Noris - Bachem Ba349 Natter - Build Thread/Review

[Astro-Baby]

Each motor was paired with its closest looking equivalent and then glued with yellow wood glue to its mate and left on a flat surface. This would allow the motors to almost self centre to the body later on. They arent being glued to the body until painting is complete as I want the camo pattern to be under the motors.

Once the glue dried the motors were given a fillet of glue along the seam on ONE SIDE ONLY allowing the outer face of the motor pair to retain a nice sharp join line between the motors. I had already selected the best side and orientation given that the round noses were not perfect I wanted the best shape side of the round nose outwards.

The motors were paired to their closest shaped equivalent so that any errors in the shape would be minimised to the Mk1 eyeball (I hope).

The spirals were filled earlier - while the main body tube spiral is negligible the spirals on these tubes were quite deep.

 

[Astro-Baby]

Next up some wraps were made up by cutting up the box the Natter came in (see thats why a cardboard box for a kit is so useful )

The card on the box was excellent - nice and thick and perfect for this kind of thing. Real life Natters seem to have a variety of different wraps on their boosters so given the kit is not exactly scale anyway I just went with best guess as to what it may have looked like. The wraps stop short on the reverse side to allow the booster tube to fit flat to the main body and provide a good solid base for gluing later on. The tubes/wraps were marked up to make sure the wraps went the required distance around the tube and no more.

They were glued into place with CA to make sure there were no glue squelch marks around them.

 

[Astro-Baby]

Finally the boosters were given a little bit of filling and sanding (yes more) and then the nozzles were added - these were glued on with CA.

Careful here because the nozzles have a definite orientation which is the nozzles should point outwards from the main tube - thats why these boosters have writing on them - they are to act as an aid so I dont mess it all up.

 

[Astro-Baby]

Finally with the boosters now completed the main body and nose were given a squirt with some primer.

This is where the depression started to set in - I have sanded and filled and sanded and filled my little fingys raw with this. Been patient beyond belief blah blah blah but the finish is still REALLY scrappy. I just cant EVER seem to get that really super smooth finish no matter how much effort I put in.

This one will be filled and sanded again where it needs it and hopefully its camo paint job will hide the worst but this is the bit I find really frustrating to get that really smooth, production engineered look.

Anyway here it is as it stands - the thread and the build are now at the same stage - usually the thread is at least a week behind actual events but this is now exactly where the model stands.

 

[Astro-Baby]

ps - if anyone is building this in line with my thread there is a huge gotcha - the engine hook !!!!

It doesnt matter where you place it - it will always be a pain. Mine is in line with the wings which will make it damn close to the end of the boosters. In line with the vertical stabiliser will make it wholly inaccessible so be wary of that.

 

[Cookie the Dog's Owner]

..This one will be filled and sanded again where it needs it and hopefully its camo paint job will hide the worst but this is the bit I find really frustrating to get that really smooth, production engineered look....

Looks all smooth and production-engineered from where I sit. Whatever imperfections are there, the camouflage paint will, ah, camouflage them nicely.

 

[NJRick]

Astro she looks great to me! the camo will hide any impefections you may see..but remember, you are the builder...and you have been living with this one for a few weeks so you seen the imperfections..the rest of us are seeing a really cool rocket!

Finally with the boosters now completed the main body and nose were given a squirt with some primer.

This is where the depression started to set in - I have sanded and filled and sanded and filled my little fingys raw with this. Been patient beyond belief blah blah blah but the finish is still REALLY scrappy. I just cant EVER seem to get that really super smooth finish no matter how much effort I put in.

This one will be filled and sanded again where it needs it and hopefully its camo paint job will hide the worst but this is the bit I find really frustrating to get that really smooth, production engineered look.

Anyway here it is as it stands - the thread and the build are now at the same stage - usually the thread is at least a week behind actual events but this is now exactly where the model stands.

 

[NJRick]

these look really cool!!

Finally the boosters were given a little bit of filling and sanding (yes more) and then the nozzles were added - these were glued on with CA.

Careful here because the nozzles ha



ve a definite orientation which is the nozzles should point outwards from the main tube - thats why these boosters have writing on them - they are to act as an aid so I dont mess it all up.

 

[fatdaddynerd]

for a first coat of primer that is a terrific looking condition! I am certain that a follow up fill and paint will yield the results you are looking for! Keep a stiff upper lip as they say on your side of the pond, and lay all that depression aside. You are doing a bang up job!

 

[adrian]

This is where the depression started to set in - I have sanded and filled and sanded and filled my little fingys raw with this. Been patient beyond belief blah blah blah but the finish is still REALLY scrappy. I just cant EVER seem to get that really super smooth finish no matter how much effort I put in.

