Author Topic: Short Sunderland Ideas and Inspiration  (Read 27542 times)

Offline tankmodeler

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Re: Short Sunderland Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #75 on: January 08, 2019, 12:40:02 AM »
Just thinking (yes my build in Australia delusion again) Australia decides to build the Sunderland pre war and continues developing it, including US engines, amphibious version, .50 cals US turrets. 

Post war version ordered to keep the line going and in place of the Lincoln GRs.  Its a hybrid amphibious Sunderland with elements of the Seaford, 20mm turrets (love the Shackleton nose turret idea) and maybe Molins 57mm either side of the front fuselage with extra clips able to be loaded from inside.  May need to buy a Sunderland kit now......
Post war you have to think of what the role is. If it's still ASW, then maybe add a MAD boom (retractable), and radars and sonobuoy chutes/ejectors. The Molins gun would be less useful as subs were snorkeling a lot by then, but allowing for early lightweight ASW torpedoes as well as the depth charges would be good. If it was predominantly for border/ASuW patrol, then the Molins gun plus some early stand-off weapons would suit well and the ASW sensors could be deleted. I mean there's enough room in the hull to house a family of 4, but I'm not sure you'd want to add too much weight to an already big aircraft.

Still, I suppose, if you re-engine the beast with Twin Wasps or even, dare I say it, Darts, post war, you'd have plenty of oomph to cart around a larger amount of kit inside.

The thought of a Sunderland, re-engined with Darts, sporting a radar in the nose instead of the turret, a Molins gun in one cheek and twin 20mm canon in the other, two torpedoes under the wings, sonobuoy tubes in the rear hull and a MAD boom sticking out from where the aft turret used to be makes a pretty convincing image of a latter day multipurpose maritime patrol aircraft for poking about remote archipelagoes and shorelines.

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Short Sunderland Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #76 on: January 08, 2019, 12:51:46 AM »

Still, I suppose, if you re-engine the beast with Twin Wasps or even, dare I say it, Darts, post war, you'd have plenty of oomph to cart around a larger amount of kit inside.

The thought of a Sunderland, re-engined with Darts, sporting a radar in the nose instead of the turret, a Molins gun in one cheek and twin 20mm canon in the other, two torpedoes under the wings, sonobuoy tubes in the rear hull and a MAD boom sticking out from where the aft turret used to be makes a pretty convincing image of a latter day multipurpose maritime patrol aircraft for poking about remote archipelagoes and shorelines.

Did someone say -- Darts, amphibious ---

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Short Sunderland Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #77 on: January 08, 2019, 02:31:28 AM »
If you want examples of post war use, look no further than the RNZAF which kept theirs operating until 1967.

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Offline tankmodeler

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Re: Short Sunderland Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #78 on: January 08, 2019, 10:42:37 PM »
Did someone say -- Darts, amphibious ---
Very cool! Are you going from more of a cargo/civilian use?

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Short Sunderland Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #79 on: January 08, 2019, 11:25:26 PM »
Did someone say -- Darts, amphibious ---

Very cool! Are you going from more of a cargo/civilian use?


Water Bomber, with a secondary role as freighter.

I was reading my copy about the Martin Mars use as a water bomber, and in the history chapter that led up to it's purchase, it says the Sunderland was considered for the role.

Here's my thread to the build so far --

http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=1235.msg43984#msg43984
« Last Edit: January 08, 2019, 11:31:45 PM by kitnut617 »

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Re: Short Sunderland Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #80 on: August 31, 2021, 02:45:00 AM »

Still, I suppose, if you re-engine the beast with Twin Wasps or even, dare I say it, Darts, post war, you'd have plenty of oomph to cart around a larger amount of kit inside.

The thought of a Sunderland, re-engined with Darts, sporting a radar in the nose instead of the turret, a Molins gun in one cheek and twin 20mm canon in the other, two torpedoes under the wings, sonobuoy tubes in the rear hull and a MAD boom sticking out from where the aft turret used to be makes a pretty convincing image of a latter day multipurpose maritime patrol aircraft for poking about remote archipelagoes and shorelines.

Did someone say -- Darts, amphibious ---

How are these going?
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Short Sunderland Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #81 on: August 31, 2021, 02:57:25 AM »
What about a Sunderland with Liquid cooled Inline engines?  Maybe RR Merlins?
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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Offline kitnut617

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Re: Short Sunderland Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #82 on: August 31, 2021, 04:27:34 AM »

Still, I suppose, if you re-engine the beast with Twin Wasps or even, dare I say it, Darts, post war, you'd have plenty of oomph to cart around a larger amount of kit inside.

The thought of a Sunderland, re-engined with Darts, sporting a radar in the nose instead of the turret, a Molins gun in one cheek and twin 20mm canon in the other, two torpedoes under the wings, sonobuoy tubes in the rear hull and a MAD boom sticking out from where the aft turret used to be makes a pretty convincing image of a latter day multipurpose maritime patrol aircraft for poking about remote archipelagoes and shorelines.

Did someone say -- Darts, amphibious ---

How are these going?

On the backburner ---- mojo is completely blown at the moment ----

Offline The Rat

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Re: Short Sunderland Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #83 on: October 09, 2021, 05:49:46 AM »
Can't believe I've just found this thread. Dad was a Sunderland pilot, so I am very interested. Even did some sketches of upgraded Sunderlands years ago. I was going to square off the wingtips, and maybe use the Allison T-56 as an engine replacement. Two of them, one on each inboard mount. On one outboard mount would be a honking great radar system, on the other a frighteningly bright searchlight. Also thought of squaring off the top of the rudder and ends of tailplanes.

Another mod would possibly be re-aligning the wings to remove the 4° sweep, including the thrust lines, necessitated when the installation of the Fraser-Nash 4-gun tail turret shifted the C of G rearward. This also led to a quirk in handling; sudden power reduction would cause a pitch up rather than down.

Others? Possibly a sturdier mounting of the floats, getting rid of the bracing wires. Rocket mounts under the wings, torpedo mounts, sonobuoy chute, radar guided turrets front, dorsal, rear, and possibly under the rear fuselage.

Take any idea you wish and have at it. And make my late father proud!  ;)
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Offline kitnut617

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Re: Short Sunderland Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #84 on: October 09, 2021, 08:13:53 AM »
My Dart Sunderland I did set the wings as the originally were. I rotated them at the rear spar location as that was where they were rotated back from.
« Last Edit: October 09, 2021, 08:19:57 AM by kitnut617 »

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Short Sunderland Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #85 on: October 09, 2021, 08:17:02 AM »
I moved the cockpit forward too so it was in front of the propellers, plus gave it some wheels --- I also changed the fin to something I wonder if anyone knows what it is from
« Last Edit: October 09, 2021, 08:22:00 AM by kitnut617 »