First Look Review of TAKOMs Haunebu I, II, and III kit. 

Once again TAKOM has introduced another new and uncommon release – the Haunebu I, II, and II flying discs.  This is a true 3 in 1 kit containing all three versions of the Haunebu.  

 

TAKOM is not the first to produce the Haunebu in model kit form, however they are the first to produce a boxed set of the Haunebu I, II, and III versions of the flying disc.  Back in 2018, the Haunebu II flying disc was released in 1/72nd scale by another renown manufacturer.  Unfortunately, that release had a short lived life due to poor reception in the press over inaccuracies in its historical narrative that accompanied the model kit.   

 

The myth behind the model.  The Haunebu I, II, and III embody the mythology of “what if” flying saucers under development by the 3rd Reich Germany towards the end of World War II.  The mythology goes something like this …… German engineers invented flying saucers, as one of a host of Wunderwaffe (wonder weapons).  Two of these flying discs were named Haunebu and Vrill.   During WWII, a variety of unusual and unexplained sightings by both Axis and Allied personnel were termed “Foo Fighters” and were thought to be advanced German aircraft or weapons or dismissed as misperceptions during the heat of combat.  Some were taken seriously and led to scientific investigation.  Following World War II, interest in the German wonder weapons program expanded beyond scientific interest in developmental aircraft to tales of UFO sightings attributed to captured German technologies.  In the years that followed, UFO sightings and unverified interviews and books claimed the existence of these “flying saucers”.  These “what if” myth’s persist today in the form of Luft ’46, Paper Panzers and in the Haunebu flying saucer.    Whether these Haunebu flying saucers are fact or fiction is beyond this review.  For me, the TAKOM kit looks like a fun subject that is a change of pace for this armor builder.   

 

What’s in the box?  The lift top box measures about 12” x 8” x 4” with attractive box art of the Haunebu flying saucers in aerial combat.  

The box contains 9 sets of sprues, a sheet of waterslide decals, a set of black and white instructions with full colored painting and markings schemes.   In total, the kit includes 180 parts for all three Haunebu variants.  The kit does not include any photo etch.  When assembled, the three Haunebu flying discs each have a diameter of 203mm (Haunebu III), 92mm (Haunebu II) and 41mm (Haunebu I).   

A closer look at the contents.   

 

Sprue A holds the upper and lower discs for the two smaller versions of the Haunebu (I and I), and the roll-away stairs for entry and exiting the flying disc.       

Sprue B contains the landing gear and wheels and inner dome for the larger Haunebu (version III) and other details.   

Sprue C contains the landing gear and wheels for the smaller Haunebu (versions I & II) and other details.   

Sprue D is the upper disc half for Haunebu II.     

Sprue E and F are the upper and lower discs for the Haunebu III.       

The instructions include a short narrative on the Haunebu mythology and 6 pages of assembly instructions.  All three Haunebu versions are completed in 11 steps.   

The instructions book also includes full colored plates for 7 different painting and marking options using AMMO by Mig paints.   

 

 

 

 

 

I am looking forward to this build and plan on arranging them “in flight” with a  forced perspective arrangement of the Haunebu III in front decked out in her Orange livery.  The Haunebu II and I will trail wearing one of the other camouflage patterns.        

Highly Recommended for Beginner to Advanced builders, pending Full Build.

Thanks goes out to Takom for this review kit.

Reviewed by Brian Eberle

 

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