Author Topic: Apophenia's Offerings  (Read 905100 times)

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #500 on: August 14, 2012, 11:56:38 AM »
Thanks folks. Here's the next installment ...

A Uhu with Griffons and five blade props?!  Hell, yeah!!! :)

The original concept for the L.A. III was to use four-bladed propellers from surplus RAF Spitfire XIIs (also the source of the Griffon VI engines).

Hawker designed a revised nacelle and cowling (with chin radiator) under contract but it was decided that this was too complex. In the end, the Spitfire XII cowling was retained with the Spit's radiators mounted under the wing on either side of the nacelle.

The upgraded L.A.IIA  Høgeugle is also shown.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Tophe

  • He sees things in double...
  • twin-boom & asymmetric fan
    • my models
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #501 on: August 14, 2012, 12:13:55 PM »
Secret archives are full of wonders! ;)

Offline TerryCampion

  • Be careful asking for his photos…he might send them to you!
  • Radish by a new moniker
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #502 on: August 14, 2012, 05:40:44 PM »
Oh how lovely... :-* :-* :-* :P

Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #503 on: August 16, 2012, 05:45:21 AM »
These 219s are great. Keep 'em coming!

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #504 on: August 16, 2012, 06:00:36 AM »
A new take on an old (and not terribly original) idea for a single-engined de Havilland fighter based on a Mosquito scale-o-rama from 1/72 to 1/48...

The de Havilland DH.96 Dragonet was an unsuccessful contender for Air Ministry Specification F10/35. The Dragonet prototype is shown as originally flown with its DH.93 Don-style undercarriage and low fuselage deck.

The lower view shows the revised DH.96 prototype in April 1937. The upper fuselage deck has been raised and undercarriage revised to lessen drag. The scrap view shows the unrealized plan to replace the wooden Watts two-blader with a de Havilland two-pitch, three-blade propeller.

Ultimately, the DH.96 lost out to the rival Supermarine Spitfire but the Dragonet's moulded wood construction influenced the DH.98 Mosquito.

De Havilland DH.96 Dragonet Specifications

Power - 1 x Rolls-Royce PV-XII V12 liquid-cooled engine
Dimensions - length: 27 ft 6 in (8.38m), span: 36 ft 2 in (11.02m), wing area: 302 sq ft (28.12m2)

[The RW DH.96 was an unbuilt basic trainer to AM Spec T.1/37. The serial I took from the DH.82B Queen Bee (mostly because K5055 followed the Type 300 Spitfire prototype's serial).]
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline GTX_Admin

  • Evil Administrator bent on taking over the Universe!
  • Administrator - Yep, I'm the one to blame for this place.
  • Whiffing Demi-God!
    • Beyond the Sprues
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #505 on: August 16, 2012, 06:32:19 AM »
Hmmm...I'm liking the idea of scale-o-raming a Mossie.  Maybe put Big Arsed Guns where the nacelles are...hmm, maybe as a British equivalent to the Il-2....hmmm, brain cogs turning... ::)
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #506 on: August 16, 2012, 10:49:36 AM »
Greg,

A scale-o-rama'd Mosquito is about 2/3rds the size of the Ilyushin. That would probably still work as a single-seater though.

When I started on this, I was thinking more of something like an updated (and martial) DH.88 Comet. The ideal was a DH rival for the Westland Whirlwind (whose canopy I've pinched).

With no suitable engines available in 1939, I made my own by stretching the 12-cyl Gipsy King to create a 16-cylinder 'Gipsy Emperor;)
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #507 on: August 19, 2012, 08:37:20 AM »
An Australian AC1 Sentinel cruiser tank hull with the turret of the Canadian Skink anti-aircraft vehicle (4 x 20mm Polsten cannon). Seemed like it might be a handy combo for island fighting  ;)
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Volkodav

  • Counts rivits with his abacus...
  • Much older now...but procrastinating about it
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #508 on: August 19, 2012, 09:18:36 AM »
Sweet!

That would fit very well with a notional 2nd AIF Armoured Corps in North Africa / Italy in deployed in exchange for every Ghurka and West African battalian being sent to support the defence of Australia.

