Vogt Stays in Japan

[Dr. YoKai]

One of the more intriguing whifs that has crossed my mind over the years concerned Richard Vogt,
Noted German aircraft designer. He moved to Japan in 1923, and remained there for a decade, designing
a number of moderately successful production types. He returned to Germany in 1933, due in part, I gather,
to increasing insularity and Nationalism in Japan. But what if he had stayed? He apparently was the teacher of one of the most noted of Japanese designers, Takeo Doi, so it reasonable to assume he was fairly respected - would that respect have taken him this far?

DSCF0225 by VileDr.Yo, on Flickr
I had been thinking of reinterpreting some of Vogt's more eccentric B&V designs through a Japanese lens,
and the Kawanishi C19K₁, designed to the 18-shi requirement for a very long range single engine reconnaissance aircraft was the first result. Vogt had been considering an asymmetric layout for some time and the combination of a fuselage completely devoted to fuel combined with a superb field of view for the observers sold the Navy, and the Kumoun (Spider Cloud₂) entered service in mid-1944. As things grew grimmer for the Empire in  1945 and 46, increasing thought was given, in very secret meetings, of using some of the discoveries of Units 731 and 670. With a one-way range that would enable it to reach much of the Continental United States, a group
of C19's was readied to attack Los Angles with Dr. Kuroda's 'Obedience' bacteria in October of 1946. Only one of the twelve aircraft actually made it to the target over Orange county, with effects that have lingered to this day.

More back story after a bit. The build is a combination of the old Airfix Bv 141, and an equally ancient Arii Kawanishi E15K. (The wingtips are from a Revell Heinkel 219. I wanted to change the planform to something a little less angular, but the wings of the Shiun did not have quite the right degree of taper. In contrast to the
Ki-109, I am spending a fair amount of time faking up an interior for this one.

(1) Spurious, but based on a reasonable extrapolation. (I think.)
(2) Likewise spurious, but kinda nifty, no? I couldn't find an exact translation via google to
      compare to the names listed in Francillon, so its an approximation at best.

[GTX_Admin]

Interesting...very interesting.

[Buzzbomb]

Oh Doc... too cool

[Frank3k]

The contra rotating props and cowling look great - where did you source them?

And we still say "going past the Orange Curtain" when we go south into the infected counties. Very sad. The disease only affects people who stay there more than a few days.

[Artoor_K]

Anything flying which is asymetric is totally cool!

[Dr. YoKai]

Colleagues, Friends, thank you kindly-much appreciated. Frank - think I misspoke above. The engine along with the rest of the non-B&V parts, are from the very old Aoshima Kawanishi E15K Shiun (Not Arii). It's a pretty crude old brute, pegs for the pilot figures, no interior, rivets and sink marks abounding. That said, it is generally dirt cheap when it turns up at shows or on consignment at Kings. 

Progress over the weekend was mostly tiny. I built a couple of cameras for the camera bay, and need to refinish the interior-I kinda kludged the paint. I had originally intended the front end to be a clear front dome from a Squadron vac 1/48 Do 17 P, but after carefully cutting it from the sheet, it...vanished. Fortunately, I had the nose glass from
an Airfix Il-28, and that fit very nicely with a little shimming on the bottom. Much PSR ahead, hopefully paint on the weekend.
DSCF0230 by VileDr.Yo, on Flickr
Oh, and I started boxing in the wheel wells.

DSCF0229 by VileDr.Yo, on Flickr

[Alvis 3.1]

OoOo, that's cool!

[Dr. YoKai]

 Getting there. Sanded to a fare-thee-well, the basic grey is actually an old Accucolor(I think? I'll have to look at the bottle again.) Italian grey, lightened with a couple drops of white. I am not sure at this point if I am going to go with overall IJN Green upper surfaces, or a green over grey mottle. Input and opinions always appreciated.

DSCF0236 by VileDr.Yo, on Flickr

These are the backings for the masks I used for the Tachikawa Ki 93 I did awhile back, and I think they will work for spraying the mottle if I'm careful.

DSCF0234 by VileDr.Yo, on Flickr

And a conjectural 'containment unit/aerosol dispenser' for the bioweapon. The tank is from the Glencoe/Strombecker 'Convair Satellite', with smaller tanks of a flamethrower out of an old Tamiya weapons set.

DSCF0235 by VileDr.Yo, on Flickr

[Buzzbomb]

Bioweapon dispenser.... the Evil Dr takes it to the next level 

[apophenia]

Amazing-looking airframe - even by Richard Vogt standards! And, FWIW, I vote for mottle camouflage. That will really make 'er pop 

Bioweapon dispenser.... the Evil Dr takes it to the next level 

Giving a whole new meaning to 'Asymmetrical Warfare' 

[Dr. YoKai]

 Well, it will be done by the deadline, but only just - I have gotten about half the canopy frames laid, and that is
 tedious work. I have been using decal paper, painted the same shade as the fuselage mottle, cut into thin strips to simulate the canopy frames. I think it's a viable technique, though to be really effective would call for steadier hands and a better eyes than mine, bit one must experiment, no? Some pictures tomorrow, I hope.

And Season's Greetings, Colleagues and friends

[finsrin]

Challenging build coming together to really look the part.  Appears obviously what Japan's B.v. 141 counterpart would be.... 

[Dr. YoKai]

Could I get this moved to General Aviation? I should have the pictures up later today or tomorrow.

[Dr. YoKai]

Only a month late, but life around the holidays, yes? Anyway, part of the reason this didn't get quite finished by the deadline was a last minute 'Hey, I could throw that together over the weekend' project that came while I was trying to find good hinomaru decals among the stuff.
DSCF0327 by VileDr.Yo, on Flickr

DSCF0335 by VileDr.Yo, on Flickr

DSCF0336 by VileDr.Yo, on Flickr

I stumbled across a 1/72 Ohka in the box for a a 1/144 Ginga, and had always liked Steve Zaloga's build of the long-winged, ground launched version, so I figured "Hey, ten parts, whip up a launch ramp -how hard can it be?" Not hard at all, but 'no plan of action survives contact with the materials', to bash a phrase. Dipped the canopy yesterday, and here you go. (And all really because I couldn't let the other ramjet from the triebflugel go to waste...

DSCF0328 by VileDr.Yo, on Flickr

DSCF0334 by VileDr.Yo, on Flickr

The wings were extended with a piece of card, and the nose was a combination of a drop tank and some aves putty. Alas, the ancient Hasegawa decals fractured badly, so it's in 'emergency deployment' mode. 

[Frank3k]

Wow - the B&V inspired bomber came out great - other than the asymmetry, it's a believable Japanese design; the cockpit/crew pod looks particularly good.

The ram based Ohka looks pretty smart! ばかではなく、賢い

[GTX_Admin]

 

[robunos]

  Very convincing, likewise the Okha . . . the tapered nose reminds me of the Hs 294 missile or the BT series of bombs . . .


cheers,
Robin.

[Robomog]

Nice pair of models tel the designer chappie   

Mog
>^-.-^<

[Dr. YoKai]

Thanks, everybody!

(Grabs back of neck)
はい、はい、ありがとう!

[Buzzbomb]

Doc, too cool.
That came out terrific