1:72 Feuerlilie F-55 Flakrakete w/dolly

Feuerlilie F-55 with a dolly in 1:72 scale from Brengun

The manufacturer describes the set as a resin kit of a German anti-aircraft rocket with a transport dolly. It is not a model of an aircraft: the finished build is a rocket lying on a wheeled chassis, a rewarding subject for a small display scene or for filling out an airfield scene. Like every resin set it is intended rather for more experienced modelers.

The real subject

Feuerlilie was the cover name of a German experimental anti-aircraft rocket program that began in 1940. Two sizes were tested, the smaller F-25 and the larger F-55 of 55 centimeters diameter. The F-55 measured about 4.8 meters long, the span of the stabilizing surfaces was roughly 4.5 meters and the weight ran at about six hundred kilograms. Launching took place from a tilting rail. The program ran into trouble with both guidance and propulsion and at the end of January 1945 it was stopped in favor of other projects, so the rocket never reached combat use.

Building and painting tips

First wash the mold release agent off the resin parts, cut the casting blocks off with a saw and level the surfaces with abrasive paper, protecting your airways while sanding. Glue with cyanoacrylate glue; cement for plastic does not hold here. A filler primer is necessary before painting. Experimental machines suit a simple finish with conspicuous calibration stripes, which are easily masked with a stencil made from tape.

Who the model is for

• collectors of German experimental equipment from the end of the war
• builders of small scenes and display case settings
• more experienced modelers used to resin
• those interested in early rocket programs

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted as a resin kit. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.