1/72 Matchbox Horten Ho 229 A-1 & Ho 229 Pulsejet

Gallery Article by Thomas Brückelt on May 11 2021

 

      

I built these two "Luftwaffe ´46" models from the old Matchbox kit (originally from PM, but with a better decal sheet). The kit is very simple. So I improved some areas. Both models got a scratch built cockpit and pilot figures. For the A-1 I printed the structure of the compressor wheels on decal sheet and placed them onto polystyrene. Futher I added the nozzles I made from external fuel tanks I had left from a F-104 kit. The landing gear bays got some structures out of stretched sprue. 

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For the Ho 229 pulsejet I had to remove the jet engines. So first I glued a bended plastic sheet on the lower side of the upper half. So the wings were fixed in the right position after I cut off the engine housings. Later I filled the gaps with adapted plastic sheets and filled it up with some putty. 

A block with a short silicone tube inside was placed inside the model to plug in the rod of the display. 

After the upper and lower halfes of the airframe were joined, I glued two blocks of plastic in the areas where the intakes had been before and brought them ito the shape of the leading edge. 

I armed it with two more guns, so I made four barrels out of stretched sprue and added two more slots for the cartridge ejection un the lower side. 

The six pulsejets were taken from two kits of the He 280 from HUMA (each kit includes four Argus AS 014 pulsejets). Inside the intake you look on a flat wall. So I placed packaging material (from pills) which has a structure to imitate the shutter valves. 

Both models were painted with enamels from Humbrol and Revell. The decals from the Matchbox kit need to be processed with mark softer. 

I sealed both Ho 229 with flat varnish from Tamiya. 

I enjoyed making and modifying the old kits. 

I built the Ho 229 A-1 for my friend Dieter, the fictional pulsejet version is for my own collection. 

Greetings from Germany

Thomas Brückelt

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Photos and text © by Thomas Brückelt