To purchase this print, please to order the item from HobbyLink Japan, our distribution partner.
Developed in the mid 1930s, the Do 18 was, if nothing else, a very interestingly-shaped aircraft. The sponsons on the lower side of the fuselage were to stabilize the plane while on the water, and also made a perfect location for the wing struts. While not a well-known type, it was a workhorse of trans-Atlantic mail runs between Africa and Brazil in the mid to late 1930s, usually launching with the aid of catapult-equipped ships. Koike's illustration shows "D-ARUN Zephir", one of the type's first civilian examples. The Do 18 entered Luftwaffe service in WWII as well, but was outdated at that point, and has the distinction of being the first German aircraft type downed by the British.
This print is reproduced on heavy art board and sized identically to the original, measuring 400mm x 315mm (15.75 x 12.4 inches). It's offset-printed, and the color reproduction has been approved by Koike himself. The art board measures 625mm x 453mm (24.6 x 17.8 inches), leaving white borders around the image to give you the freedom to have it framed as you please. The prints are packed in a special sleeve inside a sturdy shipping box designed to prevent any bending while on their way to you (for this reason, they cannot be combined with other types of items for shipping, they will be shipped separately, even if ordered with other items).