*(126) GOTHA BOMBER (1958)

THE Aurora Gotha Bomber catalogue number 126-1-97 (last three digits being the retail price of one Dollar and 97 cents) proved highly popular among WWI modellers due to its glamour and perceived scarcity. As a result,the kit's value increased substantially and began changing hands at ever increasing prices until October 1971 when enterprising kit collector Ross Abare approached Aurora with a novel proposition.He persuaded them to run off around 1000 kits under licence allowing him to retail them as low-priced 'originals':the enterprise was ultimately scuppered by financial and contractual disputes that spelt the end of private venture Gothas...There were subtle differences between the two: a giveaway 1971 date on the decal sheet; Aurora logos differed and the box printing was not as sharp. Our kit is not one of the replicas but a 100% original 1958 production.

The kit contained over 59 parts moulded in the same metallic burgundy as the Fokker Triplane with 51 (mostly-paired) black accessories: wheels; exhausts; engine manifolds; propellers, undercarriage units; etc.  Comparison with Ian Stair's 1:48 scale G.V set in Peter Grosz's GOTHA! Special reveals that main components are actually not too far adrift and although anomalies exist,they are relatively simple to address with a couple of exceptions... Fuselage halves are OK but lack the narrow nose windows and feature a rather basic rear gun tunnel that requires suitably-formed plastic sheet to round it off. All four wing panels feature exaggerated rib stations on their upper-surfaces but the undersides are plain. Leading edge wing tips require refinement as will trailing edge scallops, whilst the aileron balances need a trim. Both tail-plane and fin/rudder outlines are close matches with drawings so require only minimal re-shaping.Undercarriage legs, wheels, propellers, guns and most other black parts will benefit from refinement but all 18 wing struts are surprisingly thin-sectioned and, even more surprisingly, sufficiently sturdy to support the heavy wing cellule. However functional rigging is recommended. 

There are eight PuW bombs which fail to capture the streamlined form of the 100kg originals but excellent versions have been produced by Mirage Models of Poland and   a selection of them are included with the box. Engine nacelles are the  main stumbling blocks. Surface detail is confused, engine cut-outs too short and the units are parallel-sided in plan view whereas they should be wider and adopt streamlined form. Altering them would be awkward and vac-forming would be a purist's best recourse so we have provide 1:48 scale multi-aspect drawings of G.V nacelles in the kit for those willing to take the plunge...

The decal sheet is probably beyond redemption but could be scanned to commercial decal material, glazed with gloss acrylic and applied the usual way.Serial number provides GO. G.V 947/17, a genuine Gotha that bore initials KZ on fuselage flanks that differ in style to those of the sheet.

Gotha gen: The GOTHA! Special written by P M Grosz with multiple 1:48 scale drawings,over 85 photos,1918 technical capture report,many detail sketches and four pages of accurate colour profiles was published in 1984:it has been out of print for some time. *See also The Gotha G.I-G.V, Profile Publications No.115 from 1966, also by P M Grosz, with concise narrative, good selection of photos plus colour profiles on inner covers and centre pages. We have a limited number available on site-please see link below.