 sheet of vinyl masks
1 metal weight
1 instruction manual
Detail on the plastic is crisp and flash free with ejector pin marks seemingly only in places that will not be seen once the kit is together, many parts also feature small knockout studs that serve to reduce or eliminate ejector pin marks. A full interior is included from the cockpit through to the extreme rear of the tail section, different configurations allow for either seats for the 25 assault troops or a jeep and small artillery piece to be loaded (the loads are not included).
The large loading hatch in the front section may be posed open and vehicle ramps are provided so that you can load your jeep of choice, indeed all hatches and doors are poseable and with the tail section able to be displayed removed from the aircraft diorama ideas abound.
