From my "archives" comes this build-up of Revell A.G.'s "Space Transporter Sanger," initially released in 1991. The 1/288-scale kit depicts a reusable tandem spaceplane system not unlike that envisioned by Willy Ley way, way back in the mid-1950s. The major difference between Ley's "Passenger Rocket" (kitted by Monogram) and the Sanger is that the Sanger is designed to launch horizontally like an airplane, not vertically like a conventional rocket. The lower lifter, dubbed the "Cargus," is, in fact, a turbo-ramjet-powered hypersonic aircraft whereas the manned "Horus" orbiter is nothing more than a mini-space shuttle.

The model was built straight-from-the-box and painted with a variety of Testors Model Master and Metalizer enamels. There's about four coats of clear gloss on this puppy, which helps explain how the decals have managed to hold up as well as they have since I built this kit 12 years ago.

Image: Left rear quarter

Image: Top side

Image: Left side

Image: Horus

Image: Taking off