1/18 Ho-229 Project Build ( Retired ) !!

[pickelhaube]

Looking great so far Matthew.

I am in on the full build[ hopefully], and would prefer no screw holes. If you do go with the screws any way you could make some small rubber plugs to cover them, and let us know what paint to use on them, and any "touch ups" that may be needed if these are removed.

This is a fantastic project, PH, and your work is a sight to behold.

Thanks Snake !!!

After working on the cockpit installation today I am going to have to do some kind of plug thing. I do not think that a figure will be able to drop in from the top because of the tight cabin. I guess I could make the canopy wider like 21st did for their P-40 . But I do not want to do that.

I do have a couple of ideas as how I am going to work this out.

That will be one of the very last punch out things to do at the end of the project.

Don't forget about the installments guys

[Jay]

Hey Matthew. Will send my installment through within the next few days for my kit. Will PM you with confirmation....................awesome progress by the way!

[gburch]

After working on the cockpit installation today I am going to have to do some kind of plug thing. I do not think that a figure will be able to drop in from the top because of the tight cabin. I guess I could make the canopy wider like 21st did for their P-40 . But I do not want to do that.

I do have a couple of ideas as how I am going to work this out.

That will be one of the very last punch out things to do at the end of the project.

I can't imagine you'd blow scale as they did with the P-40! Something like was done with the BBI Zero cockpit might be in order ... Or, you might think about cutting a rectangular "plug" from above that accommodates the whole cockpit area and pushed down into the "fuselage." Super-scalers could glue the plug in and putty over the seam.

Oh, wait ... did I just tap Mozart on the shoulder and say, "Hey, Amadeus, you might think about inserting a little arpeggio here ..."?

Don't forget about the installments guys

PM sent ...

[CW4USARMY]

Matt, pm sent for second deposit.

[pickelhaube]

After working on the cockpit installation today I am going to have to do some kind of plug thing. I do not think that a figure will be able to drop in from the top because of the tight cabin. I guess I could make the canopy wider like 21st did for their P-40 . But I do not want to do that.

I do have a couple of ideas as how I am going to work this out.

That will be one of the very last punch out things to do at the end of the project.

I can't imagine you'd blow scale as they did with the P-40! Something like was done with the BBI Zero cockpit might be in order ... Or, you might think about cutting a rectangular "plug" from above that accommodates the whole cockpit area and pushed down into the "fuselage." Super-scalers could glue the plug in and putty over the seam.

Oh, wait ... did I just tap Mozart on the shoulder and say, "Hey, Amadeus, you might think about inserting a little arpeggio here ..."?

Don't forget about the installments guys

PM sent ...

The plug things meaning a cover for the screw heads. I need to make a cap or something to cover them . I also have another idea that may work.

I would hate myself for changing the lines of the Horten. So that is not an option. As far as what goes underneath all bets are off.

Again that will be the last thing to do on the punch out.

All pm's have been answered so far.

Here is my pay-pal [email protected]

Thanks guys for all of the support,

Matthew

[Jay]

PM sent.

[maritime96]

PM Sent

[aae83]

What about using Sculpey or similar oven-bake clay for making the screw covers? You could make a simple hard mould out of, e.g., plaster, squish the clay into it, bake in a toaster oven for 15 minutes and have something passable as a cover that could be attached as described previously in the thread. A few trials-and-errors would get the size and parameters right, I'd think.

The clay comes in multiple colors and could be blended to approximate something RLM.

Just a thought...

P.S. Second installment sent via Paypal.

[DocTodd]

It's great to see the process of the model being designed and produced-Thanks,

[pickelhaube]

I have started the canopy. The original Horten's canopy was very shallow in profile. I am sure that if it were to have gone into production they probably would have made it taller.

But the way it looks adds to the sleekness of the lines. I have made the canopy plug. Now I have to vacume form it a couple of times. I will take those 2 pieces and glue them together to make the frames. Then I will vacume another and use that one for the glass.

I will take the 2 glued together and cast those to make the frame. So when the production peices are made the glass should pop in from the bottom of the frame. This will do a couple of things.

a. Make the frame easier to paint . No masking
b. The vacuum glass glued to the frame will give it additional strength.

I have also started the front main strut . Hopefully I will have some pics to show on Tues.

[flyboy_fx]

PIMP

Picklehaube's
Into
Making
Planes

[gburch]

I have started the canopy. The original Horten's canopy was very shallow in profile. I am sure that if it were to have gone into production they probably would have made it taller.

But the way it looks adds to the sleekness of the lines.

Having looked at a LOT of pics of the 229 since you started this project, I've noticed the same thing -- the canopy on the few examples of which we have photos is a very low, very complex curve. I've wondered how the heck you were going to reproduce that complicated shape ...

I wonder whether the reason for the low canopy was an attempt to reduce "sail area" in the front of the plane, given the lack of vertical stabs in the rear. I note that a number of the crazier "Luft '46" flying wing designs had prone pilots that minimized the glazed volume protruding upward from the front of the planes.

I agree that a real production 229 might well have had a taller, simpler canopy shape. Of course, it would probably have grown vertical stabs on the outward ends of the wing as well, since the stability problems for pure flying wings weren't solved until computers could take over some of the stability issues with the B2. Heck, even Northrop put little stabs on their wings to address that problem in the late 40s.

I have made the canopy plug. Now I have to vacume form it a couple of times. I will take those 2 pieces and glue them together to make the frames. Then I will vacume another and use that one for the glass.

