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Japanese Experimental negative aspect ratio plane (based on Nieuport 24 -Nakajima Ko-3) 1/72 Half-scratchbuilt


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A build from 3 years ago:

 

(After this long series of models posted aiming to present the case that there is life beyond the usual modeling subjects, today I post what I believe is the last of what I can offer to you on this matter.

I had selected an posted these last months a large number of models of unusual planes and/or unusual media. I left out of this chronology a number of more mundane builds for one reason or another, not considering them relevant in this context.

Today I post what you may see as my closing arguments 😉 regarding what I been building during the past 12 years or so, so from now on I hope I will continue to post the normal builds as WiPs or completed models (I still have no fondness whatsoever for the phrase "Ready for Inspection" and would gladly substitute it for RtF -Ready to Fly).

Anyway, here we go:

 

I simply can't resist the bizarre.

(A photo of the original plane -and the model- were featured in the very informative aviation publication Arawasi International magazine #13, Summer 2017).

Long ago, when I saw on a Japanese site this beauty, I took note and opened a folder for it.

The folder, in spite of my best efforts, remained after many years with only that one photo. My Japanese friends and the Japanese sites I wrote to, weren't able to find anything on it.

As you can see this delightful contraption was based on a Nieuport 24, of which the Japanese had many, some in very nice civil liveries for which you can even get decals (Rising Sun, for example, produces a set for J-BAFC). I also found online an interesting photo of three Nieuport 24 that were apparently raced by female pilots for a demonstration (J-BAIF, J-TEIO and J-BAPB), may be for another model down the lane.

After the long wait during which no info came, I decided to give it a go anyway and bought the Nieuport 24 from Roden (Choroszy also produces the Japanese-built version, the Nakajima Ko-3).

The kit from Roden is very nice, in line with their known standards, and as an unexpected bonus you get a bunch of spare parts (engine, props, wheels, stab, rudder, little thingies, etc.) since more than one version is packed in the same sprues. No decals are needed for this project, and that makes things easier (if you don't think on the 234 struts and many parts you have to scratchbuild). In fact, very little will be used from the kit, just the fuselage sub-assembly minus the bang-bang bits.

Work starts then by intensely staring at the one photo and trying to make sense of it.

A sketch was produced based on the proportions of the many elements and known measures of the kit's fuselage. The plane has two vanes protruding from the mid-line fuselage, a bit ahead of the pilot (acting most likely as ailerons) a "wing" on top of the fuselage and then above it two separate panels for yet another wing. This might thus qualify as a negative aspect ratio triplane.

The mystery remains: what was it? who built it? and why? Did it fly? is it a triplane? is it a random accretion of parts flying now in orderly formation?

Will we ever know?

And meanwhile, should we call it Wingzilla?

 

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Here with another negative aspect ratio model posted here before, the Flick-Reinig Apteroid:

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Lovely modelling of an interesting, not to say downright peculiar, way of minimising the lift/drag ratio.  The point of minimum lift coupled with extreme drag escapes me.  However, as an ex-aerodynamicist I have to say that you can't get a negative aspect ratio, it is merely(!) less than 1.  Quite a bit less in this case.

 

AR = span squared divided by wing area, or span/mean chord.

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Well Moa that is certainly one of the most bizarre concepts I have seen - like an early articulated lifting body?. Wonder if it actually flew? - can't help thinking that there would be a serious horizontal stability problem but I am not an aerodynamicist.

 

Beautifully made and from a single photograph. Superb.

 

It has been an amazing journey through your collection Moa and I thank you for the education, both in modelling terms and broadening the view on what is, or has been, out there.

 

Looking forward to seeing your builds and "ready to fly" posts in the future!

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

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9 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

Lovely modelling of an interesting, not to say downright peculiar, way of minimising the lift/drag ratio.  The point of minimum lift coupled with extreme drag escapes me.  However, as an ex-aerodynamicist I have to say that you can't get a negative aspect ratio, it is merely(!) less than 1.  Quite a bit less in this case.

 

AR = span squared divided by wing area, or span/mean chord.

My Dear Graham.

At the reading of your comment my croissant flattened and my omelette turned green with rage.

Please read the pages attached.

I see no other solution than condemn you to build 12 models with negative aspect ratio, to repair the injury.

It will be justice.

33229964428_0171c5690c_c.jpg46381540314_4d4ff34e81_c.jpg

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I think that those two machines must be the most unusual attempts to build somethhing that would fly that I have seen.

 

I too would like to thank you for posting so many of your wonderful and interesting models - I have learned more about the byways of aviation history from your threads than I had previously learned in a very long time. I will be looking forward to seeing more of your work in future - if only to pinch a few of your excellent ideas!

 

P

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1 hour ago, pheonix said:

I think that those two machines must be the most unusual attempts to build somethhing that would fly that I have seen.

 

I too would like to thank you for posting so many of your wonderful and interesting models - I have learned more about the byways of aviation history from your threads than I had previously learned in a very long time. I will be looking forward to seeing more of your work in future - if only to pinch a few of your excellent ideas!

 

P

You are very kind, P.

I hope you continue to enjoy the posts.

Cheers

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On 2/15/2019 at 10:26 AM, Graham Boak said:

AR = span squared divided by wing area, or span/mean chord.

By definition this value is positive, it menas the resulting number is always >0. However in physics, some coefficients defined as ratio, let say x=a/b  are replaced by the difference of this ratio and 1, so "new" coefficient y is defined as  y=x-1. Such modified coefficient  (y) is negative, when x<1.  I think here we have this kind of missmatch of terms...

Regards

J-W

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I don't understand what the Japanese were trying to accomplish with this wing arrangement. Moa, are you sure the one picture you found isn't of a dismantled airplane in a hangar, with wings stored above it? 🤔

 

Very nice rendition of whatever it was. 🙂

 

Cheers,
Wlad

 

 

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31 minutes ago, Wlad said:

I don't understand what the Japanese were trying to accomplish with this wing arrangement. Moa, are you sure the one picture you found isn't of a dismantled airplane in a hangar, with wings stored above it? 🤔

 

Very nice rendition of whatever it was. 🙂

 

Cheers,
Wlad

 

 

Weirder theories have been advanced, for example that this is the love child of a forbidden love between a Nieuport and a Fokker triplane.

 

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