Here is my next build: Kayaba Katsuodori from Meng in 1/72. It’s Hikoki 46, which is the Japanese equivalent of Luft 46, Hikoki meaning roughly ‘airplane.’ Strictly Whatif.
The aircraft:
The Katsuodori was a swept-wing, tailless design, which never reached mock-up stage. The heart of the project was its ramjet engine, whose development started as early as 1937. For those of you who are interested you can read more here: Kayaba Katsuodori
The name:
Katsuodori means gannet in Japanese.
The kit:
The Katsuodori was one of the first kits produced by Meng and while the Hong-Kong company deserves applause for the kit’s quality the technical research is not really up to par. In short:
Pros:
Good quality injection with crisp panel lines.
Two kits for the price of one: the box contains two sprues with one full kit on each.
Nice color instructions sheet
Cons:
The technical/historical research leaves something to be desired.
Although the notice’s history section refers to the engine as a ramjet, it also says that it was based on the HeS 1, which in reality was a turbine. The kit even includes parts for a turbojet’s compressor and turbine, while constantly and unashamedly referring to its 'ramjet.'
Arguably, this is hardly a problem with a Whatif project: ramjet, turbojet, who’s to say how the project might have turned out? Until one realizes that right behind the compressor face is the cockpit! Yes, the pit and the engine occupy the same space! And that’s the kit’s real letdown.
There are several ways to deal with this technical impossibility. One is to block off the intake and exhaust with the turbojet parts provided and hope the viewer won’t notice what’s going on.
I decided to handle it another way: make use of the fuselage’s ‘hump’ to rearrange the pit to accommodate a prone pilot, the only way both pilot and engine could have fitted in the tiny airframe.
I also decided to stick to the ramjet design. Any historical accuracy aside, I don’t think there would have been room enough to accommodate such a complex engine as a turbojet with all of its paraphernalia. The much simpler ramjet seems a better choice for such a small plane.
Modeling-wise the engine will easily be dealt with with two FOD covers front and aft. The pit needs some serious work, though. So let’s get to it!
The tub pars were re-worked to raise the floor and make room for the ramjet's air intake.
The scratch-built couch was loosely based on this pic:
The office was then detailed with the usual fare of levers, switches and cabling.
The next step is to daub on some paint.
M
looks more like a torture bank.
