(This is the completed model. For more acknowledgments,
historical data, some related matters and for the step-by-step construction
article please go here in this same blog.
http://wingsofintent.blogspot.com/2016/04/rohrbach-roland-172nd-scale.html
There you can see the full interior with radio station, bathroom and the cockpit before they became barely visible.
My thanks to Mika Jernfors for the making of this decal set.
My gratitude to Günther Ott and the members of the ADL site.
My kind acknowledgment for the help received from Sönke Schulz and the
indefatigable Ornithopters.
Undeterred and undaunted by the building of the Zeppelin
Staaken, (designed by Rohrbach), I followed suite with another Rohrbach design,
the Roland. These machines came from Lufthansa stock to integrate a partnership
in Spain that gave birth to Iberia, one of
the oldest-running airlines of the world. Iberia had the majority of its
stock in Spanish hands, even if the several Rolands that eventually came to be
part of its fleet came from Lufthansa.
M-CACA saw the light of day during the inaugural flights of
the recently-born Iberia
in 1927 together with a sister machine, M-CBBB. Not what one would consider an
auspicious name for a debut. A week later, the malodorous registration was hastily
changed to M-CAAC.
Iberia Rolands differed from each other in a number of
details: type of propellers; position, type and quantity of wind-driven
generators; type an position of radiators; some aspects of their decoration; type
of exhausts; windshield, and so forth. Some had changes during their life too. Dismiss
as a reference the grossly inaccurate life-size mockup seen in old photos (mostly
in color) and erected at some point to commemorate some Iberia
milestone.
This was another extremely long endeavor, more so even than
the recently-finished Blackburn Kangaroo. It
was started on April 22nd 2016, more than 16 months ago, although many other
models were started and finished in the interim.
The model was given a full cockpit and cabin, including a
restroom with toilet, sink, tap, mirror, toilet roll and even a flower vase.
Luggage compartment was also included. The radio position (first seat on the
right) was given the corresponding instruments. Little of this can be seen,
save in the photos I took during the building.
The original overall colors of the German machines were
kept, but a few photos show a Spanish flag underneath the wing tips on some
machines. These are not to be confused with the carried-over German traditional
black bands present on the German planes of the time.
Most photos of this inaugural flight that circulate show
M-CBBB, the other plane that flew on the day of the inauguration of the
airline, where government "notables" and the king were present. As
explained above, the plane shown in those photos had other props (metal Reid),
different radiator positions and other peculiarities.
Dismiss the magazine article that contain photos of a wicker
chair interior, that's not a Rohrbach Roland, and shows how easily mistakes can
be made.
Fortunately for our research there are a few photos of
M-CACA that point to its characteristics.
Another slippery subject is which Lufhansa registrations became
Iberia
machines. On this matter I found contradictions among sources, and checking
photos of the machines in their German registrations showed that they did not
necessarily were the same machine used by Iberia, since details differed.
To make things worse, as said above, these machines were
altered during their lives and before transfer and after arrival.
In any case, the details of M-CACA (irresistible
registration, isn't it?*) were sorted out and the model built.
*Yes, yes, I am like a five-year-old. Can't you see that I
still play with little airplanes? it's so fun! ;-)
P/S: Now, if this would be a presidential plane, an Air Force One of sorts...what president would it belong to?
Exactly!
P/S: Now, if this would be a presidential plane, an Air Force One of sorts...what president would it belong to?
Exactly!
Outstanding, Claudio. Looks like it would make a good free flight electric model, lots of dihedral.
ReplyDeleteThanks, John, you are very kind.
DeleteI agree with your comments on a potential FF model. Nicer than usual tail area too.
Cheers
excelente maqueta del R.Roland, mi padre esta trabajando en escala 1/7.
ReplyDeletesaludos enricpallares@yahoo.com
Gracias Paula
DeleteBuenos augurios para esa maqueta en progreso.
Amazing, congratulations. Armando Gil.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Armando.
DeleteIt came up ok.
It has some undefinable charm.
Saludos cordiales