Tamiya promised us something special for their 100th 1/48th aircraft, and they delivered! Not only is this kit of the Storch fantastically well-detailed with several build options, but it also introduces some innovative ideas that will make the build easy while also resulting in a sturdy model. A metal wing spar and wire landing gear frame will support those big wings and spindly gear without compromising detail or leaving us with overscale parts. The engine is fully detailed, which is a good thing as all of the cowl panels can be left off if desired! The cockpit likewise is amazingly well-done, and can be shown to good effect with the massive greenhouse canopy and optional-position side door. Tamiya also provides pre-cut tape masks to protect that glass, plus they have molded the clear sidepanels together with the gray fuselage parts, eliminating a major alignment issue while, again, strengthening a crucial area. For options we are given three types of upper canopies--two without rear defensive gun and one with--plus optional windows for the latter variant so as to mount the gun or replace it with a flat window, wheel and ski landing gear, optional position flaps, drop tank, optional exhausts and oil coolers, seated pilot figure, seated passenger figure with optional heads, four standing figures (two of Erwin Rommel and two Afrika Korps troops), jerry cans and fuel drums. Lots of unused parts suggest further versions to come!

Decals are provided for five aircraft: Fi156C-3s "SF+RL" and "DL+AW," both used by Erwin Rommel; Fi156C-3 "SJ+LL," as used in the operation to rescue Mussolini from Gran Sasso; Fi156C-7 "RR+KN" of an unknown unit; and Fi156C-5 "VK+GS" with skis and winter distemper on the Eastern Front in 1942.