Apophenia's Offerings

[apophenia]

... is messing with my mind...

My definition of a successful whif 

... I think I have enough parts to build it (using a 7TP/T-26 Mirage kit)

Oooo, that would be really cool Frank 

[apophenia]

Returning to that Alt-Spanish Civil War theme.

Previously ...
-- https://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=10987.msg215927
-- https://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=351.msg215980#msg215980
-- https://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=351.msg216113#msg216113

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Renault Resurrection - the Modernized M1917A3 Light Tank

The US Army's M1917A3 program was an attempt to revive worn-out M1917 light tanks. Applied only to 'non-runners', this involved a complete rebuild of the drivetrain. In many cases, M1917A3 candidate hulls had been stripped of many usable components in the past to maintain the active M1917 fleet. These 'carcass' hulls were rebuilt with extended rear hulls to accommodate a new, rear-mounted transmission and final drive system.

The engine was the same 83 hp Ford V8 as had been used in the Light Tank T3 - but reversed in orientation. Within the extended rear hull section was a REO Self-Shifter semi-automatic transmission which replaced the M1917's obsolete chain-drive system. This rather complex drivetrain arrangement was arrived at because there was thought to be insufficient space within the driver's compartment to accommodate a driveshaft.

The suspension system was also completely changed. Initially, the replacement was to be a Vickers leaf-spring suspension - but this went no further than the first prototype conversion. When Rock Island Arsenal's Light Tank T2 design was abandoned, so too was this M1917E2 prototype. Instead, the Vertical Volute Spring System (VVSS) suspension from the follow-on Light Tank T3 was adopted. The result was a 'new' light tank with a vastly superior cross-country performance compared with the original, Renault-designed M1917. It was also much faster - while the M1917 was hard-pressed to exceed 5 mph, the rebuilt M1917A3 was capable of over 15 mph.

In the end, it was concluded that too much work and expense went into producing M1917A3 conversions for use in Spain. The dozen hulls begun were completed and shipped to València for operational employment but that brought this conversion program to an end. The deployed M1917A3s - know locally as los nuevos Renault - accompanied shock troops, using their unexpectedly high speed to achieve breakthroughs. The tactic was effective but costly. Between losses in combat and lack of spares for the type, no M1917A3s are know to have served beyond the end of 1938.

Left: The sole prototype M1917E2 fitted with Vickers leaf-spring suspensions.

Right: A newly-deployed M1917A3 (with VVSS suspension) on the Andalucían front, Summer 1938. Note that this vehicle has had its original .30-inch Marlin M1917 machine gun replaced by a local (Oviedo-made) Ametralladora sistema Hotchkiss, modelo 1914. Substituting these 7x57 mm chambered Hotchiss guns greatly simplified ammunition supply.

[Old Wombat]

Are you sure it's not "leaf-spring" suspension?

 

[apophenia]

Are you sure it's not "leaf-spring" suspension?

Thanks for the proofing, Guy   

A 'leave-spring' suspension would just be messy and wasteful. (Who is supposed to collect all those left springs from the battlefield?)

[Old Wombat]

Oh, I wasn't proof-reading; it's just that that one leapt out & poked me in the eye*.




[*: Probably one of those springs departing the suspension at high velocity. ]

[apophenia]

Playing with BAe Hawks in  the Stories section: The Retiring of Canada's CT-155 Hawk Jet Trainers

-- https://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=11023.msg216899

[apophenia]

A GTX suggestion ... ex-Greek F-4s for Ukraine.

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'Fantom' - The F-4E in Ukrainian PS ZSU Service

In March 2024, Greek defence minister, Nikos Dendias, announced that the Hellenic Air Force wanted to reduce the number of fighter variants in its fleet. On the block were the HAF's Dassault Mirage 2000-5s and the oldest of its F-16s - the Block 30 variants. Hopes were high that both fighter types could be sold. However, the Greeks were also aware that their elderly F-4E Phantom jets had a very limited market. Nonetheless, the F-4s needed to be retired.

Even before France agreed to the transfer of Mirage 2000s to Kyiv, a joint Czech-Polish effort began to source international funding in order to transfer these aircraft to Ukraine. Czech defence minister, Jana Černochová, met with her Greek opposite outside a NATO meeting in Brussels to make an initial agreement. Final details could not be polished until the French defense minister, Sebastien Lecornu, agreed in principle to the transfer of the Mirages.

When the French agreed to allow the transfer of Mirages to Ukraine, President Macron also made a show of supplying compatible cruise missiles - including an additional 20 x SCALP-EG and an undisclosed number of similar Apache APs armed with 10 x KRISS runway-cratering cluster munitions. Ukraine had already seen the potential of anti-airfield submunitions with the deployment of M39 ATACMS rockets for HIMARS. However, the French air-launched Apache provided the PS ZSU with a challenge - its maximum range was only 140 km (compared with up to 550 km for SCALP-EG).

'Fantoms' to the Front

The answer came with the donation of ex-HAF F-4E Phantoms. [1] These larger aircraft were well past their 'best-before dates' but were easily capable of carrying Apache APs (or SCALP-EGs) as well as range-extending drop tanks. Strictly speaking, the PS ZSU could strike Russian airbases in northernmost Crimea from over Ukrainian territory. But to hit airbases further south in Crimea, it would be necessary for PS ZSU aircraft to launch their Apaches from out over the Black Sea. Here, the extra range of the Phantoms was essential. [2]

The two successful Apache attacks against Saky AB are known to have been performed by PS ZSU 'Fantoms'. Presumably, that was the case for the Ukrainian strike against Baherove AB as well - although this was never officially confirmed by the UA MoD. The distances flown on these attacks is not surprising. The ability of half century-old aircraft to operate safely in Russian-dominated airspace was a surprise. It is assumed that at least some upgrades to the F-4E's defensive aide suite were made - although no DAS equipment was included in the actual Phantom donation. There has been speculation that the Ukrainians have been able to mimic Russian AF IFF signals.

