The
Arado Ar-396 was designed as wooden substitute for all-metal Ar-96 in order to
save precious materials for combat aircraft production.
The
machine was produced in occupied Czechia and in France during WW2.
In
the beginning of May 1945, as Allied armies approached Czech territory, uprising
against German forces erupted. In Prague, rebels seized the Letnany factory
where Ar-396s were produced, and at least one airworth example was seized.
The
subject of my model is one of these machines. The Czechoslovak insignia were
hastily painted over German ones and
the airplane undertaken several flights over Prague, where heavy fights between
rebels and the German army took place.
The
airplane was unarmed, so its missions over fighting Prague were more of
moral-boosting value. While considering that the Luftwaffe operated from the
nearby airport of Ruzyne and Fw-190s and Me-262s were in action over Prague, the
fact that this pilot took this Ar-396 in the air is the heroism itself!
Click on
images below to see larger images
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The
resin model has been produced by Planet Models. I quite enjoyed the build, as
there are no major mis-alignments and everything went together well.
The
decals are excellent, including "hand made" Czech national insignia.
Happy Modelling,
Martin
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