Thanks, everyone! I'm glad you liked that one. Here's another one that's been in the works for a long time!
As per usual with the Vikings, note that this is reduced to 33%. Click on the profile to see it on Photobucket where you can click again and see it at 100%.
The Curtiss Model 84 was declared the winner of the US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics 1938 VSB Competition, but all the designs put forward suffered from serious issues as a result of the demanding specifications. Much like they did with the XSB3U in the 1934 Competition, Vought also decided to propose a more conservative design that was a re-engined variant of an existing airframe. In this case, Vought took their SB4U design and modified it with a new cockpit, a fully enclosed turret, a new horizontal tail, and an 1,800 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800.
The prototype Curtiss XSB2C-1 Helldiver on its maiden flight on 18 December 1940.While it was less technologically advanced than the VSB designs, being less streamlined and lacking an internal bomb bay, the Viking variant was smaller, lighter, and based on a proven design. This made it a good alternative to the faster and longer-ranged Curtiss XSB2C. There was no true XBTU prototype, however, just a production SB4U that Vought modified in late 1940 with an R-2800 to be the V-176 demonstrator. Suitably impressed with the performance of this aircraft and increasingly frustrated with the Curtiss XSB2C (which would suffer a major crash on 9 February 1941), the Navy awarded Vought a contract for 370 BTU-1 aircraft which were given the name "Vandal".
In the Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Stratford, Connecticut, 1940.The aircraft was given a new designation (BTU - Bomber, Torpedo, Vought) and new name in part to reflect the changes to the Viking design, but also as a result of Vought lobbying with the Navy. Vought wanted to promote the aircraft as a new design to better compete with the more advanced Curtiss product. It was also fitting since the increased power made the carriage of a torpedo far more practical, but all the extra weight reduced the range, making the aircraft a less effective scout.
Since there was no true BTU prototype, the first BTU-1 Vandal was BuNo 00001, which first flew on 30 June 1942, less than a week after the first production F4U-1 took flight. Unlike many of the other new Navy aircraft entering service around this time, however, production ramped up quickly since it was a modification of the existing SB4U Viking airframe and many of the components were unchanged. The cockpit was raised to help with visibility around the new, larger R-2800 engine. A new horizontal tail was created to replace the draggy, externally braced horizontal stabilizer that was a holdover from the original Junkers Ju 87 V4 prototype purchased by Vought back in 1936.
Boulton Paul 'Type A' TurretThe other major change was the addition of a power-operated turret. The problem was that the Viking had also inherited the narrow fuselage of the Ju 87, and there were few suitable turrets that were both small enough to fit the fuselage and allowed the operator to bail out quickly if necessary. Vought opted for the Boulton Paul 'Type A' Turret used on the Defiant turret fighter. The Bendix Corporation had licensed production of the turret in the United States, Boulton Paul having itself licensed the turret from the French aviation company SAMM. Bendix made a number of changes to the turret, most notably replacing the four .303 Brownings with twin .50 cals.
The combination of German airframe, American engine, and French & British turret would prove to be a fruitful one, well-suited to the US Navy's operational needs.
Thanks to Talos for help with the new R-2800 prop and engine lines.
Cheers,
Logan