An Also-Ran

[apophenia]

We tend to ignore the 'also rans'. When the US entered the European War in 1940, there was a scramble to re-equip with twin-engined attack bombers. The single-engined Northrop A-17As were clearly inadequate and the twin-engined Douglas A-20s were not yet coming off the lines. The best-known outcome of this was the rushing into USAAC service of the Martin A-22 which was being built for export to the French. Less well-known was an unsolicited bid to the Air Corps from an unusual source.

The Bell-Lockheed Aircraft Company was a joint venture firm formed specifically to develop a Bell concept which would use unchanged components supplied by Lockheed Vega. In brief, Bell Aircraft proposed to rapidly develop a new attack aircraft by combining a new, slimmer fuselage with the tail surfaces, wings, powerplants, and undercarriage of the Lockheed Model 14 airliner. A military derivative of the Model 14 - the Hudson - had already entered British service as a patrol bomber. Bell's version was to be faster and better streamlined.

The initial draft was effectively a slimmed-down version of Bell's Airacuda multi-seat fighter married to Lockheed flying surfaces. The fuselage design went through several permutations, none of which much impressed the Air Corps. Eventually, Lockheed Vega's Burbank drafting office took over from Bell and undertook a major re-design. The 4-seat Bell concept was reduced to a crew of three - with the pilot also acting as bomb-aimer, the navigator handling twin waist-blister guns, and the radio-operator manning a belly gun position.

Although intrigued by the 're-use' of airliner components, the USAAC concluded that the Bell-Lockheed BV-14M concept offered nothing not already found in the Martin A-22. However, the Model 14 did later see Air Corps service - in the form of the A-28. Despite its attack designation, this A-28 was an 'Americanized' Hudson patrol aircraft.
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(Added) It occurred to me, belatedly, that my RW Martin 177A project could have also been an 'also-ran'. For those interested in the M-177A:
http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=351.msg162320#msg162320

[Brian da Basher]

You had me at "also-ran". 

And then I saw your amazing art work.
 
I could only love it more if it had spats.
 
Brian da Basher

[Robomog]

This is not an also ran, you've designed a really good looking aircraft.

Love the bottom one, looks like a Hudson, Superfortress and Catalina got jiggy with it.

I would seriously consider trying to model that one.

Mog
>^-.-^<

[finsrin]

So much captures last half of 30s. 

[apophenia]

Thanks folks! I had fun with this one. My original scheme was simply Lockheed developing a 'skinny' Hudson. However, that concept just looked like a Maryland with Model 14 wings plonked on (the span and area for the two types are about the same). At some point, the Airacuda got stuck in my mind, so ...

... looks like a Hudson, Superfortress and Catalina got jiggy with it...

 

About those PBY-esque waist blister positions ... I actually pinched them from a Bell XFM-1 Airacuda 

[kim margosein]

On this subject, I got to thinking about the US entering the war a year or so early.  Although the Airacuda was a real hangar queen, the problems could probably be solved.  The problematic 37 mm cannon could be replaced by Vickers S guns, the same used on the ground attack Hurricanes.  The speed could be improved with more powerful engines.  I could see them not used as escorts, but long range interceptors against any trans-atlantic bomber attacks.  I could also see the B-19 put into production and the B-29 given priority, with resources put toward the B-24, and the Dominator dropped.  I am making the assumption here  that everyuthing east of Greenland is lost to the Axis.   

[elmayerle]

With that assumption, you would probably also see more effort put into the B-36 (perhaps the effort not expended on the B-32 and B-24?).

[jcf]

On this subject, I got to thinking about the US entering the war a year or so early.  Although the Airacuda was a real hangar queen, the problems could probably be solved.  The problematic 37 mm cannon could be replaced by Vickers S guns, the same used on the ground attack Hurricanes.  The speed could be improved with more powerful engines.  I could see them not used as escorts, but long range interceptors against any trans-atlantic bomber attacks.  I could also see the B-19 put into production and the B-29 given priority, with resources put toward the B-24, and the Dominator dropped.  I am making the assumption here  that everyuthing east of Greenland is lost to the Axis.

The problem wasn't with the 37mm gun, it was with the stabilized mount, switching to
the Vickers S wouldn't change that.

The B-19 was a dead pig even before it finally flew, three years late, and trying to put it into
production wouldn't have been a quick process and a waste of resources.

Everything East of Greenland gone? Really with what forces would the Nazis have accomplished
that miracle? Aside from the U-Boats the Kriegsmarine was really a bit of a joke. They had a
serious lack of the equipment needed for and zero experience with amphibious assault.
 

[kim margosein]

Well, the only thing east of Greenland is Europe.  I am assuming in the 1940 scenario that Britain fell.  Thanks for filling me in on the Airacuda and B-19 problems.  My assumption is the US prepares for a transatlantic air war, which I envision as heavily armed unescorted bombers fighting through defense lines and anti aircraft belts.  I'm pretty much following the scenarios outlined in the 1942 book Victory through Air Power.

[Geoff]

The UK invaded Iceland to prevent a German occupation. Later taken over by US forces IIRC. Two possibilities Nazis get there before UK, or US gets there before UK.