Blohm-und-Voss Bv-338 Asymmetrische Katamaran

[Tophe]

Now that my Me-2025 is finished, and as the Ju-86Ka and OVA-10 are facing some boring problems, I start another model: basis Bv138, twin-boom of course for me (reason of my buying it in the early 1990s). But this Supermodel 1/72 kit is awfully huge, and I will need deep truncating. Of course, it will be asymmetric to match my what-if new point of view. I know that PR19Kit has the plan to build the 3-engine asymmetric derivative of the Bv-138: P.111 (see http://www.geocities.ws/asymmetrics/bv111.htm), so mine will be very different: single engined and still twin-boom.

[Tophe]

Here is the project with family:

[Tophe]

To make it more flyable (and further from original, more whif...), I consider a biplane layout using external wings without getting too much span.

[PR19_Kit]

Only one engine Tophe? 

I'm sure you could add one in a wingtip nacelle on the port wing if it was under-powered though........ 

[Tophe]

Wise! Thanks Kit!

[Tophe]

Now that the OVA-10 and Ju-86Ka models are finished , I turned to the big one ... Well, not that big at last, even smaller than the kit box size
But I will truncate it hardly anyway, to make room for the very last one just after.

[Tophe]

Look at this giant kit box, amazing...

[rallymodeller]

I would not want to do the water-handling tests of that. Hydrodynamic asymmetrical effects are quite a bit different (and more pronounced) than aerodynamic ones.

[Tophe]

Feel free not to pilot it... For me this is just a plastic desk model, not a metal machine to fly... And the prao/proa of the Pacific sailors deal very well with hydrodynamic asymmetry (at low speed, all right)...
Well, here is the aspect of the model after a little completion. If it were (if I were) normal, this would be close to the final aspect. But I am gonna butcherize it gently...

[Tophe]

I must change my mind, because of the way Supermodel cut parts (and my lack of scratchbuilding skills): there is no central wing with central engine above it (or to discard) but the central pod includes the engine and a hole below with just external parts of the central wing... I cannot truncate that and 'invent' the missing wing. So... I plan to truncate yes and install above the new wing made of external pannels. This will be a monoplane. Well, somehow I will be more free with the booms then (here half included in the wing) hiding them under the wing. I will see but a compromise with the model parts will happen soon.

[Tophe]

Design history of the Blohm und Voss Bv-338:

[PR19_Kit]

I must change my mind, because of the way Supermodel cut parts (and my lack of scratchbuilding skills): there is no central wing with central engine above it (or to discard) but the central pod includes the engine and a hole below with just external parts of the central wing... I cannot truncate that and 'invent' the missing wing.

Exactly the cause of my problems doing the P-111 Tophe. The kit was designed by an Italian sadist for sure!

I have long lengths of piano wire threaded through the various wing bits, none of which will connect unless you build it OOB, plus a chunk of Catalina wing in the middle! 

[Tophe]

Thanks Kit for understanding so much my problems.
Well, this is done now: I have truncated the pod, removing the central engine, and cut also the external panels of the wings, to make a very-short-span high wing instead (covering partly the giant hole in the pod)...

[Tophe]

Taking shape right... Completion scheduled in 2 weeks ±...

[Tophe]

Most of the sanding is done, and most parts are glued together (needing support, I will add this before all is broken)