The main engine was the controllable rocket Walter HWK 109-509 A- mit 70 s endurance and maximum thrust of 1600 kp. In addition, during take off four jettisonable solid boosters Schmidding 109-533 each with 1.200 kp thrust during 10 s were used. More technical information is provided e.g. in [1].

The original of this model is M17, which is the 17 th prototype and the only Natter diplaying a pattern of black and white stripes. As it flew with no pilot, there was no need of a cockpit with windows. The resulting lack of mass in the nose was compensated by a cylindrical weight in the nose. The M17 had its lift-off on december 29 th 1944 at 12:34 pm [1] on Heuberg. It was provided with torque-plates near the wing tips adjusted to 22 degrees . The Ba 349 on display in Deutsches Museum München is a 1:1-model of the M 17, more beautiful than the original: Photographs of the original ([1], p. 58) reveal an obvious asymmetry with five black stripes on the right upper wing and six on the left. Also the letterings on the right and left elevators are substantially different.

About 30 Ba 349 were built [1] and flights starting in december 1944 partially successfully tested in unmanned mode. The first manned flight of prototype M 23 on March 1st on Heuberg ended with crash and death of its pilot Lothar Sieber.

The colour patterns of both models was produced by first taking pictures of original photographs, copying them on decal paper and finally transfering the decals to the models. In case of M 23 the pattern with green on RLM 76 is only based on assumption. The pattern of M17 has 6 black stripes on the left wing and 5 on the right.

The support device included in the model kit looks attractive, it can be completed by adding some diagonal struts. However, a vertical experimental launch tower is more interesting. The early Ba 349 including M 17 and M 23 with their large lower rudders fit only to this tower (BRS 72007), which is a real challenge for the modeller by two reasons

To make the whole model more stable, the center of gravity was lowered by filling the two boxes with lead spheres and sand before they were closed by soldering.

Some diagonal struts were added in areas that cannot be evaluated on pictures and hence not be produced by the manufacturer. They were added according to own experience in order to enhance stability.

Time was unnecessarily wasted since the manufacturer had not well enough indicated which tiny brass pieces should go where. Luckily the pictures in [1] were helpful.

The launch tower could be rotated around the support underneath the tower. To do so, two wheels were mounted at the edges of the big horizontal box. They should be aligned according the radius (as opposed to the drawing). The wheels underneath the box have a diameter of 3 mm, however, evaluation of pictures gave 6 mm. So wheels of this size were made from scratch.

One detail: To measure the acceleration during launch, the central vertical rail was provided with pairs of contacts that were closed by metal embedded in the bottom of the sliding vertical stabilizer [1]. These contacts were connected to cables fixed to the structure of the launch tower. Unfortunately they are not visible on any picture, thereforefore they were mounted according to own assumption. In any case, they had to be fixed in the structure in order to protect them from the hot exhaust gases of the rockets.

Before launch, the Ba 349 was lifted by levers and ropes into the rails and secured. Thereafter the levers and ropes were removed so that the Ba 349 could take off. The model displays the situation of the M 17 before take-off. The rope under tension is simulated by a thin rubber thread under low tension. The support at both sides of the model fuselage is too large so that it covers the fuel access. Therefore it was shortened accordingly.

Both models M17 and M 23 fit to the tower and can be exchanged. Here the tower is displayed with M17 which is well documented with the contrasting stripes and the lettering of the horizontal stabiliser.

To summarise: Brengun has made a highly demanding model kit that is too difficult for the beginner. It is in good agreement with photographs and should not be missing in any collection displaying the state of rocketry around 1944/45 in detail and reliably.

Those modellers who have the old model kit of Heller will find that the lower vertical stabiliser looks different. If the Heller-model is intended to be put on the experimental vertical launch tower, one should rebuild the lower vertical stabiliser accordingly.