Image: An ex-HAF F-4E Phantom overpainted in PS ZSU markings. This aircraft is prepared for a familiarisation flight - since it carries a centreline Apache AP but no drop tanks or defensive armament. Like all PS ZSU F-4Es, bort 34 has been assigned the name of a former Greek settlement in Ukraine - in this case, 'Chersonesus' [3] - as is marked on the aircraft's spine.

Note that Ukrainian F-4Es had an ex-RAF TIALD targetting pod mounted in place of removed HAF M61A1 Vulcan cannons. These TIALD pods were intended for use with laser-guided bombs - not the Apache AP cruise missile.

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[1] Technically, this donation came from Athens but this deal was encouraged by Prague and Warsaw - the F-4Es being effectively a 'sweetner' for their Mirage 2000-5 purchase.

[2] Assigning PS ZSU Fantoms' the Apache APs meant that Ukrainian Su-24s remained available to launch the long-range SCALP-EG (and Storm Shadow) cruise missiles.

[3] Chersonesus (Χερσόνησος) was an ancient Greek colony founded about 2,500 years ago

[Kerick]

Ukraine F-4 Fantoms sounds like a cool idea!

[GTX_Admin]

Nice work mate

[apophenia]

This one fought me all the way ... so I'm calling it done 

[GTX_Admin]

 

[apophenia]

AMX for Ukraine?

On 05 April 2024, Italy's Aeronautica Militare formally retired its AMX International A-11 Ghibli light attack aircraft after 35 years of service. At the time of retirement, the AMI still had 35 AMX and five AMX-T 2-seaters operational. Doubtless, Italy hopes to sell off these retired A-11s (and possibly restore some of the stored airframes for the same purpose). But then there are Ukraine's operational requirements.

A donation to Ukraine feels like a good fit with PM Giorgia Meloni's political aspirations. This would buy her credits with Ursula von der Leyen and the EU. And Meloni does seem to have one eye on Brussels these days.

Rome and Kyiv signed an agreement on security cooperation on 24 Feb 2024. Under Article 1.2 of that agreement, is the acknowledgment that "It is the policy of Italy to assist Ukraine with preservation of its qualitative defence and military edge". So, it is not unreasonable to assume that retired Italian AMX aircraft could be made available to Kyiv. The question is: Does Ukraine wants AMX ... possibly as a replacement for dwindling numbers of PS ZSU Sukhoi Su-25 attack aircraft?

What-if profile details follow:

Image AMX International A-11(UA) in Ukrainian colours. This aircraft is shown returning from a successful mission with LGBs gone but twin Sidewinders still on its wingtip rails. Bort 12 carries an AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening targeting pod on the centreline pylon.

As well as PS ZSU markings, bort 12 sports Ukrainian colours recognition panels in bands on its tail and nose. Above the Ukrainian tryzub marking on the tail is the flag of Bologna. This is in acknowledgement of crowd-sourced sponsorship funding for this aircraft. [1]

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[1] Sponsorship funding for bort 12 actually came from the entire Emilia-Romagna region. This was part of a matched-funding programme run by the Italian government. Of the dozen AMX A-11s supplied to Ukraine, six were sponsored by citizen donations, the other half-dozen were supplied by Rome.

[GTX_Admin]

Why not.   

[apophenia]

This one fought me all the way ... so I'm calling it done 

Jeffry Fontaine has pointed out that the correct period designation for these would have been something like PBB-1 - for Patrol Bomber Boeing - not 'PB-1' as I have it.  Doh!

But Jeff also provided a link to the XPBB Sea Ranger: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_XPBB_Sea_Ranger

That gorgeous 'boat flew in July 1942 and served on until 1947. So, now I'm wondering if my patrol-bomber Fortresses should have been 'PB2Bs'?

Either way, thanks again Jeff   

[Acree]

The Boeing-Canada built Catalina was the PB2B (in -1 and -2 variants).  So, keep going!  I think PB3B is available!

OR - stick with PB-1, since the Navy designated their ex-USAAF B-17s that "toward the end of World War 2" (according to Wikipedia). 

Chuck

[apophenia]

Thanks for that, Chuck! I'd forgotten that Sea Island-built Cansos also had BuAer designations. I've decide that the entire USN Fortress concept has cursed me. First the pixels fight me all the way, then historical accuracy tramples all over things.

So, I am officially ending my do-no-research holiday ... after I post the next one 

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English Electric (BAC) Thunderstroke F.Mk.1

I had a notion of a slender, paunchless, single-engined Lightning. Doubtless, EE considered such designs but this was to be one of my 'no research' projects. So ... all pixel-pushing, no accurate facts.

I'm imagining this slender Lightning - which I've dubbed Thunderstroke - to be powered by a single DH Gyron or similar turbojet of the era. I've moved the main undercarriage to the fuselage - mainly to free up wing space for fuel but also to provide more space for pylons.

The pylons shown are a new belly type (shown on both views) plus four underwing pylons. The 'airborne' view also shows optional overwing pylons fitted (and armed, although these are based on Lightning overwing drop tank pylons). I'm imagining a typical weapons load of 4 x AAMs. If three drop tanks are required, one pair of missile would go on those detachable overwing pylons.

Other mods are a vertical tail more akin to early Lightnings and resized ventral strakes. With the paunch gone, I'm not sure if the strakes are needed anymore ... but it looked a bit peculiar without them.

[robunos]

NIce . . . 

You should (without the need to do any research) know that the EE slim fuselage Lightning project was the P.6 . . .   


cheers,
Robin.