Thanks folks!
'Mog: The rainbow stripes in the paint scheme I pinched from the RW N423RS. But I found the rest of '423's scheme uninspiring ... so I reached back to the Amchitka protest days. This was a big deal, at the time, here in southwestern BC.
Journalists started predicting tsunamis which would wash us all away. Those us in our teens translated those dire warnings into an urging for direct action: Stock up on 'recreational aids' and prophylactics immediately. We were prepared!
I have to wonder if the Basler turbo-conversion for the DC-3/Dakota/C-47 might work as well on the Catalina/CANSO? A more compact design that would possible help with center of gravity issues created with the R/R Dart package sticking out so far forward of the wing.
Jeff: I've no doubt that the Basler's PT6A-67R turboprops would do the job. At 1,280 shp each (2,560 shp total), they've got a bit more oomph than the original
Twin Wasps. Alas, in my arbritrary mid-1970s timeframe, no 'large' PT6A was available (the first PT6A-67 didn't fly until 1984).
If we assume that the Steward-Davis
Super Catalina package's Wright R-2600s were ideal for a water bomber conversion, then we would need around 3,400 hp total power. The readily-available
Dart fits in there nicely and would be reasonably affordable on the 'gently used' market. The issue, as you say, is its unwieldy length (which Avalon Aviation got around by partly underslinging their engines).
So, if we want around 3,400 hp total power c.1975, I'm thinking that we have two options:
- 1: Appall Greg and nail 4 x 850 shp PT6A-41s onto the
Canso centre section; or
- 2: Appall everyone and re-engine with 2 x 1,505 shp PT6T-3
TwinPacs driving single
For option 1, total output is the ideal 3,400 shp with little or no increase in frontal area (PT6 cowlings being so small compared to the radials).
For option 2, total output theoretically could be 3,600 shp but, more realistically, would be derated to 3,010 shp. And that power would be generated closer to the original thrust lines.
TwinPac cowlings would be much bulkier than the individual PT6s, but no more so that the original R-1830s.
To my mind, option 1 is the superior option. AFAIK, the
TwinPac has never been considered as turboprop. Based on Soloy's
Dual Pac, I'm guessing it would've worked ... but 'guess' and 'successful STC application' don't often work well together
Recent Posts
