In search of
war-winning weapons, the Nazi regime encouraged experimentation and design. The
Messerschmitt team came up with this design for a single-engined jet fighter
with variable-geometry wings (but the geometry could only be varied on the
ground). The machine was captured and later developed by Bell as the X-5 for
research purposes. It wasn't an unqualified success.
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This boxing by
Revell of the Dragon kit is perfect for a simple build of a pretty machine. The
one challenge with the kit was the instructions, which need to be fully read,
understood, and amended to suit yourself.
Conjectural markings
are provided for a nightfighter armed with 2 x MG151 and up to 4 of the Kramer
X-4 missiles. We will assume that by the time this machine entered service, the
technology for tracking these missiles had developed sufficiently to allow a
pilot to do this as well as fly his jet properly. I modified two of the missiles
to carry extra flares.
Departing
from the suggested paint scheme, I used Tamiya XF-1 (for RLM 22) undersides with
Gunze Sangyo Mr. Aqueous Hobby Color RLM 81 mottles over Mr. Aqueous Hobby
Color 82 upper surfaces. The cockpit interior is mainly Mr. Aqueous Hobby
Color RLM 66. To my eyes, the finished aeroplane is reminiscent of a Korean
MiG-15 nightfighter - except for the armament.
Bruce Grayson
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