Carousel 1 AirCraft 7143
Focke-Wulf Fw 190D Diecast Model
Luftwaffe JG 26 Schlageter, "Yellow 10", Franz Gotz, Flensburg, Germany, May 1945 | Limited Edition
2000
Pieces Worldwide |
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| 1:48 Scale | | Length | | Width |
|---|
| Focke-Wulf Fw 190D | | 8.25" | | 8.5" |
Franz Gotz was an enlisted man and fighter pilot in the pre-war Luftwaffe. He began the war with III./Jagd Gescwader (Hunting Wing) 53 "Pik-As" (Ace of spades). He gained his first victory in May 1940 during the invasion of France, when he had the rank of Oberfeldwebel (Master Sergeant) and JG 53 was commanded by the Werner Molders (101 victories). Gotz served with JG 53 through their Western European, Russian, Mediterranean, and Home Defense Campaigns. He received the Ritterkreuz, Knight's Cross, and served Kommandeur of II./JG 53 for two years. On January 28 1945, Gotz's 32nd birthday, he was assigned to replace Josef Priller as Kommodore of JG 26, based at Fursternau. Missions were freie Jagd (free hunting) against roaming Allied fighters or strafing attacks on advancing Allied columns. Pilots became exhausted, with no hope but to survive and perhaps do their duty. Replacement airplanes were not available until the final weeks, but serviceability was low because of parts shortages and sabotage by slave labor in the factories. With training schools closed, hospitals and disbanded units were the only source of replacement pilots. At war's end Gotz's D-13 was surrendered to the British at Flensburg, in Northern Germany. The airplane bore a Pik-As emblem from Gotz's service with JG 53, his lucky number "10" painted irregularly, and non-parallel black and white Defense of the Reich bands on the rear fuselage sides and lower surface, but not the top. An unusual mottle pattern was applied over the upper surfaces in two colors of green, probably by the JG 26 crew. Undersurfaces have unpainted metal panels resulting from paint shortages at the factories and grauviolett _gray-purple) paint along the lower leading edges to help conceal the airplane on the ground from low flying Allied fighters. This rare Dora-13 differed from the more common Dora-9 in having a 20 mm cannon firing through the propeller hub, replacing the pair of cowling – mounted 12.9mm machine guns, as well as a number of different details, the most obvious being a larger supercharger intake . Gotz's airplane became one of only two Doras known to survive the immediate postwar period, and eventually it was acquired by current-owner Doug Champlin. The airplane was restored recently, and is displayed in the Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA.
Designed by Kurt Tank, the Fw-190A was first flown on June 1st, 1939. This small, yet ferociously-powered aircraft was fast and maneuverable and packed a fierce armament package earning it the nickname "Butcher Bird". The wide landing gear, excellent visibility and high-altitude paddle-bladed propeller endeared it to pilots familiar with the shortcomings of its predecessor - the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Some of the Luftwaffe's most famous fighter aces flew the Fw 190. Many variants were produced during the war, with the most notable being the inline-engine equipped and longer-nosed 190D, known as the "Dora." © Copyright 2003-2025 The Flying Mule, Inc.
Carousel's 1:48 scale Fw 190Ds include a solid diecast paddle-blade propeller that spins with almost no friction, and radiator detail can be observed inside the cowling. The landing gear and center fuel tank (optional fuel tank available with most releases) slip in place and are secured with magnets. The diecast exhaust stacks are amazingly detailed, with each port rising through the cowling to represent all 12 cylinders. The sliding canopy opens for easy viewing of the cockpit and closes with no gap to disturb the lines of the fuselage. Additional detail includes hand-painted control surface trim tabs and simulated protective leather boots surrounding the main cannons inside the wheel wells.
© Copyright 2003-2013 The Flying Mule, Inc.
The Carousel 1 "AirCraft" range presents highly-detailed, ready-made diecast models of military aircraft. Carousel 1 have an excellent reputation for producing superbly accurate diecast models of racing cars and their "AirCraft" range is worthy of the same praise. Aircraft in the Carousel 1 AirCraft range are carefully researched and reproduced with a level of detail that is unmatched by most other manufacturers in this scale.
Carousel 1 "AirCraft" diecast airplanes feature:
- Diecast metal construction with some plastic components.
- Realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details.
- Pad printed markings and placards that won't fade or peel like decals.
- Interchangeable extended/retracted metal landing gear with rotating wheels and rubber tires.
- Extremely detailed cockpit interiors with glazed instruments.
- Detailed removable pilot figures.
- Spinning metal propellers.
- Accurately detailed underside with concealed screwheads.
© Copyright 2003-2025 The Flying Mule, Inc.
