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Bachem Ba 349A-1 'Natter' in 1/18th and 1/16th scale


pvanroy

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Dear All,

 

I have been a member on this forum for a while, but this is my first post here; so far, I’ve been a lurker. My main interests are German WW II aircraft, and Soviet/Russian aircraft from WW II until the present. I'm finally getting back into scale modelling after a very long break.

 

I’d like to draw your attention to a model kit of the Bachem Ba 349A-1 ‘Natter’ rocket fighter in 1/18th scale that is currently being developed. The A-1 version was the initial production version for operational use. Three of these were tested in unmanned launches, and five operational machines were captured at the end of the war in Austria, one of which is now stored in the collections of the NASM.

 

The model on offer was designed in CAD, apparently with the aid of some of the people involved with the building of a 1/1 scale replica that is currently on display in Germany. Masters were printed on an SLA printer, and used to produce silicone molds for resin casting. The model is available in both 1/18 and 1/16 scales, and a 3D-printed pole launcher is also being offered.

 

The model was first announced on the Small Scale Headquarters forum; while this forum is mainly concerned with people who collect prebuilts, a few talented designers also occasionally offer limited-run resin kits of their own design (in the past, these have included a Horten Ho 229V3, Focke-Wulf Ta 183A ‘Hückebein’, Messerschmitt Me 163B-1 ‘Komet’, Mil Mi-24V ‘Hind-E’, Hawker Hurricane, and Henschel Hs 293A, all in 1/18). A test build of the Natter can be seen on this site here (scroll down; images of the CAD model are on the first page of the thread):

 

http://www.warbird-photos.com/gpxd/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=36920&start=25

 

I hope this will be of interest to at least some of you.

 

Kind regards,

 

Peter

Edited by pvanroy
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Indeed, it surprises me that no-one so far has come out with a pole launcher or launch tower for the Fly kits. That said, both launchers were mainly constructed from welded and bolted together sections of L, T and U-shaped profiles, so in principle it should be doable to scratch them - especially the pole launcher. In any case, I'll pass on the suggestion for a 1/32 version.

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The single best reference on the Natter is Brett Gooden's latest magnum opus Natter: Manned Missile of the Third Reich, which was published late last month. The book is the result of 25 years of research on the subject, runs at over 500 pages in length and has over 800 images - it pretty much includes every and any known Natter-related image, and also has a range of 3D renders of technical details provided by one of the engineers involved in the construction of the German replica. The amount of technical detail in the book is amazing - the technical discussion of the pole launcher alone covers half a chapter, and includes lots of photos and detailed diagrams. I have the book, and although it contains a few inaccuracies when dealing with other German projects, these do not detract in any way from its value as the ultimate reference on the Natter: it is a veritable gold mine. I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in the Natter or German WW II projects or aviation in general without any reservation. The only problem is availability: although the book only appeared at the end of June, the entire print run sold out within 10 days... However, because of the demand, the author is considering doing a reprint. If interested, more information on the book can be found here:

 

https://www.nattermannedmissile.com/

 

and here: 

 

https://www.facebook.com/Ba349/

 

The pole launcher in the 1/48 Dragon kit (also reissued by Revell) is indeed pretty accurate, although it is missing some detail. Still, it could be used as a template for a larger scale version. Do note that this launcher can only be used with the operational Ba 349A-1 version, and the projected Ba 349B - the prototypes were configured to use the metal launch tower.

 

The launch tower used for the prototypes is a more complicated affair, and appears to be less well-documented than the pole launcher; especially the details of the base of the tower seem a bit sketchy (I'm away from home at the moment, but when I'm back, I'll see what Gooden's book says about it). Dragon re-issued their Ba 349A-1 kit with the metal launch tower, which is incorrect, as the A-1 was designed to use the pole launcher; I can't vouch for the accuracy of the tower in that kit, as I don't have it. However, I suppose it could also serve as a pattern. Brengun also issued the launch tower as a photo-etch kit for their 1/72 and 1/144 Natter models. Again, I can't comment on accuracy, but I suppose it's pretty good. 

 

In addition, in January 1945, Bachem also designed a mobile transporter/launcher for the Natter. As a transporter, it could carry two Natters. As a launcher, it would be elevated at an 80 degree angle. It's a pretty simple design - basically a 12 m long metal launch ramp with outrigger wing supports and two wheels in the middle. This mobile transporter/launcher wasn't built anymore, but it could be used with the A-1 or B Natters for anyone inclined to do a Luft46 model instead of one of the airframes that was actually built. I think Brengun also offers a resin and photo-etch 1/72 version which could again serve as a template.

 

And I agree with CATCplSlade: the 1/18 kits designed by the people on SSHQ are good, and are often quite heroic efforts. These models really are a labor of love on the part of the designers and tend to be pretty accurate; as an example, the Ho 229 and Me 163 kits were made using Arthur Bentley drawings, and their accuracy is excellent. They also offer tremendous potential for super-detailing (the interior of the Ho 229 is pretty basic, which is understandable given the extremely limited run nature of these kits; the Me 163 on the other hand is really well-detailed, and involved CAD designed parts for the smaller details). I think the Me 163 is still available for anyone interested.

Edited by pvanroy
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On 7/9/2019 at 8:55 PM, pvanroy said:

The model is available in both 1/18 and 1/16 scales, and a 3D-printed pole launcher is also being offered.

 

Peter,

 

I would like to order a 1/16 Natter. How do i do so please ?

 

 

.

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Hi Dave,

 

Many thanks for your interest. Anyone interested in getting either a 1/18 or 1/16 Natter kit can contact Sven Schuessler via e-mail at svenschuessler@web.de. I've also sent you a pm.

 

Kind regards,

 

Peter

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  • pvanroy changed the title to Bachem Ba 349A-1 'Natter' in 1/18th and 1/16th scale

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