1/48 Classic Airframes Conversion HP88,

Blackburn Y.B.2.,  Supermarine 521

by Colin Whitehouse

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The history of this plane goes back to the original crescent wing technology developed in 1909 by Handley Page himself and expanded by Dr Leipsich in the early 1940s in Germany.  Handley Page developed the crescent wing technology over the years from glider to the jet bomber.  As part of the development for the proposed HP80 Victor bomber, it was decided to build a 1/3 scale technology demonstrator which was designated HP88. Construction was subcontracted from Handley Page to Blackburn. Taking the easy option, an Attacker fuselage (Supermarine 521) was drawn from the production line and modified with the new wing. Other modifications included a new fin and tail surface with large airbrakes on the fuselage sides.

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One of the striking features is the very small tail plane and infact this derives from the original design of the Victor as a tailless flying wing. The tail was added to the HP88 as an insurance and one of the things the HP88 was planned to investigate was whether the Victor would need a tail.  As it was, the HP88 flew for only 14 hours before structural failure around the tail lead to it cashing on its 12th flight. Presumably this is why the Victor had a very substantial tail unit!

The model was constructed almost according to the original.  A standard Classic Airframes Attacker was drawn from the stash and modified with a new wing.  The fin was removed along with the under wing fuselage section and areas ahead and behind the original wing root, before the fuselage was assembled per the standard kit.  Clearly the big job was the new wing and this was made from a plasticard and balsa ply.  A layer of plastic was sandwiched between 2 layers of balsa with one lot of grain running to the tip and the other layers running chord wise for strength.  An additional layer of balsa was fitted under the fuselage to maintain the profile.  These were then sanded and shaped to match the drawings with several applications of Mr Surfacer 500 and 1000 grade to seal the surface.  Wheel wells were then cut in the lower piece of wing balsa with the sandwiched plastic forming the roof of the wheel wells.  Once complete, the wing was faired into the fuselage and a blanking plate fitted inside to smooth the areas at the bottom of the intakes. The huge aileron mass balances were made from residue from a PE fret and buried in the wing where they have been bent many times but always straightened out.

The fin is a 1/72 A6 Intruder outer wing panel and the bullet fairing a 1/72 Mig 21 drop tank. (See I do build 1/72 as well). The airbrakes were made from plasticard stuck to the fuselage and faired in with Milliput. I figured the undercarriage would be based on the standard Attacker so I used the kit wheels but with new retraction mechanisms and gear doors from wire and plastic card.

Finish is Mr Colour Cobalt Blue with a darker shade around the panel lines. Decals from the Spares box. The plane is pictured with the standard Attacker for comparison.

With Classic Airframe now giving Attackers away there is lots of opportunity to build this unique aircraft and its sister the swept wing Attacker, the 510.

Colin

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Photos and text © by Colin Whitehouse