Pioneer 1/72 Go-229
Kit Number: 210
Price: $7.00
Decals: One aircraft, with basic insignia
Date of review: 8 October 1997
Reviewer: Scott Van Aken
The Horton Brothers were Germany's premier flying wing builder. They built several very successful gliders and were commissioned to build the world's first jet powered flying wing. This aircraft, the Go-IXv2, successfully flew in January 1945, powered by two Junkers Jumo 004 turbo jets. It was destroyed about a month later on its fourth flight, as it came into land after engine failure. The nose wheel broke through the frozen ground and it flipped, killing its pilot. It was reportedly a relatively easy aircraft to fly, but suffered from some lateral instability, a defect that allegedly killed the much larger B-35 Flying wing bomber. The third prototype, the Go-229v3 (in many references Ho for Horton and Go for Gotha, the designated builder of the plane, are interchanged), never flew and now sits at Silver Hill, awaiting restoration.
The Pioneer kit is the model of simplicity. It consists of a bare interior (seat, stick, instrument panel, floor), and upper and lower fuselage/wing, jet inlet and exhaust fairings, landing gear and a clear canopy. It can be assembled in a weekend with little problem. In fact, mine was. I had to use a bit of putty on the engines where they attached to each other and a bit on the leading edge of the wing and that was it. It is painted in late war colors of RLM 82 or 3 (the dark green) with RLM 76 underside. I couldn't figure where to put a swastika, so left it off. It is unclear if the v2 carried one or not or even what the paint scheme was.
This is a kit recommended to the beginner because there are so few parts. The kit does need a bit of nose weight to stand on that large nose gear. Luftwaffe '46 enthusiasts love this and other late war aircraft and 'what-ifs'. If that is to your liking, you will like this kit.
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