LetLetLet ~ Warplanes
Let Let Let - Warplanes => Aircraft Modeling => Topic started by: Second Air Force on April 01, 2012, 06:52:23 PM
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The winner of our earlier poll is this Ho-229. Don't ask me who manufactured this vacuform because I don't remember :-think......all I do remember is that it is green. :-green This was a VERY basic vacform kit and consisted of nine parts, six wheel halves, two wing sections, and a clear perspex canopy and spine. My modeling skills, and especially my vacuform skills, were far from advanced in May of 1979 when I built this the first time. The engines are from a Monogram 1/72 B-52 and I think the nose wheel was once from a 1/32 kit of some kind. This series of pictures just shows the beginnings of this project.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_9611.jpg)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_9610.jpg)
It split apart very easily, something I didn't anticipate happening. Only a little trailing edge damage occurred, which isn't a problem because the trailing edges were about six scale inches thick anyway! :-roll :-red
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_9612.jpg)
I've often painted the "date of manufacture" on the inside of my old builds (it looks like I may have been drinking when I painted this.....). Dig that superdetailed cockpit!
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_9642.jpg)
The paint having been removed, the surfaces don't look too bad but I will need to deepen the scribing to sharpen it somewhat.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_9640.jpg)
Now, some of you may wonder, why don't I just throw this pile of junk away and get a Dragon Ho-229 kit? The answer is that I already have this one to restore. And a large quantity of stuff to add to it this time around. Let's see if I can do a better job this time! ;)
To add to the fun, I'd like to entertain some ideas as to markings and configuration for this. Since none saw actual service and the Versuchs machines barely got to the flight stage we should be able to use imagination on the final product. I'm more than willing to do single or two-seat versions so a night-fighter or Zerstorer concept is an option. Suggestions?
Scott
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Excellent!! Go forward mate! This will be great build!! :-clap :-clap
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This one will be so nice ;) Maybe to try to dig some files about :))
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My "secret weapon" on this rebuild is that I have an unstarted Tamiya Me-262 here. I've made RTV molds of the engine intakes and exhausts and some cockpit parts. So, there will be more accurate bits on the Horten than originally! Probably the most difficult part of this will be the canopy/cockpit spine. The kit transparency is very unlike the shape of that on the V3 machine that is in the Smithsonian collection. I might use some artistic license on this since it looks like mass-producing the Horten canopy would have been very difficult in late-war Germany.
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Very nice Scott, looking forward to seeing what you do with this! :-ok Seeing that green plastic makes me think this is an old Airmodel kit, as they often used a green plastic for their kits ( I have several in that weird green plastic).
Ernie
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That is certainly possible, Ernie. I can't recall where I bought this kit but I think it was through the original Squadron Hobby Shop. Airmodel does ring a bell, though.
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I have gotten a little start on the Horten but felt so sorry for my Komet...... So, I cleaned the old model up and the decals mostly fell off during the washing. I studied the model a bit and decided that it doesn't look all that bad other than a few areas. I even found the tailwheel in a box! Rather than disassemble it fully I simply cleaned it, remounted the wings and polished the canopy. A dig through the spare decal boxes located the original decal sheet that came with the model so I just re-marked it with II/JG 400 decals. The entire process took about two hours.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_9691.jpg)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_9697.jpg)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_9693.jpg)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_9694.jpg)
This was a Testors reissue of the old Hawk Me-163 kit that originally came out in the 1950s. Although there is not much in the cockpit the shape is generally correct and the surface detail isn't all that bad considering the timeframe of its original engraving.
Now, back to the Horten! :-salut
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Haha,this is very nice! Fast work! :-clap :-clap
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I agree with Sall, very nice result for a little work :-ok
Ernie
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Great work mate :-clap
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Thanks, y'all. I remember buying that Komet kit at an apothecary-type drug store for $2.50 plus tax. It's really not all that bad, either.
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Finally I cleared off enough space on the bench to continue with the Horten. First a couple of photos of the engine parts I resin cast. This part of the model will be by far the most difficult to accomplish as there is nothing but open holes in the wing halves. All of the intake and exhaust ducting will have to be fabricated and proper inlets and exhaust nozzles in the actual wing.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_9800.jpg)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_9801.jpg)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_9802.jpg)
Next was to start thinning the trailing edges. Thankfully I left these surfaces way too thick the first time I built this so I had plenty of material to work with. The photos don't show it very well but I'm achieving a nice, sharp trailing edge with patient sanding. There was so much material to start with that I used a belt sander to remove most of the styrene.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_9797.jpg)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_9798.jpg)
Even this very basic vacuform gives one a good impression of the genius that the Horten's offered to aviation.
