This is a 1:144 scale model of a typical German Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI giant bomber. The model includes gunners at the nose and two behind the wings, engineers with guns standing in upper-wing ports, and a load of bombs on the fuselage bottom. This model is truly massive, and it may not be printable on many 3D printers. Since many painters choose their own mounting system, no peg is included on the plane. Pegs can be purchased separately in the Accessories section of this catalog.

R.30 was a test-bed for several innovations, including variable-pitch propellers and a engine-driven supercharger in the fuselage to provide compressed air to the four 260hp Mercedes D.IVa main engines. The improvement worked, raising the ceiling from 12,500' to 19300' and adding 30kph to its speed.

The giant Riesenflugzeug bombers were marvels of their time. The only model to reach series production was the Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI, with the production load spread to Staaken (4), Aviatik (6), Schütte-Lanz (5), and Albatros-O.A.W. (3).

Two pilots shared flying responsibilities, aided by a radio operator and navigator directly to their rear. A mechanic for each engine pair sat between the wings, and two gunners shared the aft position, with a ventral position in the floor for use as necessary. On R.30, the mechanics could climb ladders and employ guns from two ports in the upper wing. A nose gunner completed the crew. Starting in September 1917 they began bombing mission on both the U.K. and France with Risenflugzeugabteilung (Rfa) 500 and 501.

According to some sources, none of the R.VIs were lost due to enemy action. Others attribute two losses to enemy fire and seven or eight in crashes, and perhaps one to extreme flight maneuvers (R.52).

As production and refits proceeded, a central fin and rudder were added, balanced ailerons were added, and (on R.52-R.54) the stepped fuselage nose was abandoned, with the pilots sitting on top.

R.VIs made 52 raids on London, dropping 2772 bombs of 196 tonnes in total weight.

For more data and gaming info on this plane, see https://linen.miraheze.org/wiki/Zeppelin-Staaken_R.VI.