/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/MengDS001BoxArt.jpg
Meng has broken into the modeling scene by offering unusual subjects. Each of these subjects falls under a series symbolized by a dinosaur. The Velociraptor aptly had their pick up trucks, the Stegosaurus has the VsKfz 617 Minenräumer, and this aircraft falls under the Dimorphodon.
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Meng has broken into the modeling scene by offering unusual subjects. Each of these subjects falls under a series symbolized by a dinosaur. The Velociraptor aptly had their pick up trucks, the Stegosaurus has the VsKfz 617 Minenräumer, and this aircraft falls under the Dimorphodon.
Historical Background
The Hayaba "Katsuodori" was a flying wing designs based on research done in Japan prior to WWII. In 1937, Kayaba produced the Model 1 ramjet. an aircraft was then needed so the design team brought forth a swept wing tail less aircraft armed with two 30mm cannon. The aircraft was designed to take off from landing gear which would fall off on take off. Landing was done on its belly and wingtip mounted bumpers (at the lower edge of the vertical fins).
In order to get the aircraft to the ramjet's minimal operating speed of Mach 0.3, four jettison-able rockets to assist in take off were mounted in pairs under each wing. These fire two at a time, when the first pair was expended, it was jettisoned while the second pair took over. The second pair could then be dropped and the aircraft had about 30 minutes of loiter time to attack bomber streams.
To increase the range, the aircraft could be brought aloft and released from a bomber. The kit instructions mention the Nakajima G8N "Rita" and Ki-67 "Peggy" as possible choices.
The Kit
In the box one will find three sprues. Two are identical and includes all the parts needed to build an aircraft along with the optional dolly, landing gear, Rocket Assist Take Off (RATO) gear, and bomber mounts. One clear sprue provides the canopies for both kits as well as a clue that the two kits in one both was not an afterthought. Slide molding is in use for the RATO gear and exhaust tube.
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/MengDS001SprueA.jpg
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/MengDS001SprieClear.jpg
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/MengDS001xxDetail1.jpg
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/MengDS001xxDetail2.jpg
The instructions are printed on both sides of a large sheet folded to provide eight pages of which half show the construction within 7 steps. The other four pages provide a cover, history, modeling guide, and full color schemes for one Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) and one Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) example.
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/MengDS001xInstructions.jpg
Accuracy
From the box top art, I already see two accuracy issues. The aircraft is shown flying with a pulse jet engine instead of a ramjet. The pulse jet, as used on the German V-1 missile, uses a shutter and causes intermittent thrust as the exhaust of the art work seems to portray. A ramjet offers continuous thrust. Second, we see all four RATO still mounted. At least one pair would have dropped off before starting the ramjet. Please visit the links below for better artwork of this interesting design.
The plan and dimensions do match the proposed design sketches. The model offers the option of building the aircraft with the RATO gear, and placed on its optional landing gear. Another choice would be without the RATO on its transport dolly. The third choice would be with RATO slung under a bomber with the included mounts. The instructions don't say when to use or omit the RATO gear.
Constructions begins with the interior. A standard cockpit is provided along with a turbine face for the inlet and an exhaust tube with a turbine fan face as well. These get trapped between the fuselage halves. Sadly, a ramjet doesn't have turbines. While it does have a bullet fairing for Venturi effect, this means that the standard cockpit would not fit as it would be in the airflow.
Looking at the hunch backed nature of the design, it is my opinion that the pilot was prone in the cockpit which was mounted above the ramjet. Looking at the outside of the fuselage halves, we see the cannon buried into the sides. Again, the ramjet would not provide room for the gun or ammunition so these details need to be filled in and new cannons added to the wings.
The rest of the build is simple and the offered schemes attractive. There are two sets of kill markings so each aircraft will have a full set but only one IJA and one IJN can be built.
Conclusion
It is a nice model, accuracy issues aside, and the end result is attractive in a flea like way. The sample was provided directly by Meng Models who will be distributed in the US by Stevens Hobby.
Online References
http://www.j-aircraft.org/xplanes/hikoki_files/kayaba.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramjet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulsejet
Click image above to visit Alternate History
Click painting to buy the print from Digital Aviation Art.
