Just a little natter ( Bachem)

[luft46models]

I've started the Brengun 1/72 Whif in a box version of the Bachem Natter. I'm going for the Japanese version as the more plausible of the options, I just can't come at a Czech or the outlandish Israeli one. These things are designed for attacking high flying bomber streams and I can't see that as being a likely mission in a Middle East scenario.

Anyway I have dragged out the Midlands book and after a quick browse couldn't see any mention of the nose rocket cover. IIRC this was available on the Heller version and so I am wondering whether this cover is real or not and if real was it going to be clear or coloured, I can't see any reason why it would have to be clear as I guess it would be just to improve the aerodynamics.

So what I want is opinions / facts before I decide to make this cover as the kit does not supply it.

William in Oz

[Dizzyfugu]

AFAIK it was a plexiglass cover, clear - but only for aerodynamic purposes, and it would be jettisoned before missile launch.
Painting it would not have made sense, but I wonder why this construction was used? Plexiglass is not light at all, but maybe it was the simplest construction? Anyway, I have never seen pics of real Natter fighters with the cone in place? Only prototypes with a solid wood nose cone, or just the "flat" missile rack.

[Gondor]

Found a few pictures of the Natter for you, some of them call the Natter a flying bomb 

http://www.ww2incolor.com/german-air-force/bach.html

http://www.strangemilitary.com/content/item/135869.html

http://www.diseno-art.com/news_content/2014/03/bachem-ba-349-natter-vertical-takeoff-rocket-powered-interceptor-death-trap/

http://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php?topic=13218.0

http://www.strangemilitary.com/content/item/135866.html

http://www.aer.ita.br/~bmattos/mundo/ww2/bachem349.htm

https://www.stormfront.org/forum/t898098-138/

I also found this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsq3wN8ZVs4

Hope this helps

Gondor

[Captain Canada]

One more for the 'learn something new everyday' file.

Look forward to seeing some pics !

[PR19_Kit]

I also found this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsq3wN8ZVs4

Interesting. That shows the Natter had tailerons, not elevators and ailerons.

[luft46models]

Thanks guys, that was a great video, seems like the cover is still only conjecture.

William in Oz

[sandiego89]

Just found this project on a Natter reconstruction project for a documentary:

http://www.ba349.de/default.aspx

Some great pictures of the rocket tubes and how they were designed.  The reconstruction just show the tubes, no sign of a nose cone.  One of the final pictures, looking like the advertisement for the documentary seems to show a cone, but it is grainy/stylized drawing perhaps- or one of the early test birds?