First flight,1934!!
Victor Nikolaevich Belyayev was part of a group of visionary
designers that created innovative, ahead of their time planes.
The BP-2, or TsAGI-2 was a high-efficiency, 20 meter span
sailplane that used a variation of the “Babochka” –butterfly- wing. It was
practically a flying wing, with “positive arrow”.
As usual, not much exists around regarding this beautiful
design, but I got enough from the Net to build the model. This plane seems to
have been flown with and without a horizontal stabilizer mounted on top of the
two fins. Some changes in the painting can be also detected. A year later
another variant was created, the BP-3 or TsAGI-3, a two-place machine with
changes mainly in the area of the “tail” and with the “centroplan” with a
remarkable dihedral. Savvy modelers would have already noticed the resemblance
with another plane from the same designer, the DB-LK twin-fuselage project of
the WW-2 period.
This is a relatively simple project, but you have to pay
attention and aim for a sound engineering.
I can’t tell you how much I enjoy scratching these designs.
It takes me no more time than a normal kit (after a little practice, of course)
and my potential subject horizon widens immensely.
You can see the parts breakdown in the accompanying images.
The “centroplan” actuated as the main “anchor” part to which all other
subassemblies were attached. The pod, as said before, was provided with an
interior and a minuscule vodka flask for the comfort of the Russian pilot in
case cold weather has to be faced.
Russian “Golden Age” aviation offers an endless stream of
interesting, significant designs; obscured, neglected and unrecognized mainly
because of the politics of the cold war. It is time to give them a chance.
Gliders/sailplanes are a growing segment of the modeling
subject spectrum, which is a welcome alternative to what you usually see
-again- in at the shelves in hobby stores and contests.
This one in particular offers a daring design, a strong
appeal and a relatively easy engineering. I am sure you can find many more.
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