The Modelling News: Preview: MiniArt's new-tool Junkers F13 Early Production in 48th scale ...

MiniArt's new-tool (long awaited) 1/48th scale Junkers F13 is with us in art & CAD. We look at the features of the model & the aircraft itself in our preview...

Preview: MiniArt's new-tool Junkers F13 Early Production in 48th scale ...

Junkers F13 (Early Production)

From MiniArt Models

Kit No: 48002

1/48th scale

The kit contains two marking choices in the box.

Full engine & clear parts are included

Product Link on the MiniArt Website

We first saw the nucleus of this new series of 1/48th scale Junkers J13 from a cryptic post on Facebook earlier this year. It seems that this new-tooled from MiniArt is on the way in the shape of the Junkers F13 (Early Production) in 48th scale.

The subject: The Junkers F13

The Junkers F13 was developed in Germany by Junkers towards the end of World War I and first took to the skies in 1919. It entered service in 1920, and over the decade, a total of 322 aircraft were produced. The last recorded commercial flight operated by Germany took place just before the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

Initially released with a lower tail fin, the F13 was an advanced aircraft for its time. It featured an all-metal skin and was designed as a cantilever-wing monoplane, which was ground-breaking. The aircraft provided enclosed accommodation for four passengers. Junkers themselves established an airline, Junkers Luftverkehrs AG, using 60 of these aircraft, which helped boost sales. Lufthansa also purchased 55 of these planes.

The interior of two different J13's...

The F13 had a cruising speed of 99 mph, a range of 870 miles, and an operational ceiling of 16,000 feet. However, for passenger comfort, it typically flew well below this ceiling. These impressive specifications contributed to its commercial success.

The F13 is shown here in its earlier guise as released with its lower tail fin.

In addition to commercial operators, many F13s were sold to air forces worldwide. Licenses were granted to produce the F13 in the Soviet Union and the United States. The John Larsen Aircraft Company produced the JL-6 variant, which was sold to British, French, and Italian carriers, and some were used by the US Postal Services.

A great image of the aircraft taken apart.

A notable feature of the F13 was its convertible undercarriage, which could be replaced with floats, making it a versatile seaplane. This was particularly important during the 1920s and 1930s when many remote destinations lacked airports. While most F13s were retired by World War II, some remained in operation post-war, with the last known flight taking place in Brazil in 1951.

Although many F13s are displayed in museums worldwide, none of the original aircraft are in flying condition. However, in 2009, a German-Swiss company, with the approval of the Junkers family, decided to build new F13s as close to the original design as possible. The first of these new aircraft, built by Junkers-Flugzeugwerke AG, flew in 2016. Four more are being produced, each priced at $2.5 million.

Deutsches Museum's F 13

The Kit: MiniArt's 48th scale Junkers F13 Early Production

The new kit follows on from the P-47D Thunderbolt series from MiniArt in material and hopefully quality. Inside the box you will see plastic, clear and photo-etch. We look at the CADs now to see more of the features of this kit...

A walk around of the whole aircraft here below...

A good look at the corrugated skin with raised rivets in these images...

Photo-etch can replace some parts of the kit if the modeller wants to opt for that..

The wings can be removed to show the aircraft in transport or repair mode.

The full engine and front structure can be exposed by the modeller if they choose.

The 231 kw (310hp) Junkers L-5 six-cylinder upright in-line liquid-cooled engine is presented here in full.

The doors can be posed opened or closed....

The flying controls and instrument panel are reproduced in full.

All of the crew and passenger seats are present with photo-etched seatbelts included.

For this release, we can expect wheels for the fixed undercarriage. Surely we will see a flat plane in latter editions? We hope so...

This kit should be available soon (not sure when) next month from MiniArt's distributors worldwide. You can see more about this kit on the MiniArt Website...