Randy Asplund Fiesler Fi 103 V-1 "Buzzbomb" 1/72 Scale Model
V-1 "Buzzbomb"
© Randy Asplund

Part of a Revell Germany repackaged Matchbox Model Kit  1/72 Scale

     This little guy is packaged in with the Arado Ar 234 Jet bomber kit. The whole model sucks. It is grossly inaccurate and under detailed. Fortunately I have seen a lot of photos of the real ones in museums and from the originals in history. I even downloaded plan views from the internet. Naturally, I wouldn't dream of loading the V-1 on top of my Ar 234! I would rather make a more typical version of the Arado.

     The work involved resizing the wings, moving the horizontal stabilizers, cutting a hole in the vertical stabilizer, making a new strut, making the timing propeller, making or carving various little attachments & hollowing out some bolt recesses, making a new mounting rail underneath, altering the rudder to look like it was supposed to be, scribing in new lines, making the rudder pushrod assembly, and I think I shortened the engine tailpipe. Of course they neglected to offer any decals for it, so I had to hand write the various warnings and instructions all over the surface.

     For me the hobby is to build. I often consider a crap model kit to be a challenge in building technique. The plastic is just a general starting point. If you can make the Matchbox Ar 234 & V-1 models look good, then you really must be proud.