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This will be perfect when complete half's :-clap
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I agree!! Very nice work with resin. :-clap :-clap
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Will be a great build...
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The Horten has been in hibernation for the last couple of months. One reason was that I was "engineering" how to rebuild the inlet and exhaust openings. This vacuform is really quite terrible in these areas but I was somewhat stumped at how to fix the issue. The final idea was brass tubing into which the engine components can be installed. The openings in the wing must first be opened up to a diameter to allow the tube to fit, then the tube will be fine-tuned to the correct shape for the inlet lip. The exhausts will be easier, I think. :-think
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_0162.jpg)
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Now it is wake up time :))
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Hard work to do but result will be great...
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:-clap :-tri
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Two months later and the second engine inlet tube has been fitted. Next it will be time to fix the tubes in one half of the wing and get the alignment perfected, then on to other modifications.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_0604.jpg)
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Good you get time for this one :)
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I was tired of pistons last night so the jet came back to the workbench! ;)
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:-ok
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:-clap :-ok
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I'm resurrecting the Horten from the unfinished section of models! :-joke It's been quite a while since this got any attention..... :-wise
Currently the planning is going forward for cockpit, canopy and wheelwells. I've decided to do this as a "what-if" production version so there will be quite a lot of changes from the V-3 photos we're all used to seeing. More will be posted soon. :-flo
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First item I decided to deal with was the canopy enclosure. As I earlier mentioned, this will be my interpretation of what the production Ho 229 might have looked like if it had been fully developed.
As the Horten brothers designed it, the canopy on the V-3 version looks impractical to me. The pilot would have had a very limited field-of-vision to the sides since he sat so low in the wing. I've redesigned the seating situation to bring the pilot higher, something along the lines of a Mustang or MiG-15, for example. With that in mind, a trip through the clear parts box found a windscreen and bubble canopy that will work quite nicely. I didn't do much to the parts as yet, just matched them to the basic contour of the wing:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/HortenContinued004_zps14ffb3ae.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/HortenContinued004_zps14ffb3ae.jpg.html)
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I did not mention details of canopy until you did not point it in this post. Thank you mate and welcome back to this subject :)
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More research into the history of the Ho229 and I have a few more projects underway. First I scratchbuilt a cockpit tub from styrene and brass wire. Then I added some spares box bits and resin side consoles copied from a Me262. The instrument panel and seat are being sourced from the Bf109 spares box:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/Ho229Cockpit002_zps6dd3e04f.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/Ho229Cockpit002_zps6dd3e04f.jpg.html)
Next it was time to attack the exhaust outlet openings. I fabricated these from the brass tubing and will attach the Jumo 004 turbine section inside:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/Ho229Cockpit003_zpsad4bb97c.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/Ho229Cockpit003_zpsad4bb97c.jpg.html)
Next step was to figure out the wheelwells. On the V3 prototype this area was open and showed all the center section structure. Surely, on a production machine, these would be fully boxed in so I made these wheelwells from styrene sheet and strips:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/Ho229Cockpit004_zpsef43995b.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/Ho229Cockpit004_zpsef43995b.jpg.html)
Much more to be done, but the basic shapes are coming together. I've also dug through the landing gear parts and am on the way to a set of struts and wheels.
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Good upgrade, this is far advanced now :)
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It's a rough start, at least!
Still so many things to design before this gets rolling. I have debated when to fix all the molding dimples and bumps, before or after gluing the two halves together. Now, as I look back on it, I should have smoothed the surfaces before I disassembled the wing from the first build. That way it would have been nice and rigid and sanding would be easier. As it is, I think I'll finish the interior items and glue the halves together before working on the surfaces.
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Here is a quick photo of one turbine section and exhaust plug offered up to the new tube. Also I'm working on the surface finish of the two halves before gluing together, at least to get the major surgery completed first.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/Ho229More003_zps2576a32d.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/Ho229More003_zps2576a32d.jpg.html)
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Surgery proven successful in this case :-ok
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Yes, the basic shape is there, now much filler and sanding.....
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Much filling and sanding going on now........ Once the exhaust areas are exactly as they should be the engine parts will be painted and glued into each tailpipe. After that the cockpit will be finished and installed, then the two wing halves can be assembled.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/HortenFiller002_zps3fdad747.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/HortenFiller002_zps3fdad747.jpg.html)
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I hope that landing gear bay would not make problems during merging half's
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No, this was all planned on and many test-fittings have occurred. The interesting part of that is the nose gear bay is largely the cockpit tub. I had to build up the cockpit section, temporarily install this in the upper wing and then make the rest of the wheelwell walls fit into the cockpit and both wing halves. The Horten designers had very little room to work with and the top of the landing gear is right under the pilot's knees.
