North American FX-53-N Stingray

[Beanflick]

So what if...

that Horten Ho 229 the Americans captured at the end of WWII was taken up by North American Aviation and turned into an early fifties naval fighter plane? Well why not try it out ... I still had a (very nice!) Revell 1:72 Ho 229 gathering dust and I decided to turn it into this completely fictitious carrier based fighter. Or fighter bomber. Still thinking about the actual ordnance. And the color scheme.

I've only just started this, so the pictures are very much of a work in progress:

Built the cockpit and the innards of the kit straight out of the box (including those ridiculously detailed MK108 guns that you can't even see if you build the kit by the book...). Then cut the wings off, and built a 'box' behind the canopy for the obligatory air brake:





With the air brake dry fitted:





And then started on the 'ends' of the wings (as I will built this thing on the ground, wings in the 'up' position):



Of course this still needs a pile of work, but it's a start

Note to self: get a tailhook somewhere

[tigercat2]

This is looking very good; had a similar idea a few years ago, with Hortons for the USAF


Wes W.

[Beanflick]

Wow - those look super sweet!

[NARSES2]

Looking really good so far.

This was my take on the subject...

[Beanflick]

Well so much for me having an original idea Not that that is going to stop me from having fun with it, of course.
Any suggestions for a cool name? All these early NA jets had cool names ('Sabre', 'Savage', 'Fury' etc.)

[kitbasher]

All very stealthy flying wingy stuff.  Predates the proposed A-12 by quite a time. 

Well so much for me having an original idea Not that that is going to stop me from having fun with it, of course.
Any suggestions for a cool name? All these early NA jets had cool names ('Sabre', 'Savage', 'Fury' etc.)

Yeah, I've learnt that original thought in whifworld doesn't stay original for very long - building straight away is often the order of the day!!!

[Taiidantomcat]

All very stealthy flying wingy stuff.  Predates the proposed A-12 by quite a time. 

Well so much for me having an original idea Not that that is going to stop me from having fun with it, of course.
Any suggestions for a cool name? All these early NA jets had cool names ('Sabre', 'Savage', 'Fury' etc.)

Yeah, I've learnt that original thought in whifworld doesn't stay original for very long - building straight away is often the order of the day!!!

^Exactly! Can't tell you how many of my "I will build this idea someday  " end up showing up here long before I have even finalized plans or even bought the kits  ! Love the Air brake you added though. The Horten is just an amazing machine, people are always going to have great ideas for it  including yours!

[sequoiaranger]

How about the "Horten Heerzahoo"?  

Dr. Seuss would be pleased!


Perhaps "Boomerang" would be "too cute", but an Aussie ground-attack fighter was named that in WW II, so there is at least a precedent.

[Sturmbock]

Hmm, how about Stingray?

If it would be a Grumman (the largest builder of US navy planes) it would be anything with -cat at the end..

[Beanflick]

'Stingray' sounds just about right... I was going for 'Manta' first, but a stingray makes much more sense. And probably quite definitely going for HVAR rockets.

@sequoiaranger: I do like 'Boomerang' - but as you already said; it's a little too cute.

[sotoolslinger]

Bubba All the good names have already been used on something No one on this site is gonna argue you out of your ship designations Stingray is a good un

[Joe C-P]

Any plane can only look better in USN deep blue. 

[Beanflick]

I was going to go for Sabre silver ... but USN deep blue might be an option as well.

[Beanflick]

Made up my mind - going for the 'bare' option... some preliminary spraying:


added pylons for the ordnance ... M117 bomb and 2 HVARs per wing




showing the thin metal struts that the upfolded wings will attach to.

Yeah. I know; I forgot to make a hole for the tailhook 

[Pablo1965]

A brilliant idea