MPM He-177 arrived

Its in stock now but expensive at £54.60 though David SBX Model Shop

of Montex Masks to the world!

Yes, but wasn't there a resin He-177 that was like 3 times that? With Trumpeters FW-200 we're finally rounding out the german bomber fleet around our house. Now - whose gonna make us a JU-290? And if it's not TOO much to ask - Trumpeter since you like to do BIG how bout a nice ME-321/323 in 1/48?

who did the one that's out there?

Assuming you mean the Gigant, I think Italeri did the 1/72 one. I don't know about 1/48 stuff but the idea is, um, enormous.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

there's one hanging from the cieling of hobbytown in vegas, and enormus sums it up. i suspect it was a vac, the builder was really good. they also have the italieri hanging with a troika shlep setup to 3 me 110's, also a master build. i want the italeieri, but the ones on ebay are a rip off today. got one, bill? yeah, i know, you sold it years ago.

Nope, never owned one. I did own a Waco for awhile and I think I had a Horsa but I'd have to look it up in my inventory records.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

i'm surprised. i'd love to hack the itali into the 4 engine powered glider version.

6 engines, not 4. And they make both versions, glider & powered. I know, I have both. and no, I'm not selling, I'm building. Eventually.

-Kevin in Indy

i've read there was a four engined version, called a powered glider. it was a good source.

My reference (Warplanes of the Luftwaffe, published by World Airpower Journal) also states that the first Me 323 V1 was an Me 321 glider fitted with four Gnome-Rhone 14N 48/49 engines. It was designed to be towed off the ground by a tug, but using the engines for assistance. The 323 V1 was then supposed to take off empty and return to base under its own power.

However from the second prototype onwards, they fitted six engines which turned it into a "conventional" powered transport aircraft.

There was also a proposal for a "Zwilling", with a new centre wing section with 3 engines, making a total of 9 BMW 801 engines.

An Me 323 made a single test flight in July 1944 with one bomb as cargo. The bomb, however, weighed 17,700kg (39,000lb) and it is not recorded how the bomb was carried. Unfortunately, the Me 323 had suffered damage in an earlier strafing attack and broke up in the air. Presumably, the bomb made a very large, deep hole...

Chris

the source i read said there were "several" powered gliders, but i haven't seen any photos. i do want to bash one. the zwillig would have looked impressive, but damn if i'd ride it. even in peacetime.

There's a photo of the four-engined beast at

For those with lots of storage space, there is actually a 1:33 scale Me 323 card stock model made by the Polish firm GPM. I believe the wingspan is somewhat over 5 feet. :-)

Ooohhh......never heard of that one. Hmmmmm......

-Kevin in Indy

thanks. maybe i could use it for a storage shed.

i will try to refind that and more. you wanna build one, too?

Thanks for the pic , does GPM have a site ???

I also see the model advertised here:

for about $45 USD. I expect it's not something you'd want to tackle if you've never built card models before.

The 4-engined one was the Me 321C (later renamed Me 323C). The Me 323 V1 was powered by four Gnôme-Rhône 14N 48/49 engines (source: Wiliam Green, _Warplanes of the Third Reich_).

Yep, and IIRC, by MPM too.

Forget the 290 - how about a 390? ;-)

I remember somebody scratchbuilding one a few years ago, together with a He

111Z. That was an impressive build (one I still intend to do, BTW).