Meng has broken into the modeling scene by offering unusual subjects. Each of these subjects falls under a series symbolized by a dinosaur. The Velociraptor aptly had their pick up trucks, the Stegosaurus has the VsKfz 617 Minenräumer, and this aircraft falls under the Dimorphodon.
------------------------------------
Meng has broken into the modeling scene by offering unusual subjects. Each of these subjects falls under a series symbolized by a dinosaur. The Velociraptor aptly had their pick up trucks, the Stegosaurus has the VsKfz 617 Minenräumer, and this aircraft falls under the Dimorphodon.
Historical Background
The Hayaba "Katsuodori" was a flying wing designs based on research done in Japan prior to WWII. In 1937, Kayaba produced the Model 1 ramjet. an aircraft was then needed so the design team brought forth a swept wing tail less aircraft armed with two 30mm cannon. The aircraft was designed to take off from landing gear which would fall off on take off. Landing was done on its belly and wingtip mounted bumpers (at the lower edge of the vertical fins).
In order to get the aircraft to the ramjet's minimal operating speed of Mach 0.3, four jettison-able rockets to assist in take off were mounted in pairs under each wing. These fire two at a time, when the first pair was expended, it was jettisoned while the second pair took over. The second pair could then be dropped and the aircraft had about 30 minutes of loiter time to attack bomber streams.
To increase the range, the aircraft could be brought aloft and released from a bomber. The kit instructions mention the Nakajima G8N "Rita" and Ki-67 "Peggy" as possible choices.
The Kit
In the box one will find three sprues. Two are identical and includes all the parts needed to build an aircraft along with the optional dolly, landing gear, Rocket Assist Take Off (RATO) gear, and bomber mounts. One clear sprue provides the canopies for both kits as well as a clue that the two kits in one both was not an afterthought. Slide molding is in use for the RATO gear and exhaust tube.
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/MengDS001SprueA.jpg
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/MengDS001SprieClear.jpg
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/MengDS001xxDetail1.jpg
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/MengDS001xxDetail2.jpg
The instructions are printed on both sides of a large sheet folded to provide eight pages of which half show the construction within 7 steps. The other four pages provide a cover, history, modeling guide, and full color schemes for one Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) and one Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) example.
/gallery/albums/userpics/10065/MengDS001xInstructions.jpg
Accuracy
From the box top art, I already see two accuracy issues. The aircraft is shown flying with a pulse jet engine instead of a ramjet. The pulse jet, as used on the German V-1 missile, uses a shutter and causes intermittent thrust as the exhaust of the art work seems to portray. A ramjet offers continuous thrust. Second, we see all four RATO still mounted. At least one pair would have dropped off before starting the ramjet. Please visit the links below for better artwork of this interesting design.
The plan and dimensions do match the proposed design sketches. The model offers the option of building the aircraft with the RATO gear, and placed on its optional landing gear. Another choice would be without the RATO on its transport dolly. The third choice would be with RATO slung under a bomber with the included mounts. The instructions don't say when to use or omit the RATO gear.
Constructions begins with the interior. A standard cockpit is provided along with a turbine face for the inlet and an exhaust tube with a turbine fan face as well. These get trapped between the fuselage halves. Sadly, a ramjet doesn't have turbines. While it does have a bullet fairing for Venturi effect, this means that the standard cockpit would not fit as it would be in the airflow.
Looking at the hunch backed nature of the design, it is my opinion that the pilot was prone in the cockpit which was mounted above the ramjet. Looking at the outside of the fuselage halves, we see the cannon buried into the sides. Again, the ramjet would not provide room for the gun or ammunition so these details need to be filled in and new cannons added to the wings.
The rest of the build is simple and the offered schemes attractive. There are two sets of kill markings so each aircraft will have a full set but only one IJA and one IJN can be built.
Conclusion
It is a nice model, accuracy issues aside, and the end result is attractive in a flea like way. The sample was provided directly by Meng Models who will be distributed in the US by Stevens Hobby.
Online References
http://www.j-aircraft.org/xplanes/hikoki_files/kayaba.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramjet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulsejet
Click image above to visit Alternate History
Click painting to buy the print from Digital Aviation Art.