Aircraft I.D. - a 2-seater German aircraft with 2 horizontal tail stabilizers

[Bruce]

I just purchased an Airfix 1/72 model kit of the Bristol F.2B Fighter.
The artwork on the box cover shows the Brisfit fighting 2 of these "mystery" 2-seaters.
The enemy observer/gunner is in the rear seat with an MG. The tail assmbly of this 2-seater looks normal except that high on the rudder stabilizer there is what appears to be a horizontal stabilizer approx 1/2 the area of the normal stabilizer-elevator that is located about 1 meter below it.

Never saw such an aircraft before.

Can anybody identify it?

[Burt]

I think it could be a Hanover CL III
Don

[Guntruck]

Looked at box - definitely a Hanover

[tuladin]

Yup.




Hanover CL III

[Baldrick62]

Airfix has been producing a Hannover CL.IIIa since the '70's, so a nice bit of 'product placement' with the F2B. As far as I know, the Hannover CL.II/III/IIIa series are the only operational one- or two- seaters with a biplane tail, although it does also appear on a number of the later marque G-series bombers, the British HPs and some versions of the Russian Ilya Mouromets.

[tuladin]

Here's that box - these Airfix kits have nice box art. Are the kits any good?

[batesyboy]

They are a product of their time !
The box art is new but the molds are very old and crude by today`s standards...
I think the Hannover is an early sixties mold...i think the RE8 (in the same series) was 1959
I really like them all the same...nostalgia !
Funnily enough i was thinking of a `cardie` of the Hannover as i`m a bit light on axis kites

[Baldrick62]

Are the kits any good?

Some, like the RE8, date back to the '50s, but as far as 1/72 large run injection-moulded plastic kits go, they're serviceable and pretty straight-forward in construction. Not quite as sturdy as the Revell kits, and certainly not the variety or accuracy of later producers like Roden, but they've served me well for Canvas Eagles for quite a few years. Airfix has only recently started providing multiple (ok, two) sets of decals for their WWI kits, but there is lots of after-market stuff out there.

[Bruce]

You guys are amazing !!! Thanks for the Hannover CL III identification.

I will ask my model shop to order a kit for me.

Also, I think that I'll make a 4-some of scratch-built 1/144 scale minis for WoW, and in the process will do the usual research on this aircraft.

I assume it had a single MG forward and a single for the observer; so B/B damage.
Would the "K" manoeuvre deck be appropriate?
And, any idea about the Strength number?

Thanks again.

[Baldrick62]

Bruce, if you don't want to scratch-build, SRAM do a lovely resin Hannover CL.IIIa and Reviscero produce a metal model (and a number of different decal sets) though I can't vouch for the quality.
I don't play WoW so can't confirm 'stats', but the armament is correct, althouth the observer has a raised 'turret' which provided a 360 degree firing arc above.

[Boney10]

Skytrex also do a Hannover which is quite nice and easy. I am in the process of doing a couple using the Reviresco decals.
These are nice , you can buy a choice of 4 or 5 I think but each set is for one aircraft only.
Will post a pic when completed