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1/72 scale Soviet Ar555 Flying Wing Bomber

Started by seadude, August 27, 2022, 01:08:05 PM

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seadude

This is the 1/72 scale Revell German Arado Ar 555 "Amerika Bomber" model kit that has been made into a what if Soviet flying wing bomber instead. The Arado Ar 555 actually existed in World War 2, but only as a "paper design" that never went into production. My model whiff showcases what would have happened if the Soviets had captured the blueprints and design specifications at the end of the war and had created their own flying wing bomber for testing and/or production purposes in the late 1940's to early 1950's.
Model is painted overall Testor Acryl Aluminum.
Landing gear bays painted Testors Light Ghost Grey.
Cockpit main color painted with Lifecolor RLM25 Bright Green.
Bombs in bomb bay painted Testors Euro 1 Grey.
Soviet red star decals from spare parts box.
Guns painted Tamiya XF-56 Metallic Grey.

 The Arado E.555 was a strategic bomber proposed by the German Arado company in response to the Amerika Bomber project. The Amerika-Bomber project was an initiative of the German Reichsluftfahrtministerium to obtain a long-range strategic bomber for the Luftwaffe that would be capable of striking the United States from Germany, a round-trip distance of about 11,600 km (7,200 mi). The concept was raised as early as 1938, but advanced, cogent plans for such a long-range strategic bomber design did not begin to appear in Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring's offices until early 1942. Various proposals were put forward, including using it to deliver an atomic bomb (which Germany ultimately never developed), but they were all eventually abandoned as too expensive, and potentially consuming far too much of Germany's rapidly diminishing aviation production capacity after 1942. There were several different configurations of the design considered, the most striking being the E.555-1. This was a six-jet, angular flying wing design, with remotely-operated turrets, capable of carrying a large payload. All of these projects were abandoned, following an order by the Reich Air Ministry, on 22 December 1944.
SPECIFICATIONS: 
Wingspan – Approx. 70' feet,
Speed – Approx. 550 mph,
Max. Ceiling – 49,200+ feet,
Range – Approx. 3,000 miles,
Crew – 3, 
Bomb Load - 9,000 lbs.,
Powerplant – Six BMW 003A turbojet engines,
Defensive Armament – 2x Mk103 30mm cannons in wing roots, 2x MG 151/20 20mm cannons in remote turret behind cockpit, and 2x MG 151/20 20mm cannons in remote controlled tail turret.
Modeling isn't just about how good the gluing or painting, etc. looks. It's also about how creative and imaginative you can be with a subject.
My modeling philosophy is: Don't build what everyone else has done. Build instead what nobody has seen or done before.

seadude

Modeling isn't just about how good the gluing or painting, etc. looks. It's also about how creative and imaginative you can be with a subject.
My modeling philosophy is: Don't build what everyone else has done. Build instead what nobody has seen or done before.

Old Wombat

Nice job! :thumbsup:


I have one but it's going to find itself mated with a 1/48 single-seater. ;)
Has a life outside of What-If & wishes it would stop interfering!

"The purpose of all War is Peace" - St. Augustine

veritas ad mortus veritas est

frank2056

Looks great! This kit is in my top 10 all time favorites; it was fun to build. I wish RoG would re-release it.

Wardukw

Yup very believable..the russians copied the B29 so why not these too  ;D
Lovely build and i love the different and this is that  :thumbsup:
If it aint broke ,,fix it until it is .
Over kill is often very understated .
I know the voices in my head ain't real but they do come up with some great ideas.
Theres few of lifes problems that can't be solved with the proper application of a high explosive projectile .

NARSES2

Do not condemn the judgement of another because it differs from your own. You may both be wrong.

comrade harps

Whatever.

Pellson

#7
Cool. I have one too, in the StashTM, but I still have to decide what to do with it. For now, it is in the German box, possibly as an early project for the restarting German air industry in the fifties.
We'll see. This Russian example is thought provoking. It looks really good and very very plausible. So maybe I should go from that end instead..
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!

zenrat

Nice.
 :thumbsup:

The engines on these always look like after thoughts to me.  They could be buried in the wings with leading edge intakes but that would; 1) require moving the UC bays, and b) a shedload of PSR.
Fred

- Can't be bothered to do the proper research and get it right.

Another ill conceived, lazily thought out, crudely executed and badly painted piece of half arsed what-if modelling muppetry from zenrat industries.

zenrat industries:  We're everywhere...for your convenience..

PR19_Kit

They also look too small as well, replaced with a couple of RB-211s, CF60s or PW2000s and they'd be right on the money.
Kit's Rule 1 ) Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings, and/or a longer fuselage
Kit's Rule 2) The backstory can always be changed to suit the model

...and I'm not a closeted 'Take That' fan, I'm a REAL fan! :)

Regards
Kit


Wardukw

Quote from: PR19_Kit on August 28, 2022, 06:48:47 AMThey also look too small as well, replaced with a couple of RB-211s, CF60s or PW2000s and they'd be right on the money.

And longer wings .
If it aint broke ,,fix it until it is .
Over kill is often very understated .
I know the voices in my head ain't real but they do come up with some great ideas.
Theres few of lifes problems that can't be solved with the proper application of a high explosive projectile .

Tophe

I like the front view, thanks. Maybe I will play with it in photo editing. :thumbsup:  ;)
[the word "realistic" hurts my heart...]

zenrat

#13
Quote from: Wardukw-NZ on August 30, 2022, 01:30:07 AM
Quote from: PR19_Kit on August 28, 2022, 06:48:47 AMThey also look too small as well, replaced with a couple of RB-211s, CF60s or PW2000s and they'd be right on the money.

And longer wings .

Goes without saying.  Maybe increase the span by adding sections inboard of the landing gear bays containing engines?

Fred

- Can't be bothered to do the proper research and get it right.

Another ill conceived, lazily thought out, crudely executed and badly painted piece of half arsed what-if modelling muppetry from zenrat industries.

zenrat industries:  We're everywhere...for your convenience..

Dizzyfugu

I wonder if the nose from an Il-28 could be transplanted...?  :o  The engine cluster might be replaced with the Beagle's engines, too?