Mistels - Real and imagined

[Kerrillc]

I was perusing the 2009 Airfix 2009 catalogue and I saw the Mistel combination of a 190 and TA 154 combination.  I was really surprised, but the description was the real surprise.

The blurb described the Mistel as combination of a fighter and a war weary bomber, but the 154!!! That surely never got into its stride. I-ll ask at Secret Projects and the Airwarfare forums.

Has any one any information to the contrary OR is it just an advertising clanger?

[B777LR]

I suppose, had the war lasted on, that enough Ta-154s would have become war weary to become Mistels. Not worth getting the kit though. It's the reboxed PM kit of the Ta-154, coupled with the Airfix Fw-190. The Ta-154 is horrible.

[Doc Yo]

 I've seen it described as a 'Pulk-Zerstorer' or 'formation destroyer' in Green's Warplanes of the Third Reich.
It was a plan to use the handful of airframes that were actually finished as a crude air-to-air missile. ( I may
actually be thinking of another project, though-I also remember something about a simple open cockpit near
the tail, which is not something you'd need on a Mistel. )

In any case, its unlikely the combination flew any further than the drawing board.

[McGreig]

It was a real project and may have actually been built. You can find details on pages 182 - 186 of Robert Forsyth's "Mistel" from Classic Publications where he says that:
"some sources maintain that six Mistel combinations were actually completed for use against allied bomber formations, whereby an explosive laden Ta-154 would be flown into a group of bombers where it would be detonated by the pilot of the separated Fw-190 controlling aircraft. These aircraft were apparently test flown at Eschwege but no further details are known".

However, the explosive carrying Ta-154 would have had a warhead as shown in the picture below (from Forsyth's book) and wouldn't have flown into action unmodified as shown on the Airfix box top.

[Kerrillc]

Hi McGrieg

Thanks for the info. I suspected that the kit artwork was suspect. I have seen mistel combinations with the warhead mostly Junkers 88/188 family members.

Cheers

Kerrill

[cthulhu77]

That 154 kit is a real dog. I spent more hours on that pos than on most good projects.

[lancer]

That 154 kit is a real dog. I spent more hours on that pos than on most good projects.

First plane I built when I got back into modelling although it was in a Matchbox package. Yes, it was a pig of a kit but LOTS of sanding got it looking reasonable and I was quite pleased with the way it turned out - Yes it was a Looooooong time ago.

[Fulcrum]

I know it was an odd concept, but I had a idea on a modernized-concept Soviet Mistel.  A Mig-21/Mig-29 on top of a Tu-16/Tu-95? is that possible?
Other combos include a F-15/B-52 Mistel with a nuclear warhead in the B-52's nose.

[Sauragnmon]

Heh that's a pretty wicked idea - it makes me think of a MiG-21 actually recessed into the bay of a 16/95, to reduce drag while slaved to the package, releases, dives, lights the engine, peels off from the package for delivery.  I think the 16's got enough payload capacity to do it - I'd do that kind of combination up in PLANAF markings though, a Badger Mistel - pretty damn slick I think...

[Cobra]

Think a Skyray linked to an A-6 would work for a Mistel??? just something i wondered about!!!

[TsrJoe]

http://www.modelarstwo.mdi.pl/inaczej/redstarmistel/redstar.html

[B777LR]

Bf-109/Fw-190 + He-111 (He-111s would be nice with a bullet shaped warhead)
P-51 + B-17
P-47 + B-24
Spitfire + Lancaster
Hellcat + B-25 (think aircraft carrier capable anti-battleship bomb)
F-4 + retired B-47. The B-47 is dropped a good distance from Soviet airspace, and flies the remainder of the way on its own. The F-4 is fitted with 3 tanks, and 6 missiles to fight its way back.

[Weaver]

Miscellaneous Mistels:

1. Over on the Anson thread I started, someone suggested making a Mistel with a Gladiator on top of an Anson full of napalm and calling it the Avro Arson......

2. How about a Meteor/Canberra combination? The B(I).8 is a natural to have it's canopy faired over....

3. Fairey 221 on top of a Concorde - boy would that hit hard.....

4. I appreciate that kits would be a problem, but how about a Swift on top of a wing-fatigued Valiant?

5. World's smallest Mistel: Bede BD-5 on top of a Gnat....

[sequoiaranger]

Or maybe a Gladiator over a DeHavilland Dominie (Dragon Rapide biplane transport) for a "quadraplane" mistel!

[B777LR]

5. World's smallest Mistel: Bede BD-5 on top of a Gnat....

How about the BD-5J on top of an A380? Or an A380 carrying a lot of BD-5 missiles?