The Horten Ho IX / Ho 229
A Technical Guide

by Richard A. Franks

Valiant Wings Publishing
Airframe Detail No.8

Reviewed by Graham Carter

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As we have come to expect from Valiant Wings, this is a well-bound A4 booklet of 64 quality glossy pages in a gloss card cover. All illustrations are beautifully reproduced and of a useful size with excellent captions.

The 12 page Introduction covers the historical development of the type in the tempestuous but technologically innovative years at the end of WWII in Germany.

Section 1 is the Technical Description and includes a mass of excellent images, mainly of the V3 which was captured in 1945 and is now at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Dulles. These cover:

• Cockpit, interior and canopy.

• Centre section and engines

• Undercarriage

• Wings

• Armament, sighting and radios.

Some images are from contemporary sources, taken by US troops at Friedrichroda where the machine was found in 1945.. Some photos illustrate the parlous state of some parts of the airframe after years of neglect, and the huge task of restoration ahead.

Section 2 covers camouflage and markings. Given that the aircraft never entered service and the V3 was never painted by its builders, a number of whatiff schemes are illustrated in colour. These are by Richard Caruana and will give the modeller plenty of encouragement to produce something different. I particularly liked the North African and Italian schemes.

Section 3 is a kit build by Libor Jeki of the very complex and detailed Zoukei-Mura 1/72 kit. Its a pity that most of the amazing detail in the kit is hidden!

Appendix 1 covers all the kits available in the major scales from 1/144 to 1/32. Its incredible that so much is available for this singular aircraft while modellers, such as this reviewer, are crying out for just one decent kit of the dH Venom series or any inter-war fighters, bombers or naval aircraft that were produced in much larger numbers. Such are the vagaries of the modeller’s world I guess.

Appendix II covers the mass of accessories for the kits in the first appendix, whilst Appendix III is an extensive list of references.

This is a comprehensive reference for both the modeller and the aviation historian or technophile interested in this aircraft.

I would definitely recommend this volume to both the modeller and the aviation historian or technophile interested in this aircraft.

Thanks to Valiant Wings Publishing for the sample.

Review Copyright © 2020 by Graham Carter
This Page Created on 23 April, 2020
Last updated 23 April, 2020

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