Was visiting the Junkers Homepage when I can across the listing for the EF-009 project. In the text the author mentions that the 009 was to be a vertical take-off aircraft. I thought ,perfect , I'll add it to my German VTO site. Yet when I referenced "German Jet Genesis" it makes no mention of the vertical take-off aspect. I remember that someone in the group was modeling this kit from Unicraft. If anyone has this kit, does it mention the VTO aspect of the project?

Thanx,

Gary Webster

Gary, according to the Unicraft directions, it says that the Ju EF009 was to take off from "the ground starting ramp". Steve Malikoff built this kit, I don't know about the vertical launch capability of this project. It always seemed WAY underpowered to me, and I've seen no references to booster rockets...

"Die deutsche Luftrüstung 1933-1945" by Heinz J. Nowarra says about the Junkers EF 009: "Der start sollte an einer Lafette erfolgen". Which means: The start was planed to happen by means of a gun carriage. The Germans usedthe term "Lafette" for all kind of gun carriages, also the ones used in the famous 8,8 cm FLAK (anti-aircraft-gun). So the EF 009 were probably intended to start from the same kind of ramp, which were used by the Konrad (Messerschmitt) "Enzian" E-4 SAM. So I think it would fit just fine in the VTO site.

Arne Mathiesen

There's a picture of his completed 009 (amongst other kits) at http://torgo.astro.ucla.edu/SM/ in particular,(LINK)

and a picture of the original parts so you can be scared - they don't call him Saint Steve for nothing - the work involved must be horrendous

Early Ju design, prone pilot, lands on skid, 10!! tiny jets in a ring around the nose.

Material- Grey resin, very brittle, fewer pinholes, rice grain size jets poorly moulded, vac canopy clear but mine didn't fit because I cut too much off. A resin plug is supplied so I was able to crash form a new one from clear plasticard.

Construction - fuselage halves when joined are almost solid so more grinding again to create area for prone pilot bench to be fitted, no interior detail so spares box raided. Wings and tail fitted well but tiny projections on tips to align with launching ramp broke off all the time. Tiny jets were a real bear to clean up as the intake and exhaust cones are moulded integral, used a small metal tube with teeth hand cut in the end and spun in my fingers to create an illusion of intake depth. Difficult to fit them all in a neat pattern as ring is round from the front but stepped when viewed from the side. Landing skid was made from card and microstrip. No ramp supplied so I made a handling trolley from spares and fitted a kettenkrad to tow it.

Finish - OK but detail obscured by filling/sanding and tiny size and complexity around jets makes it very easy to apply paint too thick.

Conclusion, as Libelle, only example ever likely to be kitted so get it but expect to have to work to achieve the tiniest model in your collection.