That's because, while you're working on it, you're looking at it a lot more closely and a lot closer up than anyone else ever will. It looks smooth enough in the photo, which puts it ahead of any of my models - if you were to look at those as closely as you've looked at the Natter, you would run away screaming in horror. :lol:

But yes, I've seen that as well - sand lots during construction, the model looks OK, then I give it a coat of primer and previously unseen bumps suddenly appear. That's part of what primer is for. Give it one more round of sanding, another coat of primer, then call it done. And when you've finished painting the main body, sand off a bit of paint where you're going to glue the boosters, otherwise you're not gluing them to the rocket, you're gluing them to the paint. It's your choice as to whether that paint comes off before or after the boosters are in place.

 

[Astro-Baby]

Thanks guys - I was getting a bit tired the other night, day job, kids, swollen feet - all that stuff - plus I tend to set myself impossibly high standards at times and then get depressed when I cant hit them. Each build is a little better than the one before so I suppose for that I am thankful.

Anyway heres some more pics - someone asked me to do a build thread for this and I did say I would do it in exhaustive detail and I always keep my word.

Heres the back of a booster pack - showing the bands are cut away at the reverse face to allow the booster pack to seat flush and get a good glue join. The real thing had stand-offs and I did toy with that as an idea but decided as the thing is hardly scale anyway it was a bit pointless. It just introduced an extra level of pain and would only be weaker as a join.

The other pic id of the boosters given their first hit of primer - they need a bit of finishing yet.

 

[Astro-Baby]

And here's all the major components - the boosters are awaiting a bit of finishing and a second primer. The main body parts are now refilled, sanded and also awaiting a second coat of primer.

 

[NJRick]

Astro....she looks AWESOME!! I think the rocket boosters look really cool!

And here's all the major components - the boosters are awaiting a bit of finishing and a second primer. The main body parts are now refilled, sanded and also awaiting a second coat of primer.

 

[mrichhcirm]

Even in gray primer, it looks magnificent. I can imagine being strapped into that beast...

 

[Astro-Baby]

Today I took a day off work and watched some movies and did a bit of work with the Natter - the camo is on now and she is looking quite good - not as good as I had hoped perhaps but still might fine. Partner roused themselves to say 'wowsa - thats a win' so I guess it might be looking alright

I'll get some pics up over the weekend.

 

[Daddyisabar]

I just flew mine again at NARAM and the D12 3 is the way to go. Much better flight with the kick and short burn of the D12. The two chute recovery, one on the body and one on the nose worked great again with no damage.

 

[Astro-Baby]

A day off work to beaver away on the Natter has turned out some fast results.....

Heres where we are today.....

Base coat applied using a mix of Tamiya XF-23 (Light Blue) and XF-2 (White) Mixed at 2:1 (2 parts blue, 1 part white) this was hand brushed on as I always find Tamiya goes on quite smooth with a decent brush and a deft hand.

Once dry the body was masked up and airbrushed with a dilute mix of XF-58 Green. The airbrush didnt work as well as I had hoped, its only a cheap one, but then so was my favourite one years ago which always worked a charm. Had a Badger once and hated it.

Obviously the nose and body sections were together for spraying to get the camo on with no join lines.

The glass was done using Noris's templates, printed on laser and cut out and then glued on using Pritt Stik as it doesnt tend to bleed through the paper being a solid glue stick. Once glued down the paper was painted over using Tamiya flat black and once everything was dry the whole thing was run over with Tamiya Clear Flat aerosol.

The main body transfers were done with inkjet transfer paper and I ran up the C and T stuff logos plus the swastika markings. The red transfer didnt work so I used some masking tape and gently dabbed a red gloss on using a kind of semi dry brush technique so thge poaint doesnt bleed under the masking. If your careful this will work ok. Its just the aerospace budget was strapped and I didnt want to buy a tin of red spray just for this one job.

Once the main body was totally dry it too was given a couple of coats of Tamya Clear Flat Aerosol.

The pics show - Natter with base coat applied, Natter with Camo applied and Natter with all of its markings applied.

I still need to do the boosters and a bit oif tidying but hope you enjoy these meantime.

 

[Daddyisabar]

Very nice late war paint job!

 

[Astro-Baby]

Thanks......the finish finally came out ok but boy it was a real struggle. Endless filling, sanding, repriming eventually paid off. Its probably the best finished of all my builds. Rheintochter was more complex to make but the finish was pretty much a couple of coats of flat green and in truth close up she looked quite shabby.

Now the Natter is almost done I am working on the Schmetterling after a bit of break. I have kind of built myself out at the moment and at times its becoming a strain on the brain . Its only a teeny brain after all.

 

[Daddyisabar]

Thanks......the ginish finally came out ok but boy it was a real struggle. Endless filling, sanding, repriming eventually paid off. Its probably the best finished of all my bullds. Rehintochter was more complex to make bu the finish was pretty much a couple of coats of flat green and in truth close up she looked quite shabby.

Now the Natter is almost done I am working on the Scmetterling after a bit of break. I have kind of built myself out at the moment and at times its becoming a strain on the brain . Its only a teeny brain after all.

A teeny brain is a good thing after hours spent finishing a complex scratch build to perfection. It keeps you from over analyzing and gives you the steely eyes needed to push the button. Taking a break is a good thing. Once rested your inner rocketry child will tell you when to start again. Looking forward to the launch report and future builds!

 

[NJRick]

she looks awesome Astro!! well done!!!
can't wait to see launch pics!

as for build burnout...I am building a Hasegawa F-4E over here in 1/72 scale....not very pleased with it but at this point I just want to finish it...this particular kit was so over engineered its ridiculous...the fuselage consists of 14 pieces...14!!.....just for the fuselage....endless sanding...so I know the feeling! your Natter turned out way better than my build!!

 

[Astro-Baby]

Still a ways to go with Natter - the external boosters are being fitted plus some tidying. She is very, very ass end heavy and I suspect she is going to need a ton of noseweight.

NJ - My brother had an Airfix F4 years ago - I always remember that kit as it had very pretty markings - big red flashes. It was all white I recall with just a black nosecone and these huge red lightning flashes along its body. In fact its probably the model aircraft that got me interested in aerospace stuff.

 

[Cookie the Dog's Owner]

Looking very good there. I am eagerly awaiting the finished product with boosters.

 

[Astro-Baby]

Boosters were given two hits of Tamiya XF-022 (RLM Grey) plus a falt coat over the top and then glued on with an Epoxy. These took 14 hours each to set off. Each booster had its paint removed at the join lines as did the main body. The areas to remove were marked out by holding the booster againts the main body and putting an X-Acto knife down into the gap and making some light scores to illuminate the extent of where your eye could see. Then the paint was removed a few mil back from that so the join would be invisible.

When finally stuck down the epoxy had created a thin line on thge visible sides between the boosters and the body. As the epoxy was clear this was given a hit of matt coat so its all but invisible.

Here's the almost completed kit - I need to work out noseweight and build the ply bulkhead for the nose to keep the weight where its put. She is VERY aft end heavy so she may need a fair amount of noseweight to get the weight forward of the wings. I may have to compromise on that depending on her total weight. Considering how light she was built (well for me anyway) she is a surpisingly heavy bird.

Onwards with the pictures taken this very morning just for Cookie

 

[hcmbanjo]

Great work on the build!
Always fun to see something this rare.
I'm looking forward to the flight report.

 

[Astro-Baby]

Thanks Hans.......it will all be videos on flight and compiled into a video of my three WW2 German Missiles. Video may take a bit of time to do but I will definitely post up when its done.

Heres a question to anyone (Daddyisabar for instance ) who has built one of these. Noseweight is stated by Noris at 45g but I understand the idea of keeping the CG ahead of the wing leading edge BUT.......I have tried at 90gm (which brings the CG about midppoint of the wing). To get the CG forward of the wing leading edge is in excess of 200gm which brings the Natter very close to the max lift off weight of a D12-3. She is very back end heavy.

I am torn between a lower weight of around 100gm which would mean the CG is just forward of the wings centre point and assume that the drag of the dummy boosters (which must be significant) will even things out. My Rheintochter for instance had a less than theoritically optimal CG/CP relationship but was stable due to the large drag created by the rear fins. Natter also has a disproportionally large tailplane plus the drag of those oversized external boosters.

My instinct (and experience based on FireLily and Rheintochter) is to trust in thrust, press the big red button and shout yee-hah and damn the rocket gods to do their worst Opinions anyone ?

 

[mrichhcirm]

Excellent work! I'd hate to see you crash it though...I think perhaps a swing test is in order (maybe in some deep weeds to protect it from bumps!) to be sure about stability. I wonder if having the CG forward of the wing leading edge is really necessary...It looks as though the booster pods and tail surfaces should do quite a bit to keep the CP aft.

Please post some pictures from the front! You know, from the perspective of the tailgunners of B17s, B24s and Lancasters

 

[burkefj]

I would not want the CG at the mid point of the wing, I'd want it at the leading edge. If you are too heavy and over stable it won't fly high, if your cg is too far back it will only fly once.
That looks very nice btw. I've done a profile depron RC version that flew well, it also had the CG very far forward, although it did not have an oversized horiz stab, but was still far ahead of midpoint and that was guided, not statically stable.

Frank

 

[Cookie the Dog's Owner]

:clap:

Standing ovation.

 

[SCrocketfan]

That is amazing. Can't wait to see the launch video!