First To Fight Kits FTF102

Messerschmitt Me-210/Messerschmitt Me-410B-2/U4 colours and markings. Designed in accordance with the 'Zerstorer' (heavy fighter-bomber) concept just prior WWII, the Me 210 was, however, a failure in terms of flying characteristics. Following extensive modifications, its successor, the Me 410 Hornisse (Hornet), was produced in substantial numbers and many variants and saw operational service in Italy and North Africa, and over Germany and Central Europe. The improved Me 210 was also licence-built in Hungary. The publication has 28 pages, including a total of 49 overall and detailed photographs, 12 pages with colour camouflage schemes and their description. Text in English. A comprehensive decal sheet is added for modellers' convenience. Following aircraft are depicted on each decal sheet: Luftwaffe (7x), Royal Hungarian Air Force (1x), Royal Air Force (2x), Soviet Air Force (1x) and Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (1x).

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Curtiss XF15C-1 "Stingaree" 36 b&w pages with color covers, 87 b&w and 4 color photos. During WWII, the Navy ordered two carrier capable composite powered fighters (each equiped with one prop and one jet engine) to counter the land based all jet aircraft being developed by the Germans. The first was the small Ryan FR-1 "Fireball" followed by the much larger Curtiss XF15C-1 "Stingaree" heavy fighter. Three XF15C-1s, BuNos 01213-01215 and a static airframe were ordered on 7 April 1944. They were powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W prop engine of 2,100 hp in the nose and an Allis-Chalmers H-1B (J36) (British "Goblin') jet engine of 2,700 lbs thrust in the tail. Ship one's first flight was made on 27 February 1945. All three ships were completed with a conventional tail group. During flight testing of ship one it was decided to retrofit ships two and three with "T"-tails to improve overall performance and to increase the number of aircraft that could be spotted on the carrier's deck and hangar deck. The first aircraft was lost to fuel starvation caused by a faulty gage. The other two XF15C-1s were delivered to the Naval Air Test Center where they were flown until the program was cancelled in October 1946 by which time the Navy decided to go with the all-jet FD/FH-1 Phantom.

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Dornier Do-217K & Do-217M 1. Dornier Do-217K-0 Unit/Location: Testbed for Torpedo-bombing, Gothenhafen-Hexengrund, Germany April 1943. Code: RD+JF. Werknummer: 4407. Background: This plane was used extensively for Torpedo-dropping and was the test-bed for the never to be realized M-2 Torpedo-Bomber variant. It was decided, that the Ju 88 is more suiteable for the job. 2. Dornier Do-217K-1 Unit/Location: Stab KG 2, Soesterberg/Holland, May 1943. Code: U5+AA, Werknummer: 4415. Background: Walter Bradel, the former CO of II./KG 2 took over KG 2 on 01.05.1943. In his first sharp bombing raid of the Geschwader in the night of 04./05.05.1943 Bradel and his crew took part in this plane on the attack on Norwich. On their way back they were attacked by a Mosquito night fighter and both motors badly damaged. The pilot, Lt. Ernst Andress made an emergency landing near Amsterdam. He and another crew member were injured, but bomb aimer Werner Becker and Bradel were killed. Bradel only, because he was not strapped! Bradel was a highly experienced officer who earned the Ehrenpokal and the Knights Cross before, when he led II./KG 2 for years and therefore was a heavy loss. 3. Dornier Do-217K-1 Unit/Location: III./KG 2, Gilze-Rijen/Holland, August/September 1943. Code: (U5)+A(D), Werknummer: unknown. Background: This plane first had a very similar appearance as the U5+AA, but the mounting bombing attacks towards the British Islands over the summer of 1943 led to a toning down of the national and individual markings, so that only the individual green "A" was left on the fuselage sides. This plane was flown by Albert Schreiweis, who led III./KG 2 as CO from 14.08.1943 until it's disbandment 1945 to survive the war. Schreiweis earned the Ehrenpokal and the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold for his efforts. 4. Dornier Do-217K-2 Unit/Location: 9./KG 100, Istres/France, Summer-Autumn 1943. Code: (6N)+H(T), Werknummer: unknown. Background: This was one of the 11 Do 217 K-2 who went after the Italian Fleet on 09.09.1943 that possibly were on their way to Malta. They damaged some defecting Vessels with the then brand new and unknown "Fritz X" guided bombs and to sink the Battleship Roma in this action. 5. Dornier Do-217M-1 Unit/Location: 2./KG 2, Hesepe/Germany, 23./24.02.1944. Code: U5+DK, Werknummer: 56051. Background: When "Operation Steinbock" was launched, KG 2 was heavily involved in bombing raids towards the British islands between January and April 1944. Hermann Stemann and his crew took part in a raid to London in the night 23./24.02.1944. This plane carried one AB 1000 and two AB 500 bombs and was flying through heavy Flak over London when Stemann thought their plane was hit, all crew bailed out in the Wembley area to become POW's. But in reality U5+DK took no big hits and flew on some 60 miles to come down near Cambridge nearly intact in a smooth wheels up landing!

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