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 in the engine pods, 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.52 was the first of the Aviatik-built R.VIs to abandon the stepped, enclosed fuselage and seat the pilots at the fuselage top in an open cockpit. It was delivered to Risenflugzeugabteilung (Rfa) 500 in June 1918. R.52 crashed in France in August 1918 and was destroyed.

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 sat between the wings and two gunners shared the aft position, with a ventral position in the floor for use as necessary. A nose gunner completed the crew. Starting in September 1917 they began bombing mission on both the U.K. and France with 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.

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. On some aircraft provision was made for the engine mechanics to climb a ladder to a platform from which they could man top-wing rear-firing guns.

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.