I'll bet y'all are wondering why I'm wasting my time on this old vacuform pile of junk rather than just using the Dragon kit :-think. Well, I love the challenge of fixing up something I put together 35 years ago! (I still remember building this the first time in 1979 and thinking I was doing a pretty good job at the time...... :-red)
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(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/Putty001_zpsfbaecdff.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/Putty001_zpsfbaecdff.jpg.html)
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No doubt it will look great when it's done !
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Hey, wait a moment- do you have instrument panel for this kit?
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Yes, from the spares box. My panel is actually coming from the Eduard Bf 109 kit as it is very much shaped the same as the one in the Wing.
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I have something to build instrument panels, etched bezels and printed instruments. If you don't mind, I can try to make one panel for you.
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Sure! Make it the same size and shape as a Bf 109E and it will be just the right dimension. Here's a photo of the Ho229V-3 panel found on the web:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/HortenV3panel_zps827656fa.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/HortenV3panel_zps827656fa.jpg.html)
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Excellent image, thanks ;)
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Here is how the cockpit and nose gear compartment come together:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/Hortensubassembly001_zpsa55f217a.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/Hortensubassembly001_zpsa55f217a.jpg.html)
And the exhaust/turbine sections have been painted with Metalizer and fixed into position on the upper section. Soon the two halves will be joined....
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/Hortensubassembly002_zps6d81fa41.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/Hortensubassembly002_zps6d81fa41.jpg.html)
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Perfect match and it look like that instrument panel match criteria :-ok
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:-ok
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Finally the two halves are joined and the long task of filling imperfections has started.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/HortenAssembled002_zps084b7739.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/HortenAssembled002_zps084b7739.jpg.html)
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Looks great!
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Thanks, mate. :-flo I'm really thankful this won't be in natural metal finish or I would have never started the rebuild. :-paper
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getting better and better every time !
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First primer day:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/HortenPrimer005_zps9ec1e365.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/HortenPrimer005_zps9ec1e365.jpg.html)
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What a large surface to do!!
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Yes, my primer bottle ran dry!
Now some rescribing and more filler.....but the basics are looking better.
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Further progress has been made on the Flying Wing project. I've decided on a single-seat night fighter version. First the RLM 75 followed by 76 mottle and black undersides:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/HortenCompleted001_zps1ad6c5fb.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/HortenCompleted001_zps1ad6c5fb.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/HortenCompleted002_zpsf505db89.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/HortenCompleted002_zpsf505db89.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/HortenCompleted003_zps7e0c4ac8.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/HortenCompleted003_zps7e0c4ac8.jpg.html)
(The resin cockpit bits are from my first Hs 123, soon to have its own thread.)
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Painting :))
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Oh! Nice job on the night camo squiggles :-obey They are hard to do and make look good, excellent! :-salut :-ok
Ernie
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Thanks, Ernie. I ended up patterning the camo after the "reverse" scheme used on late He-219 series. I didn't really think that spraying the 76 over the 75 would work but it didn't turn out too bad. My initial plan was to do the crosshatch pattern as seen on some Ju-88 night fighter fuselages but this didn't pan out..... :-wall
Here are a few photos of the completed "what if" Ho-229 in Wilde Sau nightfighter colors. This one has the FuG 228 antenna system of single masts rather than the stag's antlers array on the nose (I didn't want to destroy the lines of the wing with all that plumbing). Another of my old builds is redone!:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/HortenCompleted004_zpsc2100781.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/HortenCompleted004_zpsc2100781.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/HortenCompleted013_zpsc7256ca3.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/HortenCompleted013_zpsc7256ca3.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/HortenCompleted016_zps44252b7a.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/HortenCompleted016_zps44252b7a.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/HortenCompleted009_zps898cfa82.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/HortenCompleted009_zps898cfa82.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/HortenCompleted018_zps0ae5fcfc.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/HortenCompleted018_zps0ae5fcfc.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/HortenCompleted012_zps3f8e96ef.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/HortenCompleted012_zps3f8e96ef.jpg.html)
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Excellent final result :-clap
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Very, Very Nice!!! Great job Scott! I really like that camo, you just nailed it :-ok :-ok
Ernie
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Excellent, this Horten is realy cool!
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Wonderful!
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Thanks, friends!
I should have mentioned that I found the wheels and canopy parts in the spares bins and the landing gear legs are SAC white-metal units.
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beautiful !
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Hello,
Very good and very convincing build ! Bravo !
Jicehem :-wave: