The Modelling News: Zoukei Mura’s new “spirited brother” is coming along pretty well

The new 1/32^nd Horten Ho 229 kit from Zoukei Mura is still in test phase - but we have some of the photos of the development of this kit in prototype form (funny that this is a prototype of a prototype!) in today's preview

Zoukei Mura CAD progress of the Horten Ho 229 in 32^nd scale

Zoukei Mura’s Horten Ho 229

1/32 Scale

Plastic Model Kit

Total Parts: TBA

October TBA

Reimar and Walter Horten designed many gliders in the pre-Luftwaffe era of the German 1930’s, so when Germany came to the fore with the Nazi Party in power it seemed natural for their revolutionary “tail-less” designs to follow the air force into the spotlight of the world.

The development of Jet engines seemed a natural fit with their large winged gliders and so came the almost mythological Ho 229. There were in fact three of these aircraft made and one still exists now in the Smithsonian museum in the USA. One can see how this will be not just a popular model with the “Luft 46” people as well as other modellers – the original aircraft ‘s performance was:

Ho 229 specifications:

Manufacturer : Gothaer Waggonfabrik

Designer: Reimar and Walter Horten

First flight: 1 March 1944

Number built: 3

Maximum speed: 977km/h (607 mph) at 12,000 metres (39,000 ft)

Service ceiling: 16,000 m (52,000 ft)

Rate of climb: 22 m/s (4,330 ft/min)

Powerplant: 2 × Junkers Jumo 004B turbojet, 8.7 kN (1,956 lbf) each

Guns: 4 × 30 mm MK 108 cannon

Hopefully we will get some more pilot and ground crew figures as well.

Most kit makers would be happy with this kit as a release – but it seems that ZM are going to great lengths to make the very best kit of this type they can. This is a way of doing business we thought was forgotten in modern times - so good luck to them for taking the longer – but more rewarding route!

From this second prototype you can see all of the interior structure looks pretty detailed – the staff did go to the Smithsonian to check this aircraft out in the flesh - It seems that this kit will be getting their full ZM “inside out” treatment, so things are looking god for this release…

The cockpit is looking detailed even without the furnishings..

"What - no tail plane to correct?" - And the full wingspan - very impressive!

And here is an experiment - this Horten all wrapped up in transparent plastic - now here is something that modellers who say they cannot paint will like!