Dragon Natter

[Mossie]

Ooooooh.... but maybe it's a serendipity.  You could do a dio of a nasty accident with the crewmen legging it as the C & T-stoff go flying!!!

Maybe...

[HOG]

Hoyhoy`al

Thanks All, but Mossie your right, maybe it is serendipity. One of the little things thats been bugging me is the fact that I`ve got the M52 variant in half being built/checked over and a latter variant (M55) being loaded onto a trailer. Now as I understand it, flights in the Natter were pretty much a one time thing, it seems a bit anachronistic to be sending out a latter developement for testing.
So I`m now looking at rebuilding this heap into an earlier variant of 349A than the M52. There is yet an earlier varint than these that had a longer lower tail but that would require rebuilding the trailer and i don`t really  want to go that far.
So anyone got anything to offer?, Greg whats in that book of yours?
regards Gary

[Brian da Basher]

Right on, HOG, go for the save!

And don't forget, anything is possible in whiff-world, even Natters that are capable of more than one flight!

Not to worry, I'll probably offer the Modeling Gods a "blood sacrifice" on your behalf during my next project.

Brian da Basher

[HOG]

"Not to worry, I'll probably offer the Modeling Gods a "blood sacrifice" on your behalf during my next project."

Hi Bri, I`m guaranteed to cut meself as soon as I put a new blade in the scalpel as well

[Ed S]

Sorry for ya. We all know how that goes. It does look repairable though. 

I have to put one back together myself.  I just finished a 1/72 Mig 9 last week (not a whiff) and took it to Anniston on Saturday and it won an award.  So I took it downstairs to show my son & daughter-in-law who came over this evening. I put it up out of reach of the grandsons until I could take it back upstairs to my hobby room.  Later on, I found it with a ball sitting in the box with it.  The boys managed to bounce a ball up and land it smack on top of the model.  So I said a few choice words (under my breath) and will work on putting it back together.

Ed

[GTX]

Now as I understand it, flights in the Natter were pretty much a one time thing,

Not quite - only the nose and the front part of the fuselage with the wooden wings were disposable.  The tail including engine were to be re-used.

As for other ideas, I'll look up the book.  Though if testing back then is anything like today, one could easily have earlier variants being tested right alongside later variants - they might simply be looking at different things.

If all else fails you could turn one into a totally unmanned variant.

Regards,

Greg

[matrixone]

HOG,

I just watched a video of some captured Natters and of the X-4 air-to-air missiles and thought this would be of interest to you.

Natter Etc at www.realmilitaryflix.com

Its some great footage of the natter and has some interesting close-ups of the construction features.

Matrixone

[Mossie]

With structure detail, you could maybe detail some of those parts to use as spares hanging around the shop & possibly build another kit to match the variants?

[TsrJoe]

just looking through the Schiffer booklet on the Natter, somat different would be one of the fixed undercart glider prototypes sitting against the back of the hanger, a good excuse to do the straight underfin too and colourful in overall cream colour?

if you want i can post up some reference scans for info?

cheers, Joe

[HOG]

Hoyhoy`al

THANKS for all your input. I can`t remember having to look so hard for a decent colour scheme for a model.
So far the references I`ve used are:-

W Greens Warplanes of the 3rd Reich                     Putnam`s German Warplanes of WW2 (both editions)
Luftwaffe @War series no.14 Germ Rocket Planes     Shiffers Xplanes on the Natter
Reich Dream No.9 Vtol a/craft                               Luftahrt no.s 13 & 14
ETC Etc etc                                                      Interrnet

And everything has become yet more confusing.
An Example.
The Revell ex Dragon Natter kit has decals for three versions. Ba349A-1 M55, Ba349A-1 M52, & the Ba349 M22 (incorrectly called M55). Of the first I can find no photographic evidence. Of the second, photos and Revell`s own instructions show the extended tailplane but a standard 349 tailplane is supplied. (in fact Revells instructions show the extended non supplied tailplane for all variants). And of the third, this should have the earlier tail configuration which was basically the same above and below the tail and changed to the supplied form on the M36-50th preproduction models, and a slighly different nose shape.
Every other item of info you read seems to contradict the previous in regards to shape and colour so I have decided to go with the following.
The variant M52 that I have built and photographic evidence exists will remain as it is with no changes to it`s identity. As this is shown in either a state of assembly or testing (the photos show this aircraft with burnt patches on its tail when being mounted onto the launch mast for its 1st trial, presumably from the boosters.) the model on the crane will need to be of an earlier variant leaving the factory.
The other model that I earlier called the M55 will now be built as one of the earlier captured versions as shown in Matrixone`s suggested site, (a HUGE thankyou for this. It solved a lot of riddles from written info. A picture does explain a thousand words.) as regards colour etc.

Back to normal service

[HOG]

Hoyhoy & All

Some progress made,
The liddle bits have now been added and I now have an empty room to fill. Thanks Peter for the correct wordage on the signs







Looks very empty, maybe a coat rack and some shelves.
The `complete` Natter has now been rebuilt and work has started on repaint and decaling. Probably have to scavenge decals from odd sources but mainly thinking of T & C Stoff markings and a few stencils as the production examples in the video curtesy of Matrixone are very plain. If you hav`nt had a look there, do so as it`s "very interestink" as Colonel Klink would say. This time at the back, as well as the control linkage, I`ve got the vanes that were in the rocket exhaust flow and the excess fuel dump pipe in the right place, so an improvement in detail as regards the rebuild







will post as it happens
cheers Gary

[sotoolslinger]

Sweet save Hog, I'm really enjoying this build. It doesn't sound like your having as much fun as I am. I  used an Exacto saw on my left forefinger in honor of your  model. (really just a klutz)

[Brian da Basher]

It looks like my blood sacrifice to the modelling gods on your behalf worked, HOG! Watching you put one of these wonders together is better than cable TV! Your mods to the Natter are really sweet!

I'm pleased to learn my fumble with the X-acto knife was not in vain.

Brian da Basher

[Patrick H]

wow, great dio you're building here HOG. Wonderfull detailed stuff and a good save on the Natter. Looking forward to see more of it.

[HOG]

Hoyhoy`al
Started on the coat rack but the shelves will have to wait until my son returns my spirit level

Like I said earlier, playing dolls houses, the fire buckets have been moved to the right near the firebell so as to position the coats near the door, a more logical position and the shelves will go somewhere between the two but what am I going to put on them? any suggestions.