Offline Tophe

  • He sees things in double...
  • twin-boom & asymmetric fan
    • my models
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #509 on: August 19, 2012, 10:25:25 AM »
I love your Comet/Whirlwind hybrid :-*

Offline GTX_Admin

  • Evil Administrator bent on taking over the Universe!
  • Administrator - Yep, I'm the one to blame for this place.
  • Whiffing Demi-God!
    • Beyond the Sprues
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #510 on: August 19, 2012, 02:29:37 PM »
 :)
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #511 on: August 20, 2012, 07:05:33 AM »
Spring off from Litvyak's AltBC thread:
http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=19.msg25302#msg25302

In 1929 the Royal BC Navy issued a requirement for a float-fighter suited to coastal operations. The aircraft was to be locally built and points would be assigned for local compenents (an HAE fixed-pitched wooden propeller being mandatory). Submissions were received from Boeing, Bolas, de Havilland, and Supermarine.

The first submission was from the newly-formed Bolas Aircraft of BC. The unnamed Bolas float fighter was an updated Parnall Plover with monocoque wooden fuselage and a single-float gear with outriggers (by Hoffar Aircraft Floats).

Power for the Bolas float fighter was meant to be a 600 hp HAE HIV-12A-2. When that engine failed its bench tests, a cowled 525 hp Bristol Jupiter XIF radial was substituted. The RBCN rejected the Bolas float fighter as having insufficient development potential, encouraging Bolas to work on more advanced designs.

De Havilland BC proposed a development of the parent firm's DH.77 light fighter. This aircraft would have an enlarged tailplane and be powered by a 301 hp air-cooled Napier Halford/E.95 Rapier Srs. I engine.

As the DH.77(BC), this 'Diamondback Moth' was the only submission with a cockpit canopy to deal with BC's weather. However, the RBCN's technical board was dubious of the complex Napier engine. DHBC declined to redesign the DH.77(BC) for an indigenous HAE powerplant and the 'Diamondback Moth' was withdrawn from the float fighter competition.

Other than the winning Supermarine Stingray, the only submission to the 1929 float-fighter competition to reach the hardware stage was Boeing's Model 100BC 'Botanie'.*  This was the parent firm's Model 100 mounted on twin Edo floats and powered by a 525 hp Pratt & Whitney S1D1 Wasp or 560 hp SD-1 Hornet.

Boeing was prepared to discuss other engine options including the 490 hp Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar VI, 500 hp Bristol Jupiter XI, and 585 hp Wright SR-1820-F-41 Cyclone. No HAE powerplant option was discussed. The Model 100BC demonstrator was flown from Seattle to Esquimalt for trials but the RCBN had already set its cap on Supermarine's Stingray.

[* Botanie = 'shrouded by cloud (or fog)' in Nlaka'pamux/Thompson.]
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #512 on: August 20, 2012, 11:15:47 AM »
http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=889.0

The Concorde Ideas and Inspiration thread got me wondering about how the 1/144 scale kit would scale-o-rama into 1/72nd. Scale length would be around 31.05m which (if the nose is shortened slightly) puts it in the same range as the B-58 Hustler (29.5 m long).

So, here's BAC's mini-Concorde for the RAF. I've show it with a B-58 style pylon for a pod but, since it's BAC, maybe a miniature version of the BAC (ex-Bristol) X-12 Pandora ramjet ASM?
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Tophe

  • He sees things in double...
  • twin-boom & asymmetric fan
    • my models
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #513 on: August 20, 2012, 12:12:17 PM »
Wow! :-*

Offline AXOR

  • Our returned Monkey Box man
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #514 on: August 20, 2012, 03:58:45 PM »
DH-77 is definitely the most attractive,well done !
Alex

Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #515 on: August 21, 2012, 06:10:57 AM »
Rather partial to the Boeing 100 myself.  :-*

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #516 on: September 19, 2012, 05:14:52 AM »
Thanks folks. I'm keen on the DH.77 too (on the Boeing 100, I wonder if I haven't made the floats too big?).
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #517 on: September 19, 2012, 05:16:34 AM »
The RCAF had taken the Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk.IIIA into service in 1926. Having declined Armstrong Whitworth's suggestion of new AW.16s upgrading in-service Siskins was proposed.

