SNECMA C.450 Coleoptere (1959)

Scale: 1/40
Initial Release: 1961
Medium: Styrene
Kit Rarity - 4

About the Design

The C.450 Coléoptère was France's attempt to build a tail-sitting VTOL fighter in the same vein as America's experimental Lockheed  XFV-1 "Salmon," Convair XFY-1 Pogo, and Ryan X-13 Vertijet. The Coléoptère was distinguished by its annular wing; that is, the wing was shaped like a hollow cylinder, which made the plane look like a flying beer keg.  The Coléoptère was only test-flown a few times in 1959.  During one of these tests, in an attempt to transition from horizontal to vertical flight, it crashed and was destroyed, killing its pilot.

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About the Kit

Released in the early 1960s and again in 1965 by France's Heller company, this is the only near-1/48 scale model of this airplane ever produced.  In the 1990's Mach 2 (also French) released a 1/72-scale version complete with transport trailer.

This model is from Heller's second release.