Revell Horton Ho 229 Whiffer in 1/72 Scale

Revell Horten Ho 229 in 1/72 Scale

The Horten Ho 229 (also known as the Horten H.IX or Gotha Go 229) was designed to meet an RLM requirement for an aircraft capable of carrying a 1,000 kg bombload a radius of 1,000 km at a speed of 1,000 km/hr.  This “3 x 1,000” requirement was impossible to achieve with a propeller-driven aircraft, and challenging for a jet aircraft due to the high fuel consumption of the early engines.

The Horten brothers submitted a design for a flying-wing aircraft, which reduced drag considerably compared to a conventional layout.  Glider trials proved promising, and the design was refined by Gotha for mass production.  The first prototype flew on 02 February 1945.  Several additional test aircraft were in development when the war in Europe ended.  The V3 aircraft was brought to the United States after the war, it is currently under restoration at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

The model is painted in an RLM 82 / 83 splinter camouflage derived from the pattern authorized for the Me 262.  Location of the “Yellow 2” individual aircraft markings is a guess, but locating them on the landing gear covers and boattail would allow the aircraft to be identified both in the air and on the ground so I thought it was plausible.

Re-build work in progress post here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2021/10/08/revell-horton-ho-229-re-build/