Armstrong Whitworth's first proposal, AW.3C (I), simply re-engined the Siskin with a 525 hp Armstrong Siddeley Panther IIA 2-row radial to approximate AW.16 performance. The second proposal, AW.3C (II), was a more extensive rebuild with a cowled Panther IIA, undercarriage spats, and all-around higher speed.

With rather less enthusiasm, Armstrong Whitworth prepared another alternative proposal at the RCAF's request. This AW.3C (II) variant would be powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel II V12 engine. Although the Armstrong Whitworth proposals were private ventures, the RCAF felt obliged to open a competition to propose performance upgrades for its Siskin Mk.IIIA fighter fleet.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #518 on: September 19, 2012, 05:18:40 AM »
Both Fairchild and Bellanca entries into the Siskin rebuild contest were high-wing monoplane conversions.

Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. of Longueuil, Quebec, had the simplest Siskin upgrade proposal -- removing the sesquiplane lower wing and provide new upper wing struts. The AS Jaguar engine was to be retained but fitted with a new Townsend ring cowling.

Fleet Aircraft of Fort Erie, Ontario, was to supply a hinged cockpit canopy for cold-weather flying. MacDonald Brothers Aircraft of Winnipeg would supply skis. Fairchild submitted a separate proposal for Siskin monoplanes fitted with twin Fairchild duralumin floats.

Having recently supplied their CH-300 Pacemaker utility aircraft to the RCAF, Bellanca was also eager to enter the 'Super-Siskin' contest. With no manufacturing facility of its own in Canada, Bellanca joined forces with Canadian Vickers in Montreal (which had earlier built six of the RCAF's Pacemakers on Bellanca's behalf).

Bellanca's proposal also reused the Siskin's upper wing, now supported by typical Bellanca aerofoil-section struts. A single-row US radial was to replace the British original and a larger Bellanca-style fin and rudder substituted. Bellanca offered a Wright R-1750 Cyclone as an alternative to the P&W Wasp.

[BTW, the Siskin was based on a sideview by Zygmunt Szeremeta. I love this guy's stuff ... although he reversed the rudder colour arrangement on his Siskin  ;) ]
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Tophe

  • He sees things in double...
  • twin-boom & asymmetric fan
    • my models
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #519 on: September 22, 2012, 11:59:12 AM »
I like the inline one :-*
(sorry not to be in love with the old radial style)

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
  • Patterns? What patterns?
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #520 on: October 01, 2012, 10:41:29 AM »
Raafif's Corsair rearrangements got me musing ...
http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=852.165

What if that honker of an engine was put in the middle?
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Litvyak

  • Shifting between quantum realities...
  • Althistorian & profiler...& the 1st lady of whiff
    • Dominion of British Columbia
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #521 on: October 01, 2012, 10:50:54 AM »
I love those Siskins! But that F4U looks intriguingly unique, too.
"God save our Queen and heaven bless the Maple Leaf forever!"

Dominion of BC - https://dominionofbc.miraheze.org/wiki/British_Columbia

"Bernard, this doesn't say anything!" "Why thank you, Prime Minister."

Offline Tophe

  • He sees things in double...
  • twin-boom & asymmetric fan
    • my models
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #522 on: October 01, 2012, 11:36:22 AM »
Wonderful Corsair with central engine! :-*
A mix of Mustang FTB and XP-56 and Cordair all at once!

Offline raafif

  • Is formally accused of doing nasty things to DC-3s...and officially our first whiffing zombie
  • Whiffing Insane
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #523 on: October 01, 2012, 12:24:44 PM »
you sure the engine is in the central fuselage ??

It looks like it's out on the starboard wing to me (= asymetric layout ;) )  Obviously it'd need an exposed drive-shaft across to the fuselage then a V-drive up to the prop !! :o ;D

Offline Tophe

  • He sees things in double...
  • twin-boom & asymmetric fan
    • my models
Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #524 on: October 01, 2012, 12:28:04 PM »
On a Mustang basis, this might be interesting too: