Apophenia's Offerings

[apophenia]

Handley-Page HPR.10 Himalayan

The Handley-Page HPR.10 was a Reading design office project to wring maximum performance from the HPR.7 Herald. The HPR.10 airframe was essentially that of the Herald but shorter to reduce weight. Invariably, the aviation press dubbed the HPR.10 as the 'Short Herald'. At first, Handley-Page branded the 'new' aircraft as the Helvetian in hopes on encouraging Swiss venture partners. [1] No Swiss money was forthcoming and the name was quickly changed to Himalayan (to emphasize its hot-and-high capabilities).

That promised hot-and-high performance would be the result of lower weight combined with the power output of 'full-sized' Rolls-Royce Dart turboprops. If economical operation was the priority, alternative engines in the form of the 1,500 shp Napier Gazelle TP [2] were recommended. It was this smaller Napier engines which would power all HPR.10s except the sole HPR.10D Dart-Himalayan prototype.

The HPR.10 Himalayan delivered the performance which Handley-Page had promised. Alas, the market for aircraft in this class was smaller than predicted. The HPR.10 never became the seller that Handley-Page needed so badly. Unexpectedly, the majority of the Himalayan sales would be for a dedicated cargo variant - the HPR.10C - and most HPR.10A passenger liners would later be converted into parcel carriers.

(Above) A Handley-Page HPR.10A cargo conversion in Parcel Express livery. Note side cargo doors and the 'Piston-Herald'-style fin and rudder.

Handley-Page HP.124M 'Ramped Herald'

The original Handley-Page HP.124 was a 1961 proposal for a ramped version of the HPR.7 Herald for military use. Submitted to the Air Ministry, the HP.124 proposal lost out to the Avro Andover. In some circles, the choice of the Andover was viewed as being politically influenced - after all, Avro was part of the Government-owned HSA Group while Handley-Page had remained an independent corporation.

Rather than entirely abandon work on the HP.124, Handley-Page management chose to further develop the concept as a potential export commodity. [3] The revived HP.124 project - the HP.124M - was conceptually similar but simplified for general military transport duties. Compared with the original project, the HP.124M rear fuselage of was shortened and the tailplane arrangement completely revised. [4]

Original plans called for a revised forward fuselage - with a lowered cockpit arrangement (to eliminate the rooftop 'bulge') and a nose profile incorporating a radome for weather radar. Later, it was decided to use a 'least-mod' forward fuselage although the nose profile was changed to follow the line of the radar installation.

(Bottom) HP.124M prototype while being fitted with strengthed main undercarriage and  a dihedralled horizontal tailplane to resolve buffeting issues.

The HP.124M was marketed as the Handley-Page Hannibal [5] but, despite, interest from several governments, only two sales were made - with two HP.124Ms for Chile and another pair going to Burma. In the end, the combined effort of producing the HPR.10 and the HP.124M would prove too much for Handley-Page. When the firm was wound up, both programs were sold to Hindustan Aviation. The Himalayan became Hindustan's HTT.101 Hanuman feederliner while the Hannibal was produced in India as the HAL HMT.124. [6]

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[1] Pilatus would supply some HPR.10 components to Handley-Page but that Swiss firm was never a venture partner in the Himalayan program.

[2] As the name suggests, this engine was turboprop version of the Gazelle turboshaft. Napier had begun development work on the Gazelle TP in 1959 but work was delayed by the firm's on-going financial woes.

[3] A rival project was the HP.137 turboprop executive aircraft/light feederliner. The HP.137 fell between stools - facing potential competitors in both the Beagle B206-series and the DH.142 Dove NextGen turboprops.

[4] Initially, an all-new T-tail was considered. This was eclipsed by a Herald-based vertical tail and a low-set horizontal tailplane.

[5] An earlier proposal was 'Hengist' but this name was felt to be too English. The name Hannibal was a nod to the HP.42 airliner of the 1930s while invoking its mountain-crossing Carthaginian namesake.

[5] HAL also took over the HP.140 Hereford project. This was a Hannibal development powered by four 1,050 shp Blackburn Boreas turboprops.
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[Empty Handed]

The Hannibal is great! I presume the HAL HMT.124 replaces the Indian's HS-748s in this scenario? Given the Herald's dimensions, a developed variant with higher MTOW & more powerful engines could offer a home-grown alternative to the Indian An-32 buy as well. Interesting... HP could have the last laugh after all!

[apophenia]

Thanks EH. Spot on, the HMT.124 replaces IAF HS-748s. And a homegrown An-32 would be quite feasible ...

In my original scenario, a further Hannibal development consisted of the same Herald wing but now with a centre section insert for slightly more inboard span (and, thus, sufficient prop clearance for Tynes) (I was also toying with the notion of a larger-diameter fuselage). The main undercarriage would be moved to the fuselage sides ... freeing up the nacelle rears for a pair of Viper booster jets (actually planned for the RW HP.124 but mounted in outboard tank/pods). So, maybe HP sold HAL that design too?

So, how about a T-tailled, jet-assisted HAL 'Super Hannibal' powered by Ivchenko AI-20s 

[Empty Handed]

Interesting. A Tyne/Viper Hannibal Plus to take on the C-160? The HAL Super Hannibal sounds interesting too. I don't normally do transports but this is quite an enjoyable lineage you are constructing here.

[apophenia]

Thanks EH. I had been working on a direct Transall competitor from Short Brother plc but realized that it would be too close in size to the Short Sheffield C.1/Short-Saab Svalbard series. http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=l9rgvl6p02d3nben89p5q6u8i6&topic=351.msg130197#msg130197

I liked the notion of a jet-assisted 'Super Hannibal' for IAF use high up in the Himalayas. In the RW, though, HAL never seems to have much luck with transport projects - witness Salas and the RTA (and I'll believe the Multi-role Transport Aircraft when I see it fly in IAF colours!).

[apophenia]

An idea that Daryl J. and Greg discussed in the Ideas & Inspiration section ages ago - Chinese J-10 fighters in the markings of South American air forces which currently operate the IAI Kfir. So, here they are ... kinda.

(Top) Colombian Chengdu J-10b in the standard FAC scheme of two-tone camouflage (with a wavy demarcation line) and decidedly hi-viz national markings. The J-10's Colombian nickname - Cóndor - is emblazoned on the fin. This Cóndor is armed with a pair of Xi'an PL-8 AAMs (Rafael Python 3 copies).

(Bottom) A Peruvian J-10b in standard Chinese two-tone camouflage with lo-viz FAP markings. The latter are somewhat compromised by a rather bright FAP centennial commemoration badge on the fin and the as-yet-unpainted nose radome and fin-top dielectric panel. The avionics fit on the FAP J-10b is a mix of Chinese and French equipment. Note the outboard pylon with Matra paired AAM mount.

(BTW, AFAIK, Peru has never operated the Kfir. I took the scheme from FAP Mirage 2000s.)

[AXOR]

Lovely bird 

[Tophe]

Nice ones!

[GTX_Admin]

 

Maybe also add in an Argentine one in the future?

[apophenia]

Greg was asking about Hawker Tempest Reno racers. I liked the racer idea but decided to back-date things a bit...

The 'Steam-Cooled Hawker Tempest' was a private venture racer created by the SCHT Consortium - a group of Napier and Rootes Securities employees. Constructed over the winter of 1946-1947 at Speke outside of Liverpool, the airframe was a combination of surplus components. The fuselage was from a salvaged Tempest F.Mk.V while the wings came from a cancelled RAF Hawker Fury. The racer's most radical feature, as the name implied, was its evaporative steam cooling.

The entire leading edge of the former Fury's outer main planes were filled with steam-cooling tubing loops. Much of the rear fuselage was occupied by a trio of steam condenser vessels. The SCHT's ultimate powerplant was to be a Napier Sabre VII. [1] However, the engine actually installed for test flying was a Sabre V intended for an RAF Tempest F.Mk.VI - which required wing air intakes. The cockpit canopy was an entirely new, low-drag affair.

(Top) The 'Steam-Cooled Hawker Tempest' during completion. Many primed components are still awaiting their covering of aluminised paint.

Once the racer was completed, it was test flown with the standard Napier Sabre V by Plt Off P.H. Preston (a wartime Tempest pilot with 274 Squadron, RAF). Almost immediately after take-off, great quantities of coolant steam were seen to be escaping from the rear fuselage. The pilot was banking G-SCHT in an attempt to return to Speke Aerodrome when the powerplant seized altogether. With all coolant gone and its Sabre engine on fire, Preston abandoned the doomed racer.

(Bottom) The hybrid Tempest/Fury racer G-SCHT on its doomed test flight. The beginnings of a racing scheme have been chalked on over the silver finish but there was no opportunity to apply this paintwork.

The flaming 'Steam-Cooled Hawker Tempest' came down in the Mersey. So did Philip Preston - safely, despite his parachute being only partially-deployed. The wreck of G-SCHT was never recovered. The SCHT consortium folded and attempts at steam-cooled aero-engines were abandoned once and for all.

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[1] As a service engine, the Sabre VII produced 3,055 hp at 2,250 feet (in 'M' gear). It was planned that this engine would to be specially tuned for racing to produce 3,250 hp for short bursts.
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[GTX_Admin]

 

[apophenia]

Thanks Greg. Probably what you had in mind for a Reno Tempest was something more like this: the Hawker Tempest Mk.V racer, 'Critical Mass' ...

[GTX_Admin]

Oh yeah!!!

[apophenia]

http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=7518.msg132257#msg132257
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Bristol Type 142S 'Shipboard Blenheim'

The 1939 Bristol Type 142S (Shipboard) was a Blenheim Mk.I variant which was being prepared for the 1940 Paris Salon. Never completed, the Type 142S was a bit of propagandistic nonsense intended to deceive German Intelligence as to British naval capabilities.

The standard Blenheim was far too large to operated from existing aircraft carriers. One goal of the Type 142S was to convince German planners that the Royal Navy would soon be able to launch medium bombers against targets in Germany from flight decks in the North Sea. To that end, a non-flying mockup of a shipboard Blenheim was to created from the components of several Blenheim Mk.I wrecks.

The Type 142S retained the identity of its forward fuselage component - K7036. To suit shipboard use, the outer wing panels were fitted with folding points. The added weight of 'navalisation' was to be countered by replacing the Blenheim's 840 hp Mercury engines with more powerful 1,100 hp Bristol Taurus twin-row radials. To facilitate this engine change, K7036 received the complete nacelles and main undercarriage from the new Type 152 Beaufort torpedo bomber.

(Top) Bristol Type 142S 'Shipboard Blenheim' airframe being test fitted with torpedo gear. For take off (and landing, if necessary), the was angled nose downward to increase ground clearance for the torpedo.

With the declaration of war, all work on the 'Shipboard Blenheim' ruse was halted. No foldable outer wing panels were ever built. The fuselage was returned to fore and aft section for use in repair of existing Blenheims.

'Recce Blenheim' Revised

In the lead-up to WW2, the RAF had assumed that standard Blenheim bomber units would be capable of performing all long-range photographic reconnaissance tasks. The concept was that the bombers would be able to fight their way through aerial defences, take photographs, and then fight their way back to Allied lines. Bristol was less certain that its twin-gunned Blenheim bomber would survive such missions.

In late 1939, Bristols re-delivered Blenheim Mk.I L1348 reworked as a high-speed photo recce platform. The airframe was 'cleaned up' with  skin joins filled with plaster of Paris and then rubbed smooth, a streamlined nose-cap added, turret removed, wingtips clipped, and other refinements. The result was a 22 mph increase in maximum speed at 8,000 feet. A useful improvement in performance but not sufficient to avoid interception by German fighters.

To increase 'Recce Blenheim' top speed further, more power was required. To that end, the wing centre section and engine nacelles from the incomplete Type 142S were transferred to the 'Recce Blenheim' prototype. At the same time, the entire airframe was stripped and refinished in a new Medium Blue paintwork. [1] At a stroke, this re-engined Type 142P 'Recce Blenheim' was capable of 'dash' speeds in excess of 320 mph at 9,000 feet.

(Bottom) Type 142P 'Recce Blenheim' of No.2 Camouflage Unit as delivered in June 1940. This aircraft was lost on a PR mission to Ostend in September 1940.

The Taurus-engined 'Recce Blenheim' proved a one-off. Seeking further performance gains, production Type 142Ps (all built by AV Roe at Chadderton) were powered by Rolls-Royce Merlin inline engines.

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[1] Medium Blue (or PR Blue as it became known) replaced the earlier Camotint finish which had proved ineffective at higher altitudes.

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[GTX_Admin]

 

[The Big Gimper]

You can NEVER go wrong with a PRU blue finish. 

[Tophe]

The hybrid Tempest/Fury racer G-SCHT

Belated congratulations for your Tempest/Fury racer, so pretty...

[apophenia]

Chengdu Change-Ups

No real backstories, just a pair of export Chengdu FC-1 Fierce Dragons ...

(Top) A Taiwan AF FC-1Tw delivered on 'Friendship Prices' after the PRC unexpectedly renounced its claims on Formosa in 2019. This aircraft wears a squadron 30th anniversary commemorative scheme (EI27) having been chosen for its date-appropriate serial number.

(Bottom) Chengdu FC-1E Xiaolong of the Jinshan zìwèiduì (金山 自卫队 or Gold Mountain Self-Defence Force). This fighter wears a '2021 Airshow Special' scheme - full-colour Jinshan flags on its tail with otherwise 'low-viz' markings.

[kim margosein]

So San Francisco's Chinatown seceded?

[elmayerle]

So San Francisco's Chinatown seceded?

Perhaps they couldn't stand living in the Peoples Democratic Socialist Republic of California?

[GTX_Admin]

Cool idea and rendition.

[apophenia]

So San Francisco's Chinatown seceded?

   Pretty much anywhere Chinese migrants chased gold became 'Gold Mountain'. Melbourne became 'New Gold Mountain', SF/California was 'Old Gold Mountain' ... but there was/is yet another Gold Mountain 

[apophenia]

Perhaps inevitably, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's ambitious FS-X programme fell behind schedule. The winning design - Mitsubishi's SX-3 (which would become the F-2A/B) - was based on the General Dynamics F-16 but JASDF requirements led to an almost complete redesign of the US fighter. Worse, US politicians demanded a straight purchase of US-built aircraft causing Washington to drag its feet. To fill the gap, the JASDF would need an interim solution.

Two camps developed within JASDF planning at the Air Staff Office. One, backed by the Air Development and Test Command, urged the immediate purchase or lease of standard US F-16s. The second followed the leaning of the Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI) which saw an opportunity to expand Japanese aerospace. In the end, a deteriorating economic climate favoured the 'domestic' camp.

The only practical basis for an interm strike fighter was the aircraft that the F-2 was intended to replace - the Mitsubishi F-1, a single-seat variant of the Mitsubishi T-2 fighter-trainer. The plan which emerged was a major rebuild of older F-1s to create an interim strike aircraft which would later make an ideal FLIT (Fighter Lead-In Trainer) for the more advanced F-2 when it arrived. To that end, the F-1 airframe was left largely unchanged aft of the engine intakes (for maximum commonality with in-service T-2s and stock F-1s) while a completely new forward fuselage was grafted on which incorporated a cockpit laid out as in the F-2.

Mitsubishi also proposed a two-seat trainer version - the STX-4. The latter entered service as the  Mitsubishi T-2B ... but only in small numbers. Although the T-2B's F-2-style cockpit was of obvious benefit, JASDF policy shifted to favour retaining standard T-2s until 2-seat F-2B trainers were in service.

More successful was the Mitsubishi F-1 Kai. These single-seat fighters would completely replace the earlier F-1 in all operational squadrons. [1] Operationally, the key advantage of the F-1 Kai was its more powerful AN/APG-68 radar from the F-16. The US-made radar choice helped to calm American politicians but that pulse-doppler set was slated to be replaced by the superior Mitsubishi Electric's J/APG-1 AESA radar (which would also equip the F-2 when it arrived). Unlike with the original F-1, the F-1 Kai's cut-down rear fuselage allowed pilots to 'Check 6'. The F-1 Kai was also more powerful.

The T-2 and F-1 were powered by twin TF40-IHI-801As - Ishikawajima-Harima Industries (IHI) licensed Adour 801s. The original plan for the F-1 Kai/T-2B was to re-engine with the Honeywell/ITEC F125 (TFE1042-70A). [2] This low-bypass turbofan was planned for the Republic of China's AIDC F-CK Indigenous Defence Fighter (IDF). TRDI sought joint projects with Taiwan and licensing the F125 for production in Japan (for both the F-1 Kai/T-2B program and Taiwan's IDF) seemed to fit the bill.

Unfortunately for the TRDI, both the ROC(Taiwan)AF and domestic engine producer IHI were very cool on building the Honeywell engine in Japan. As an alternative, IHI suggested license-producing the Rolls-Royce Turboméca Adour 106. The uprated Adour 106 was less powerful than the F125-70 [3] but it required no changes to the F-1 engine bays and shared most parts with the in-service TF40-IHI-801A. In light of the rebuff from Taiwan, the IHI proposal was accepted and the Adour 106 entered production in Japan as the TF40-IHI-821A. [4]

While the small numbers of T-2B were a disappointment for Mitsubishi, the F-1 Kai did exactly what was expected of it. The F-1 Kai was slightly faster that the 'stock' F-1 (and was fitted with a far superior radar) but it remained a modified training aircraft. Not suprisingly, the Mitsubishi F-1 Kai was at its best when transferred to the FLIT role for the faster, better-equipped F-2.

(Top) Mitsubishi F-1 Kai single-seat fighter, 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Air Wing, JASDF, at Tsuiki Air Base, Fukuoka Prefecture

(Bottom) Mitsubishi T-2B(Z) of 207th TFS, 7th Air Wing, JASDF, at Naha Air Base, Okinawa. This is a Zenkigata (early type) model which retained the earlier T-2's Mitsubishi J/AWG-11 radar.

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[1] The relative economy of the F-1 Kai programme allowed the JASDF to retain one former F-104J/DJ unit - the 207th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Naha Air Base, in Okinawa Prefecture.

[2] The F125 is a derivative of Honeywell's civilian TFE731 turbofan fitted with a Volvo Flygmotor TFE1042 afterburner (the non-afterburning variant is the F124).

[3] The F125-70 produces 9,500 lbf in full afterburner compared with the TF40-IHI-821A/Adour 106's 8,430 lbf.

[4] The TF40-IHI-821A is very similar to the Adour 821 which was offered for the Indian Air Force's Jaguar upgrades.

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[GTX_Admin]

Cool.  What about a carrier based version?

[apophenia]

Shipboard Mitsubishi - the F-1C Kai

Planning for the revised Mitsubishi F-1 Kai as a JASDF single-seat fighter was coincident with plans for what became the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force's Hyūga class helicopter destroyer. It was soon realized that, with the addition of a bow 'ski jump' ramp, the Hyūga class would be capable of handling a lightweight fixed-wing shipboard fighter.

The relatively small wings of the F-1 were seen as a disadvantage for a land-based fighter [1] but became a benefit for a carrier fighter - no wing-folding was required. As design work progressed on a shipboard variant of the F-1 Kai, a handful of pre-production F-1 Kai(Z) (Zenkigata or 'early type') fighters were transferred from the JASDF to the JMSDF Fleet Air Force (航空集団, Koukuushuudan). These aircraft had most of the F-1 Kai airframe upgrades but retained the non-upgraded F-1's Mitsubishi Electric J/AWG-11 radar. [2]

The arrival of full-production JASDF F-1 Kais, the F-1 Kai(Z) fleet became redundant. However, the JMSDF judged these fighters ideal for 'acclimitizing' pilots to fast jets as well as for 'spoofing' the fleet on exercises. The F-1 Kai(Z)s equipped a flight within the JMSDF's Air Development Squadron 51 based at NAF Atsugi.

ADevS 51 is a JMSDF tenant squadrons at Naval Air Facility Atsugi which is the home base of the US Navy's Carrier Air Wing Five. Pre-series Mitsubishis at NAS Atsugi operated alongside USN Super Hornets. And that gave ADev 51 the opportunity to make the types first practice shipboard landings as 'guests' aboard US Navy carriers.

(Top) A pre-production F-1 Kai(Z) with ADevS 51 at NAS Atsugi

By the time the first 'production conversion' to F-1C Kai standard was delivered, the JMSDF had already abandoned plans for a 'ski jump' on the JS Hyūga (DDH-181). It was hoped that builders IHI Marine United could find construction economies which would allow later hulls in the Hyūga class to carry shipboard fighters. But that was not to be. Instead, the Hyūga class budget was actually cut.

The F-1C Kai fighters became land-based naval fighters assigned to Air Defense Squadron 32 within  Fleet Air Wing 3. [3] These strike fighters featured full F-1 Kai upgrades including Mitsubishi Electric J/APG-1 radar sets and more powerful IHI TF40-IHI-821A engines. Like ADevS 51, ADS 31 is home-based at NAS Atsugi but its fighters are often forward deployed throughout the Japanese Home Islands on anti-shipping patrols.

(Bottom) ADS 31 F-1C Kai fighter in 'Maritime Strike' scheme deployed to Tsuiki AB.

The F-1C Kai is regarded as a potent yet economical strike fighter by the JMSDF. Long-term plans are to replace these aircraft with a maritime strike-optimized version of the Mitusbishi F-2 fighter. But, for the foreseeable future, the JMSDF's F-1C Kai fighters will serve on.
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[1] An enlarged wing was studied for the F-1 Kai upgrade but could not be fit within that programme's limited budget.

[2] F-1 Kai(Z)s had the J/AWG-11 simply because the AESA J/APG-1 set was not yet ready. The F-1 Kai(Z) pre-series also retained the earlier F-1's less-powerful IHI TF40-IHI-801A turbojets.

[3] ADS 32 was the first flying unit within Fleet Air Wing 3 (FAF 3 has no '31' squadron to avoid confusion with FAF 31's Maintenance and Supply Squadron 31 at Iwakuni AB).

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