Not A What-if, But It Sure Looks Like One

[braincells37]

This project took me 5 years (I have some going back a lot longer, though).
The reasons are long and varied but at least it's finally finished.
HiPM BV-141, 48th scale


I'll give you the story, if you are so inclined...
Terry

[cthulhu77]

Very, very cool.  You have to love those whacky Luftwaffe projects !

[Rafael]

Mamma mia!, Fantastique!!, Maravilhoso!!!, Bellissimo!!!, Hermoso!!! Beautiful!!!

       

...and... WOW!!!
Rafa

[John Howling Mouse]

It *does* look like a What If.
Can't imagine what it was like to fly----ungainly as it looks or surprisingly balanced?

[Shasper]

Well it did fly, so I imagine it was so-so handling wise. What type was it suppost to replace?


Shas B)

[Jschmus]

Well it did fly, so I imagine it was so-so handling wise. What type was it suppost to replace?


Shas B)

The competition was intended to find a replacement for the Heinkel He 46, a recon biplane with tactical support as a secondary mission.  Another contender was the Arado Ar 198:



The comp was eventually won by the more conventional Fw 189.

[gooberliberation]

I've heard that it was rather manouverable and had longer range and higher speed(though the latter wouldnt matter too much for the job) than the Fw 189.

Supposedly the high demand for BMW and Bramo engines was a factor in chosing the 189 instead, but I'm pretty sure the looks didn't help. Plus the 189 would later prove to be pretty rugged. The 141 would probably be quite unforgiving of stuff like tail surfaces getting shot off.

[Maverick]

Another important note is that even the 'conventional' Fw-189 was considered quite bizarre, but all of the contenders showed the typical German tangential thinking of the time, less concerned with conventionality and more with getting the job done the best way.

Mav