Does anyone have ref. pics. of a German 183? I need pics of the underside of this bird.
Thad
You mean the Focke Wulf TA 183A? The Huckebein? I’ve got the Tamiya kit in 1/48th if that’s what you mean, and a few books on the subject.
Difficult order to fill if you’re talking about the Ta-183, the British captured the Focke-Wulf factory in April of 1945 before a prototype could be completed.
They actually started to build one? I always asumed that it never left the drawing board.
Therefore pictures wil be difficult, you can’t photograph what doesn’t exist.
It never did leave the drawing board, when I said that it wasn’t completed I didn’t mean to imply that it was started…semantics.
Actually I believe that construction of the prototype had begun. Imagine the Allied soldier who first entered that building to see the mostly complete prototype sitting there on the shop floor.
Sorry guys fat figered it, I am talking about the TA-183. I thought I had at least seen some artist version of it.???
Thad
Try here: http://www.luft46.com/fw/ta183-i.html - be sure to click the links to the art work, too! I think the prototype in progress may have been seen by Russian troops… At least the Soviets captured the info and possibly personnel associated with the project, but I could and probably am wrong. Who cares? It’s Luft '46! [:D]
You guys are right about the Huckebein actually making it into metal. The partially completed prototype was captured by the Russians, I think, and it went on to become the first jet Mig (I forget the designation). They had to widen the fuselage to take their version of the early jet engine, and drop the T-tail to a t-tail to improve handling, but it’s essentially a Huckebein.
Btw - Huckebein was a popular cartoon character in Germany, I think it translates to naughty/mischievious raven/crow - i forget. It got it’s nickname from the staff that were designing it.
When I first saw it on Luft 46 I fell in love with it, and went on a search for a 1/48th kit. The AMTech one was supposed to be the only & best one, and I found a Tamiya re-box with the Kettenkraftrad that has a SILLY price tag for only £20 GBPs, so I bought it. It really is a fantastic model, and very nicely moulded.
Just gone through your comments on the Tank 183. A flying view of a 183 is shown in the Jan 1954 issue of RAF Flying Review along with a three view and cutaway drawing. No, I am not in a world of my own, Ive got the magazine and scanned the relevant pages into my puter. Anyone who wants a copy let me know. Usual copyrights apply as I am offering this for your reference only not for profit.
PS Magazine suggests photograph is a hoax