I will take the 2 glued together and cast those to make the frame. So when the production peices are made the glass should pop in from the bottom of the frame. This will do a couple of things.

a. Make the frame easier to paint . No masking
b. The vacuum glass glued to the frame will give it additional strength.

Brilliant! This will be a masterpiece!

I have also started the front main strut . Hopefully I will have some pics to show on Tues.

... can't wait!

[pickelhaube]

I still need to touch up the vacume canopy plug But the pics show how it is going to look. The black line in front of the plug is were the fairing goes. I will cast the fairining with the body. That will become the glue block for the front canopy shield.

The front strut is almost done. I just need to clean it up.

I tried a few things out to try and bend the "u" shaped strut arms . ALL FAILERS

So I did it the old fashioned way . I cut styrene glued it together and sculpted it with the round profile. Nothing is ever easy.

[snake]

I must say that is looking pretty great so far PH.

You have accomplished quite a bit pretty quickly, and it is turning out very nicely.

This is a fantastic project that you are doing, and you must be pretty happy with the way it is turning out so far.

[normandy]

Just when ya think it can't get any better........it does!
I don't know why I'm surprised each time I see progress pics but I am.
Matthew this is looking good!!!!!!!!!

[YT]

Agreed, that landing gear looks great.

[pickelhaube]

Thanks guys it means a lot.

I am happy so far with the way things look. Some things are /were a bit tricky but somethings went together easier than I thought. The main build with the balsa was a walk in the part.

The main gear bay and the engine intakes have been the most challenging. AND I AM STILL NOT DONE WITH THOSE

It is a little early yet but Lair / Jackson will be doing the decals for this project.

My plan is this I will be doing those large black and white crosses on the bottom of the wing. The same size as the XD Stuka. I will do the white crosses for the the top wing and the large doubled white swasties for the tail area.

Any feed back on this ? Because Jackson may have some time and these could be ran off waiting for the end of the project.

You guys who are getting the Horten need to weigh in on the decals






One more thing.

As far as the arament is concered I was going to use my 20 mil barrels and flash for the guns. I think they will look cool and I already have them made.

Feed back is needed on that as well.

[normandy]

The decal idea sounds fine.

[flyboy_fx]

What I think you should do is late war(?) crosses? The ones that aren't filled it. That looks more common for the 229.

[tmanthegreat]

What I think you should do is late war(?) crosses? The ones that aren't filled it. That looks more common for the 229.

I agree, though obviously, there's variations and developments in the style over time. You have the ones that aren't filled in like what flyboy describes (similar to what one sees on the XD "Sahl" Bf-109G). Then there is the style for the filled-in crosses with the white border as seen on the ME-262s in the late 1944, early 1945 timeframe (think the XD "Yellow 7" aircraft for reference). Finally, you have the simple filled in black cross seen on the aircraft very late in the war in 1945, which looks close to what is shown in the HO-229 picture above (and what's also seen on many of the XD FW-190Ds for another reference). The late war simple black cross on the underside with the unfilled white cross on top may be the most accurate.

I don't have an order for one of these (yet) so its ultimately up to those who are getting one to decide

[pickelhaube]

Proof of concept on the canopy.




Mr. Angry is crazy pizzed.He says I can't see out of this thing. What were those Horten boys thinking ?






These are the struts for the main gear. I copied the 262's gear . They are the same as what was used on 229.

I made them ambidextrous.

[Jnewboy]

Will the decals be included for the $250 kit price?

The stukas under-wing crosses are way to big...

Like what was mentioned above the FW-190d's style crosses on the top and bottom are close to what is right

I like the 20mm barrel but would like the correct flattened flash suppressors.

Dont need to make the white swastikas, they are already made for the stukas tail and are available at Monkey depot for $.50!

Not everyone wants those on it anyway.....

Looks great Mathew!!

Kudos!


Maybe next year I can talk you into doing a .....



or maybe a...



You should do a Luftwaffe 1946 line!!!

[gburch]

Great work on the canopy!

... now that I'm doing a little "composing" of something much simpler on my own, I can really appreciate your work, maestro!

[snake]

Not sure about the accuracy of the decals, but those look fine to me Matthew. But I would prefer to have the most historically accurate ones.

And the flash suppressors should be flat.

Great work on the canopy as well.

[pickelhaube]

Not sure about the accuracy of the decals, but those look fine to me Matthew. But I would prefer to have the most historically accurate ones.

And the flash suppressors should be flat.

Great work on the canopy as well.

Less we forget that the Horten ran out of time before it had a chance to go into service. So in theory the 20 mil cannons could work.


The problem with doing the flat flash suppress is that they are small tubes laying and in a row.

I can make them with no problem at all . But making moulds for them will be problematic. The moulds will last probably 2-3 castings then they will break down. Now if I make them flat and solid that would work.

What do you guys think of those suppressors being solid without the side holes ?

The cannon in question is the Mk 108 30 mm cannon. They were used in many Luft birds of prey. They also were used in the Me-262. I have the ones that came out of my 262. But they do not have the suppressor. I have seen the supps. used on the Kugelblitz . But never on aircraft.

That could be the option flat or my 20 mil suppressors.

If the Stuka style crosses will not work for the bottom of the wing, what will ?

J Boy do you have pics as to what you speaking of ?

See the lines of tubes on the flash supps ?