Wednesday, November 27

Takom "Wings" range launches with 32nd scale Ho 229A&B kits + 16th scale pilot to match...

We look at the "launch" of Takom's new "Wings" range, with the 32nd scale Ho 229A & B kits with a 16th scale pilot to oversee things. CADs with features we can pick details out of in our preview...

Takom "Wings" range launches with 32nd scale Ho 229A&B + 16th scale pilot to match...

Horten H IX (or Ho 229 or Gotha Go 229) a little history before we begin...
Reimar and Walter Horten designed many gliders in the pre-Luftwaffe era of the German 1930’s, so when Germany came to the fore in aviation with the Nazi Party in power and spending a lot of money on new radical designs, 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. One still exists now in the Smithsonian museum in the USA in a constant state of restoration. One can see how this will be not just a popular model with the “Luft 46” people as well as other modellers who want something a bit different but wholly conceivable in the skies over Europe in 1945.

Ho 229 (H IX) specifications:
Manufacturer: Gothaer Waggonfabrik
Designer: Reimar and Walter Horten
First flight: 1 March 1944
Number built: 3–6 (6 in production)
Maximum speed: 977 km/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: 2 × 30 mm MK 108 cannon
 
The H IX/Go 229 was a single-seat fighter bomber with a 16-metre wingspan and twin jet engines, and it was a further development of the H V and H VII designs. It was devised by the Horten brothers to suit the Luftwaffe requirement to create a 1000 kg load over 1000 km at 1000 km/h—the so-called 1000/1000/1000 rule.
In shape, the Ho 229 was a pure wing with an increased chord at the centre to give sufficient thickness to house the pilot and the jet units, which were placed close together on either side. Six H IX type’s were started into production, and they were designated V.1 to V.4 (V.6). V.1 was the first prototype, designed as a single seater with twin B.M.W. 003 jets, which were not ready when the airframe was finished. It was accordingly completed as a glider and extensively test flown—here is the short history of this series of jets.

The V-1 was completed as a glider (no turbines) "D.V.L. (Deutsche Versuchsanstalt für Luftfahrt) instrumented it for special directional damping tests to determine its suitability as a gun platform."
·         V.2 - was completed (also at Gottingen) with two Jumo 004 units and did 2-hours flying before crashing during a single engine landing. The pilot (Ziller) apparently landed short or was the victim of a stall after misjudging his approach and effect of drag by lowering the airbrake and power available and was killed in the crash.
·         V.3 - was being built by Gotha at Friedrichsroda as a prototype of the series production version and was later shipped to the USA.The V.3 was never flown
·         V.4 – had received the engines, and the works had begun to create the wooden structures of the wings.
 (V.5 and V.6) did not get beyond the project stage. V.4 was to be a two-seater night fighter with an extended nose to house the extra-man pilot 
Although this aircraft never saw active service, it captures the hearts and thoughts of WWII and modern aircraft enthusiasts. You need look no further than the Grumman B2 Stealth Bomber to see the influence it had on designers up until the present day.

 The sole survivor being restored at the NASM

The Kit (& the "Wings" series)
So Takom has launched into the (fixed) wing business after their Apaches and other smaller helicopters. We see the first conventional (?) aircraft in the form of two kits in 1/32nd scale. The Horten H0 229A single seat, plus the twin-seater, the Ho 229B. We also see one of their larger figures they are fond of recently in the form of the 16th scale pilot to match these two kits. 

We will look at the CADs to see what there is to note about this new series so far. First of all, the figure in 16th scale.

Ho 229 Pilot
From Takom
Kit No# 1023
1/16th scale
Grey injection-moulded plastic
This larger scaled figure is meant as a stand-alone or an inspiration piece. With the details scaled up from the 32nd scale figures that come with the kits all here. Just double the size! He is taken from the famous images of the Ho 229 pilots above in this article.


Ho 229A
From Takom
Kit No. 32001
1/32nd scale
Two marking choices included
Grey injection-moulded plastic + photo-etch parts...
First up, the basics: with the wingspan of 52.5 cm, this 32nd scale kit will be big enough to fill most modeller's desks. The kit captures the unique wing shape, cockpit, gear, and armaments quite well.
A single pilot is included. He is wearing that same flight suit and futuristic helmet we have seen already...
There are several options with this kit. The gear up or down, with what looks like to be an extensive interior section, especially around those open engines. Both the wings and the engine covers can be removed to show the fully formed engines underneath. The cockpit can also be posed open or closed.
You can see in this cutaway image the internal framework you get, plus the Mk 108 autocannon that comes with this kit.


Ho 229A
From Takom
Kit No. 32002
1/32nd scale
Two marking choices included
Grey injection-moulded plastic + photo-etch parts...
With the two-seater proposed night fighter, you get (guess what?) two pilots and the elongated cockpit to house them in, along with the other features you have seen already in this preview...
The same airframe pretty much, but with the addition of the radar antennae and the air-to-air missiles that were also in development (planning) at this late stage in the war.
You see more of the inside; with the wings removed also, there will be heaps of modellers making this to look a little like a barn-find or the NASM version.
The two pilots are, of course, included in this two-seater!

That is all we have on this one for now. Keep tuned for more info on the kits soon...
You can see more about Takom's kits on their website or on their Facebook page.