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Ardpol 1/72 resin AEG C.IV
 

Ardpol 1/72 resin AEG C.IV

By Grzegorz Mazurowski

History

The AEG C.IV was the most popular airplane produced by the famous German AEG electric company during the WWI. It is also famous because of the fact that it was probably the only plane which, designed by a non-aviation company, was for some time license built in the famous Fokker factory, when Eindeckers were already obsolete and the Dr.I was not yet designed. It is a great irony of fate that Anthony Fokker, one of the most innovative aviation manufacturers, had to produce an airplane designed by an electric company!

The AEG C.IV was a reconnaissance and light bomber biplane of fabric-covered metal construction. It was powered by the 160hp Mercedes and 180hp Argus engines. Fokker produced AEGs were unarmed trainers.

Many C.IV ssurvived the war and were used as a civil (mail and passenger) airplanes, and also in various local wars in 1918-20 period, including Polish-Bolshevik war. Some AEG.C.IVs were used during WWI in Turkey and Palestine.

The kit

This is one of the earlier Ardpol kits, but the quality is excellent. Probably the only difference between the AEG and the newest Ardpols is the lack of the PE fret - but all the small details are very finely depicted in resin.

Kit parts are flawlessly moulded in light tan coloured resin. The producer has packed the parts into zip-bags with great care: wings are even taped to the pieces of cardboard to prevent them from potential warping.

All the details are excellent, and especially nice are the fuselage halves, which are very thin and wonderfully detailed on both internal and external surfaces, the wings which are properly thin have beautiful ribs and sharp trailing edges and finally the Mercedes engine, which, though the same moulding is present in many Ardpol kits, still amazes me with its richness in the tiny details (Ardpol also sells this engine separately).

The kit includes very good, detailed instruction of assembly, showing step-by-step how to build the model. Instructions contain detailed three-view drawings of the airplane and painting schemes for the two German (both have cool fuselage markings, not often on the German two-seaters) and one Polish airplane.

Conclusion:

One of my favourite Ardpols - cool, strong looking plane - I like that short fuselage and long wings! -and the quality of the kit is excellent. OK, the kit is resin one, and a two-bay biplane - so not suitable for the beginner. But for the experienced WWI modeller interested in German Aviation it is a real must!

Thanks to Ardpol for the review kit!