Jackrabbit

[elmayerle]

FWIWm the MB.326Km with the single-seat canopy has the ammunition for the cannons where the second seat was, that's one reason it's faired over.  I'm not certain how this layout affects your concept of the Prarie Rattler.

[upnorth]

FWIWm the MB.326Km with the single-seat canopy has the ammunition for the cannons where the second seat was, that's one reason it's faired over.  I'm not certain how this layout affects your concept of the Prarie Rattler.

My idea with the Prairie Rattler, and other early armed MB.326 variants is to have the guns and ammunition in their real world position, but maintain the standard trainer style canopy over it all.

Partly, this would be for parts commonality between the attack and trainer versions where possible. It would also be to maintain some degree of rearward vision for the pilot.

From what I've seen of cutaways of the MB.326K, the gun package doesn't extend up past the point of the cockpit sill and the upper part is taken up by some avionics boxes.

I figure if those avionics boxes can be arranged behind the pilot so that the pilot can see to at least the four and eight positions, if not five and seven, then keeping the trainer canopy and the better field of view it could give might be prudent.

[elmayerle]

Reasonable enough assumption on the Prarie Rattler, now that I understand the set up.  It's going to be interesting to see where you take this story and where Canadian production ends up serving.

[elmayerle]

If someone wants to model the Prarie Rattler, it's easy in 1/72 as pavla has the cannon bulges that can be applied to a standard MB.326 kit.  In 1/48, you'd almost have to combine a MB.326 and MB.326K to get everything.

[upnorth]

If someone wants to model the Prarie Rattler, it's easy in 1/72 as pavla has the cannon bulges that can be applied to a standard MB.326 kit.  In 1/48, you'd almost have to combine a MB.326 and MB.326K to get everything.

These days, you're pretty much in the same boat in either scale.

Pavla folded in 2021 or so. So unless you are lucky enough to get your hands on the 1/72 cannon bulges, or someone else makes a set, you're kitbashing in 1/72 as well.

The current Pavla website looks like it's just a website builder template:
https://www.pavlamodels.cz/

[elmayerle]

With all of this going on, are any of the Canadian airlines going to order canadian equivalents of the MB.326D to transition their pilots from piston engines to jets?  You could whif some colorful MB326's that way.

[elmayerle]

If someone wants to model the Prarie Rattler, it's easy in 1/72 as pavla has the cannon bulges that can be applied to a standard MB.326 kit.  In 1/48, you'd almost have to combine a MB.326 and MB.326K to get everything.

These days, you're pretty much in the same boat in either scale.

Pavla folded in 2021 or so. So unless you are lucky enough to get your hands on the 1/72 cannon bulges, or someone else makes a set, you're kitbashing in 1/72 as well.

The current Pavla website looks like it's just a website builder template:
https://www.pavlamodels.cz/

i did manage to acquire some of their 1/72 MB.326K cannon bulges.  Originally bought with the idea of converting a G-4 Super Galeb into a J-4 Super Jasyreb in Yugoslavian markings.  Never got around to that conversion, but I have the parts and may do your "Prarie Rattler" instead.

[upnorth]

With all of this going on, are any of the Canadian airlines going to order canadian equivalents of the MB.326D to transition their pilots from piston engines to jets?  You could whif some colorful MB326's that way.

That had not crossed my mind.

However, I'll have to work it in somehow. The idea of MB.326s in Canadian Pacific or Pacific Western livery is just too tempting to pass up.