Apophenia's Offerings

[Tophe]

Great!
I have drawn slanting views to compare, thanks!

[Tophe]

Thanks also for the windtunnel model photograph, that made me dream...

[apophenia]

Great stuff ... thanks Tophe  :)  Now, your passenger versions has the creative juices flowing 

[apophenia]

One for Tophe (et fils) that didn't fit into my Аэробус - the Soviet Aerobus Program  theme for the  Red Star Soviet GB.

http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=7257.msg126742#msg126742

Ilyushin has proposed passenger versions of its IL-76 cargo aircraft a few times. I suspect the proposed version that I have a section drawing for to be too late to be for the RW Aerobus program.

The upper, scrap view is my take on that later passenger variant (which I've called 'IL-76P'). But I couldn't resist a whif version too. Below is the 'IL-176P' with twin Lotarev D-18T engines and an IL-86 nose section grafted on.

[Tophe]

Great double deckers!

I will show them to my son as soon as he awakes (it is the early morning here on my side of the planet)

[AXOR]

It looks fantastic,it would be impressive to see them in the real world.

[Tophe]

Opinion of Tophe's son (Jacky, 8 years old): very pretty, thanks!

[CiTrus90]

I'm fascinated by both P-44Db601 and XP-38C :)

[apophenia]

Eastern Aircraft F2M Egret Lightweight Carrier Fighter

The Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors was formed with the hope of building P-47s for the USAAF. Instead, Eastern began production of Grumman aircraft - FM-1/-2 Wildcats and TBM-1 Avengers for the US Navy. In effect, Eastern Aircraft became an alternative supplier for Grumman aircraft (and the sole supplier of Wildcats after Grumman switched production to the F6F Hellcat).

While the future of Eastern's Avenger production was secure, the obsolescence clock was ticking on the Wildcat as a carrier fighter. GM presented the USN's Bureau of Aeronautics with an unsolicited proposal for an ungraded FM-3 Wildcat. This fighter was to be powered by a 1,425 hp Wright R-1820-72W (or -74W) Cyclone and have a reshaped upper fuselage fitted with a clear-view, bubble canopy. The BuAer encouraged detailed design of the revised fuselage and provided Eastern with details of the bubble canopy being designed by Grumman for the F8F Bearcat.

Now aware of the Bearcat, Eastern design staff changed their direction. Instead of incremental improvements to the FM series, a major redesign of the Wildcat airframe was undertaken. The wing was repositioned lowered on the fuselage. This was less ideal aerodynamically but allowed for the installation of the longer undercarriage needed for a larger diameter propeller (driven by the new twin-row Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine). Tail surfaces were also slightly enlarged but the rest of the airframe remained similar to the FM-3 proposal.

Although taken off guard by the Eastern submission, the BuAer immediately recognized that this proposed 'lightweight' fighter might be service-ready sooner than the Grumman F8F. With Japanese kamikazi attacks increasing, this could be a critical advantage. Eastern's 'Super Wildcat' was accorded orders for a prototype and low-rate production as the XF2M-1 and F2M-1 SuperCat.

Grumman objected strenuously to this 'Cat name and to the re-use of their Bearcat canopy. The BuAer insisted that the canopy design could be used by Eastern (with Grumman receiving royalties) but that the popular name would be changed to Egret (as already applied to proposed Lend-Lease models for the Royal Navy).

The prototype XF2M-1 was flown at Linden, NJ, in June 1944 powered by an R-2800-18W. The first production F2M-1 flew in Dec 1944 with service deliveries beginning in late Jan 1944. [1] Engine supply problems resulted in all F2M-1s being fitted with 2,000 hp R-2800-10W radials. This was, to a degree, a bonus since the F2M-1 engines were identical to those of in-service F6F Hellcats.

Follow-on F2M-2s were to be powered by 2,100 hp R-2800-22Ws and F2M-3s with R-2800-34Ws. As it happens, the only R-2800-22W-powered fighter was the prototype converted to XF2M-2 configuration in Sept 1944. The F2M-3 remained an unbuilt project -- all F2M and FAA Egret orders were cancelled immediately after VJ Day.

_________________________________________

[1] Almost all F2M-1 Egrets came from Eastern's 'super-assembly' plant at Linden but the Trenton-Ternsteldt facility (intended to build the F2M-3 Egret) handed over a small number of F2M-1s before all of Eastern's fighter contracts were cancelled in mid-Sept 1945.

_________________________________________

[GTX_Admin]

 :)

[Acree]

 :-*LOOOVVVEEE the F2M - best Wildcat upgrade yet!

[apophenia]

Cheers Alex    Now I'm musing on a mixed-power Corsair ...

[Tophe]

Belated congratulations for the bubble Super-Wildcat!

[apophenia]

I was working on some Hispano Aviación Buchón developments for the Racing GB and decided that some explanatory, non-racing variants were needed...

First up are the Isotta-Fraschini Delta-powered 2-seat trainer and COIN fighter developments. In this scenario, the I-F powerplant was assembled under license in Spain by Hispano-Suiza Barcelona. This Italian air-cooled inverted V-12 engine powered both racers and regular Ejército del Aire service types.

Racers: http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=7275.msg128272#msg128272

(Top) Hispano Aviación S.A. (HASA) HA.1115-D1E [1] Paloma (Pigeon) 2-seat HA.1110 development in standard EdA service scheme.

(Bottom) HASA HA.1116-D1L Milano (Kite) COIN fighter, 2 x wing-mounted 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns.
_________________________

[1] The designations shown are a mix of reality and whif. Hispano Aviación designs were given type numbers -- beginning with the HA.1109 (aka Bf 109J, the licensed Bf 109G). The Ejército del Aire then applied a suffix designation comprised of a letter for engine type, a number for sub-type variant, and a letter for role.

Real World type numbers were: HA.1109 fighter; HA.1110 2-seat conversion trainer; HA.1111 2-seater with tip tanks; and HA.1112 cannon-armed fighter. All other type numbers mentioned here are whifs (AFAIK).

RW engine designators were: 'J' (Hispano-Suiza HS 12Y); 'K' (HS 12Z-89); and 'M' (Rolls-Royce Merlin); as in the HA.1109-J1L, HA.1109-K1L, and HA.1109-M1L (the machine gun-armed predecessor to the HA.1112-M1L Buchón). Whif additionals are 'D' for I-F Delta and 'P' for R-R Griffon (with the assumption that 'N' was used by the EdA for an engine type outside our story and 'O' was not used).

RW role designator for all 'Messerschmitt' types was 'L' for Línea (as in primera línea or front line). Whif additions are 'C' for Carreras (Race) and 'E' for Entrenamiento (Training) ... distinguishing here between an 'E' advanced trainer and an 'L' conversion trainer.

So, in the whif examples given above, the HA.1115-D1E Paloma is a Delta-powered advanced trainer derived from the HA.1109 series, and the HA.1116-D1L Milano is a related 'front line' development (in this case, a light COIN fighter). ... All proof positive that some of us actually like pointless complexity 

_________________________

[apophenia]

Hispano Aviación unrealized Buchón-derivations -- the Merlin Fighters

Hispano Aviación's first attempt to improve the performance of the production model HA.1112 Buchón fighter was the HA.1114-M1L Super Buchón. This design mounted a higher-power, 1,700 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 powerplant. Aerodynamic improvements included a new, one-piece sliding canopy, retractable tail wheel, and smoother cowling (due to the Merlin 66's higher thrust-line).

The Ejército del Aire evaluated this concept, rejecting it in favour of more highly-developed derivatives of the in-service HA.1112-M1L Buchón. The engineering conversion prototype for the Merlin 66-powered fighter was later completed as the HA.1114-M1C Super Buchón Carreras racer.

HA.1114-C1L - http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=7275.msg128275#msg128275

Two further Merlin-engined proposals were also rejected by the EdA. The first was the HA.1117-M1L Gavilán (Sparrow-hawk) with a Merlin 113 engine and belly-mounted radiator. This radiator arrangement prohibited the use of a belly-mounted drop tank. In its place, the HA.1117-M1L was to mount twin wing tip tanks (as had been trialled earlier on the 2-seat HA.1111-K1L trainer). The HA.1117 also had a 2-seat trainer equivalent -- the proposed HA.1119-E1L Gorrión (Sparrow) -- again, with tip tanks and belly radiator.

Neither of these more advanced, Merlin-powered aircraft were built. EdA favour turned to Rolls-Royce Griffon-powered HA.1112 derivatives.
_________________________

[apophenia]

Hispano Aviación unrealized Buchón-derivations -- the Griffon Fighters

The first Griffon-powered proposal was the HA.1118-P1L Halcón (Falcon), a 'least mod' Griffon adaptation of the HA.1117 Gavilán concept. Other than changing the engine mounts and cowling, the only other major changes were to be the installation of a redesigned vertical tailplane (which was to be taller and deepened in chord) and enlarged wing radiator baths. The engine was to be a 2,245 hp Griffon 72. After initial enthusiasm for the HA.1118 concept, the EdA concluded that this 'Super Buchón Grifón' would not represent a sufficient increase in performance to warrant production.

As with the HA.1114, the planned HA.1112 conversion to Griffon powerplant was completed as a racer -- the HA.1118-P1C Halcón Grifó [1].

HA.1118-P1C - http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=7275.msg128275#msg128275

Hispano Aviación had another, more advanced Griffon-powered Buchón development in the works. The HA.1120 represented Hispano Aviación's last attempt to extend the design life of the HA.1109 series. The HA.1120 shared the unbuilt HA.1118 Halcón project's intended powerplant (in this case, a 2,420 hp Griffon 101) but also represented a fundamental redesign of the Buchón airframe.

The HA.1120 fuselage was to be modified in two major ways. First was fitting a raised cockpit covered by an all-around vision canopy. Second was a modest lengthening to accommodate mounting points for a completely new laminar-flow wing. This 3-piece wing featured a dihedral-less centre section which would mount strengthened and 'reversed' Buchón main undercarriage legs.

The HA.1120 was also to incorporate the HA.1118's enlarged tailplane (complete with Super Buchón-style retractable tailwheel). Like many such late piston-engined fighter projects, the HA.1120 project -- aka 'Pedro' -- was overtaken by faster, more advanced jet-engined concepts. The EdA lost iterest in the HA.1120-P1L proyecto and thus ended the line of fighters which had begun with Hispano Aviación's licensed Bf 109G, the HA.1109-J1L.
_________________________

[1] The use of Grifó in place of Grifón in the racer's name is odd. Grifón is the bird's name (as with the Rolls-Royce engine). Grifó refers to a mythical creature, the 'griffin'.
_________________________

[apophenia]

Mixed-Power Corsairs - Part 1 -- Goodyear XF3G-1 'Rocket Corsair'

The XF3G-1 'Rocket Corsair' concept incorporated the German Walter HWK 109-509A-2 rocket engine as a booster for an updated version of Goodyear's 'fixed-wing' FG-1 fighter. The reverse-engined [1] rocket engine was to be installed in a revised rear fuselage. Rocket fuel was to be separated between a hydrazine/methanol tank behind the cockpit and hydrogen peroxide in two underfuselage drop tanks.

To facilitated maintenance of the rocket engine, the entire rear fuselage was made detachable. To ensure that the tailplane was not effected by rocket exhaust, the stabilizers were raised which, in turn required that the vertical tail be raised for elevator clearance.

The XF3G-1 was to incorporate a bubble canopy similar to Goodyear's FG-7 (R-2800-8W) and F2G-1 (R-4360) Corsairs. In its intended counter-Kamikaze role, the F3G was to use its rocket engine for higher intercept speeds. The BuAer viewed a mockup of the 'Rocket Corsair' but F3G-1 development was eclipsed by another Goodyear's Corsair concept -- the simpler XF4G-1.

_________________________

[1] Production of the US reverse-engineered Walter motor -- the XRM-10A Shrike -- was to be carried out by the Airco-Davis-Bournonville company of New Jersey.

_________________________

[apophenia]

Mixed-Power Corsairs - Part 2 -- Goodyear FG-7 and Rocket-Assisted FG-7R

Goodyear adopted the new bubble canopy for its FG-7 version of the original, non-folding wing Corsair and to the new, R-4360-powered F2G-1. Canopy aside, the FG-7 was equivalent to Vought's F4U-1D (with the latter's folding wings). Deliveries of the bubble-hooded FG-7 began in late July 1945 but the first USMC squadrons did not become operational until after VJ Day. [1]

(Top) An operational USMC FG-7A fighter in the summer of 1944. This Corsair had redeployed to the USAAF air field at Irumgawa (near Tokyo) at the height of the typhoon season.

As a side project to the XF3G-1, Goodyear also evolved a simpler rocket-assisted development of the FG-7 -- the FG-7R. This aircraft featured a belly-mounted Walter HWK 109-509.S2 rocket. As with the XF3G-1, the rocket's hydrazine/methanol fuel was carried in a tank behind the cockpit and hydrogen peroxide fuel was carried in two drop tanks (now on twin centre-section pylons).

The XFG-7 prototype (a FG-1 conversion) was modified to test the FG-7R configuration. Although not 'plumbed' for rocket propulsion, this test mule was ballasted to simulate the fuselage tank, carried twin drop tanks, and had a captured example of the HWK 109-509.S2 [2] mounted under the fuselage.

(Bottom) Prototype XFG-7 configured as an FG-7R (shown here without its rocket motor fairing). Note that the retracted tail wheel is fully enclosed to protect it from rocket blast.

One FG-1 was fitted with a fully-functioning HWK 109-509.S2 under its fuselage. This motor installation was ground-tested but accidental fuel mixing (due to a fuel line leaks) resulted in an explosion with destroyed the aircraft and its test rig. At this point, USN planning shifted to solid-fuel rockets for assisted take-off and plans to reverse-engineer the HWK 109-509 were abandoned.

_________________________

[1] A purely post-war development was the XFG-8 which was equivalent to the Vought F4U-4. No FG-8 was delivered but the Marine's cannon-armed AG-1 Corsair was a direct derivative of the XFG-8.

[2] Wright Field received an example of the Walter HWK 109-509.S2 from the British test establishment at RAE Farnborough. The German HWK 109-509.S2 had been developed for the Luftwaffe's Heimatschützer program.

_________________________

[apophenia]

Mixed-Power Corsairs - Part 3 -- The Goodyear XF4G-1 'Turbo Corsair'

Goodyear modified an 'birdcage' Corsair to carry a Westinghouse 'Yankee' or Model 19XB turbojet beneath its fuselage. That aircraft -- FG-1, c/n 13041 -- began trials at NATC Patuxent River in January 1944. Inspired by the success of those trials, Goodyear began design work on auxiliary turbojet installations to function as boosters for the FG-7 Corsair.

The first 'Turbo Corsair' concept featured twin turbojet engines mounted on the wing tips. Designated XF4G-1 by the BuAer, this design was to be powered by the standard Pratt & Whitney R2800-8W radial boosted by two wing-mounted Westinghouse Model 9.5A turbojets. At 9.5-inches in diameter, the Model 9.5A was half the size of the jet engine trialled by the FG-1 in early 1944.

(Top) Goodyear XF4G-1 twin-jet 'Turbo Corsair' concept as submitted to the BuAer in March 1945.

The XF4G-1 concept was viewed by the BuAer as a low-drag approach to mixed-power but there were official concerns about the effects of asymmetrical thrust in the event of a turbojet engine failure. [1] Goodyear responded to these concerns with a revised 'Turbo Corsair' concept based more closely upon the FG-1 jet test bed.

The Goodyear XF4G-1A 'Turbo Corsair' mounted a single, larger Westinghouse Model 19XB-2B turbojet in a similar installation to the FG-1 test bed. Cited on the centreline near the centre of gravity, this installation eliminated officialdom's potential asymmetrical thrust concerns. Goodyear received a contract for a production line conversion of an FG-7 to full XF4G-1A standard.

Work on the XF4G-1 concept had convinced Goodyear designers that the Corsair could handle heavy loads mounted on its wing tips. Accordingly, wing tip fuel tanks were incorporated into the XF4G-1A design. Kerosene fuel for the turbojet was carried in these ejectable tip tanks. The XF4G-1A conversion first flew (with fixed tip tanks) from Akron Municipal Airport in early August 1945 before being transferred to NATC Pax River for USN trials.

_________________________

[1] Goodyear had anticipated this concern and attempted to allay asymmetry control fears by incorporating the enlarged tailplane of the more powerful F2G-1 Corsair.

_________________________

[GTX_Admin]

 :)

[apophenia]

Mixed-Power Corsairs - Part 4 -- Post-War Goodyear 'Turbo Corsairs'

The XF5G-1 prototype was another FG-7A conversion to mixed power. Using standard inner wing pylons, twin Westinghouse J32 turbojets were installed. [1] This close-in engine arrangement, it was thought would get around any major asymmetrical thrust issues should a single turbojet fail in flight.

(Top) Twin-jet XF5G-1 prototype conversion as originally completed. (Note the 'short', FG-1-style vertical tail and rudder.)

Test mountings showed that standard pylon fittings would not suffice. The underwing mounts had to be considerably beefed up and extensively reprofiled ... which rather defeated the purpose of the exercise. The USN lost interest in the project and the XF5G-1 flew almost exclusively as an engine test bed platform.

For the XF6G-1 conversion, the wing tip-mounted engine arrangement of the XF4G-1 concept was revived. But, in place of turbojets, the XF6G-1 would mount twin Marquardt 20-inch ramjet engines. This combination flew in the summer of 1946. The XF6G-1 was fast with the Marquardt ramjets operating but cockpit noise levels were also dangerously high.

(Bottom) Ramjet XF6G-1 conversion on USN trials, NATC Patuxent River, early 1947.

In the fall, this modified FG-7A was delivered to NATC Patuxent River for comparison trials with a twin-engined Grumman F7F Tigercat fitted with a single Marquardt ramjet under its belly. Useful data on ramjet operation was gleaned from these trials but neither airframe was developed any further.

_________________________

[1] J32 was the post-war designation for Westinghouse's Model 9.5A turbojet engine. (The larger Model 19XB turbojet became the J30 in this post-war nomenclature.)

_________________________

[AXOR]

I love this mixed power Corsairs

[Empty Handed]

You pulled off a minor miracle - you made the Buchón pretty! The Corsairs are great!

[CiTrus90]

The Griffon Buchons are beautiful!!

[Tophe]

The Goodyear XF4G-1A 'Turbo Corsair'

Thanks Apophenia for your pleasant profile of a bubble-Corsair with the canopy moved backward. Let me close it moving the windscreen to the rear instead of the bubble to the front (XF11G)… and that creates also a nice twin-plane (F11G), easy to read, thanks again!