The Lippisch GB-3/L was a planned but never realized project of a guided bomb with ramjet as
powerplant. Because of its layout, which is very similar to the Lippisch P.13a, it would be a problem to fit it below smaller aircraft, like the Fw 190. So the project was cancelled in 1944. I wanted to have this in my collection, but no kit existed (just the old one from A+V models, which is no more available). So I
designed it with a CAD program according to views I found. I gave the 3D model to my friend Markus who printed some of them with his 3D printer.
I told Matthias Simon from Airmodel Products (
http://www.airmodel.de
) about my idea and gave him one of the printed models. He reworked it and made a nice resin kit out of the printed base with a trolley he designed. It looks very well when a SdKfz 2 Kettenkrad (not included) pulls it.
Click on
images below to see larger images
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Here is the new kit:
http://www.airmodel.de/product_info.php?language=en&info=p361_lippisch-gb-3-l---transportwagen--1-72.html&
As you can see the kit contains a little number of parts, so it´s built in a short time and you don´t need to be an expert.
First I built the model showing the Kettenkrad pulling the GB-3/L on Matthias´ trolley. The Kettenkrad comes from S-Model - a very nice kit, very detailed and it includes photo etched parts. The kit comes with parts for two models. Unfortunately it includes no driver, so I had to make one out of other figure parts.
Because the GB-3/L was cancelled as air-to-ground-weapon I had the idea to show it as a ground-to-ground-missile. Therefore I bought the armoured version of the Opel Blitz from MAC "German 3t AA Vehicle with Armoured Cab & Flak 38", also an excellent and lovely detailled kit with plastic, resin and photo etched parts. It includes a small trailer for another version of the kit. I modified it and put another GB-3/L on it. I had to build the launch pad and the crane from scratch. Further I had the idea to show the launch of the weapon. It´s necessary to accelerate a vehicle first, before the ramjet can be started. So I fixed a booster rocket Rheinmetall Borsig R 109-502 RATO below and made the smoke out of foam material (Depron). The second booster rocket I fitted on the trailer, also a scratch built fire-extinguisher. The RATOs also come from Airmodel Products:
http://www.airmodel.de/product_info.php?language=en&info=p233_rheinmetall-borsig--r-109-502--rato--1-72.html&
Usually they are used as booster rockets for He 162 and Me 262.