Flankerman Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 Always a sucker for the oddball, I recently purchased this latest kit from Ukrainian manufacturer A&A Models... It is a kit of the German design for a VTOL fighter - the EWR VJ-101 - with four engines in swivelling wing tip nacelles backed up with two more mounted vertically behind the cockpit - making SIX in all. Moulded by Modelsvit on behalf of A&A Models the kit represents the second prototype and is neatly moulded in mid-grey plastic with fine engraved detail... Fuselage sprues. Parts for the swivelling wingtip nacelles - which can be made to work (though not in unison!) Wings and things. Boarding ladder, ejection seat and two choices of clear canopy - open or closed. Canopy masks, etched harness and decal sheet. Paint and decal guide for the second prototype - quoting Humbrol numbers. This looks to be a very nice comprehensive kit, well moulded and packaged with different display options - the inclusion of canopy masks and etched brass now appears to be the norm with these kits from the Ukraine - western manufacturers please take note! The box sides indicate that A&A will be kitting the first prototype VJ-101C-X1 - plus the VAK-191 VTOL strike aircraft I can't wait to get started........ Ken 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted November 21, 2017 Author Share Posted November 21, 2017 Some progress...... Parts for the Martin-Baker GA7 ejection seat - minus the firing handle and two smaller plastic parts....... Assembled seat - with etched firing handle.... Seat and five-part cockpit - complete with rudder pedals but minus the control column. Cockpit 'bathtub' and seat - decals are inluded for the side panels.... It will look good under a coat of paint - honest! Ken 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 Well, that is certainly different! Where do you turn up these little treasures?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 2 hours ago, Vultures1 said: Where do you turn up these little treasures?! Yes, where indeed? I want one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted November 25, 2017 Author Share Posted November 25, 2017 A little progress - all the 'internals' are assembled and ready to go into the fuselage half.... Note that I have changed the firing handles on the ejection seat - internet photos of the VJ-101C show that the MB7 seat has twin firing handles - not the single loop that A&A have provided in etched-brass. Ken 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted November 29, 2017 Author Share Posted November 29, 2017 A bit more..... Fuselage assembled and wings attached..... Underside view.... More later. Ken 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted December 2, 2017 Author Share Posted December 2, 2017 The two swivelling wingtip pods are each made up from no less than EIGHTEEN parts........ If the pods are to be made moveable, they have to be assembled in-situ on each wigtip - because there is a collar that goes on the inside half of the pod to hold it in place..... The outer half - plus the front and rear components are then added. All the parts needed some 'fettling' to get the best fit - but they will still need some filler along the various joints. Ken 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackfordhibby Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 An absolutely brilliant looking machine, something that Gerry Anderson could have designed. Makes you want to build one and pop some Angel Interceptor decals on it. Neither seen a photograph nor even heard of this aircraft before thanks for posting. Peter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 6 hours ago, Blackfordhibby said: An absolutely brilliant looking machine, something that Gerry Anderson could have designed. Makes you want to build one and pop some Angel Interceptor decals on it. Neither seen a photograph nor even heard of this aircraft before thanks for posting. Peter Somewhere I have an old issue of RAF Flying Review/Flying Review International with an article on this aircraft. I'll try to find it and post it here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackfordhibby Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 8 minutes ago, Space Ranger said: Somewhere I have an old issue of RAF Flying Review/Flying Review International with an article on this aircraft. I'll try to find it and post it here. Thanks for that It would make an interesting read, and probably not just for me. I'll bet that I'm not alone in ignorance of this aircraft. Not sure though if that might be construed a thread hijacking or heaven forbid, fall foul of copyright. Just don't know these things work though I'm pretty sure someone with the knowledge will put you/us right. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 Looking good! Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted December 3, 2017 Author Share Posted December 3, 2017 I don't normally go for 'working' parts on a model - but A&A provide the feature of rotating wingtip engine pods - so I've gone with it........ Look at the photo and make a zhooooozhing/whiring sound to accompany it Note that the engine intakes and cones are separate parts - not fitted yet. Ken 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 (edited) Very nice work, Ken and I notice where A&A have released, wonder of wonders, the 'beautiful' La-200B. I'd love to see you have a go at that beast. So I take it this kit (the VJ101C-X2 - the Germans really need to work on their aircraft names!) is basically (like) a Modelsvit kit? Best Regards, Jason Edited December 3, 2017 by Learstang Disambiguation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 45 minutes ago, Flankerman said: I don't normally go for 'working' parts on a model - but A&A provide the feature of rotating wingtip engine pods - so I've gone with it........ Look at the photo and make a zhooooozhing/whiring sound to accompany it Nice work. I'm wondering, however, how one might connect the engine pods so that they rotate in unison while making those zhooooozhing/whiring sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted December 3, 2017 Author Share Posted December 3, 2017 Learstang.... yes Modelsvit make the moulds for A&A Models. The La-200B is due 'early December' - so I'll definitely be getting it. Space ranger .... I thought the same thing - maybe put a brass rod through the wing joining both pods (the wing is horizontal). Only trouble is - the wing is very thin and moulded in one solid piece, so impossible to do. I just thought it is neat to show how the engines rotate - the collar holding the inner part of the pod in place even has a small protrusion on it that stops agains the 'arms' moulded into the inner pod part to limit the travel to the correct angles - very clever! Of course, with the wings in the horizontal flight position, the lift engine doors would be closed up - but just showing how the pods rotate is good enough for me. Ken 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Well I already have the La-200 with the 'Toriy' radar; now I just need the La-200 with the 'Korshun' radar, and this wonderful beastie, the La-200B. I guess I picked a bad year to quit buying weird and wonderful Soviet aircraft. Regards, Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Last night I found the RAF Flying Review issue with the article I mentioned previously. I'll be scanning it later today and (hopefully) posting it here. Stay tuned. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackfordhibby Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 1 hour ago, Space Ranger said: Last night I found the RAF Flying Review issue with the article I mentioned previously. I'll be scanning it later today and (hopefully) posting it here. Stay tuned. Excellent news looking forward to reading it.Just hope it's A OK and doesn't contravene any rules. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Page 1 of the article, from the August 1963 issue of Royal Air Force Flying Review: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Page 2 of the article: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Page 3 (and last page) of the article: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Finally, from the November 1963 issue of Flying Review International (as RAF Flying Review was re-titled effective with the September 1963 issue) is this somewhat murky cutaway of the VJ 101C X2, which had afterburning engines in the rotating tip nacelles: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil5208 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 I'm struck how similar the forward lift fans are placed in both YAK 38 and F35 and how closely the soviet fighter resembles this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invidia Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 i built this recently, cause i like odd aircraft, nothing wanted to fit!!!!!! however a little work and it was fine. the decals are nice. yours seems to fit better than mine judging by the amount of putty on yours!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 (edited) 5 hours ago, neil5208 said: I'm struck how similar the forward lift fans are placed in both YAK 38 and F35 and how closely the soviet fighter resembles this The F-35B has a lift fan - not lift jets - but it is, essentially the same arrangement. The only trouble is, with lift jets/fans (Yak-38, Yak-141, Mirage III-V, VJ-101C, F-35B etc) is that once the aircraft has transitioned to forward flight, the lift jets/fans are so much dead weight - to be carried around for the rest of the mission. That's where the Harrier scores - with just one engine for both VTOL and level flght - although on the down side, the engine is sized for VTOL and is much bigger than it needs to be for forward flight - so I guess it is still hauling around so much excess weight in CTOL. I suppose the best arrangement would be to combine the swivelling wingtip engines of the VJ-101 with the translating nozzle on the lift/cruise engine of the Yak-141/F-35B. In that arrangement ALL the engines are used for VTOL AND CTOL - but I suppose they would still have to be more powerful than is needed for level flight. It's a fascinating subject ....... Ken PS - Any photos of your model Invidia ???? PPS - I'm on a VTOL testbed kick at the moment - so I've purchased the Modelsvit Mirage III-V - and intend to get the ART model Yak-36 and, if I can, the old Airfix P-1127 to make a small collection of VTOL pioneers. Edited December 5, 2017 by Flankerman 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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