Author Topic: Apophenia's Offerings  (Read 904933 times)

Offline Litvyak

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #450 on: July 10, 2012, 11:50:55 AM »
 :-*

Gorgeous!!
"God save our Queen and heaven bless the Maple Leaf forever!"

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

Offline Cliffy B

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #451 on: July 10, 2012, 11:55:13 AM »
They look so natural!
"Radials growl, inlines purr, jets blow!"  -Anonymous

"Helos don't fly.  They vibrate so violently that the ground rejects them."  -Tom Clancy

"If all else fails, call in an air strike."  -Anonymous

Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #452 on: July 10, 2012, 07:40:31 PM »
Sweet Scimitars!

Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #453 on: July 11, 2012, 10:31:00 AM »
Thanks folks!  :D
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline M.A.D

  • Also likes a bit of arse...
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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #454 on: July 23, 2012, 11:44:32 PM »
'North: as promised, here's some more Namao-based heavies.

The Keewatin filled a gap between tactical and strategic transport for the RCAF. Another windy backstory but, long story/shorter: CC-152A is a Kawasaki C-1 outfitted for the RCAF by Canadair. The CC-152B was a trials conversion to BE.53 Pegasus (Bristol Aero Engines Canada). The production STOL variant was the CC-152C.

Very nice!!!

M.A.D

Offline M.A.D

  • Also likes a bit of arse...
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Re: Canadair-Douglas CC-233
« Reply #455 on: July 23, 2012, 11:45:26 PM »
Next installment for the alternative AltCan: the Canadair-Douglas CC-233 Labrador.

With Douglas ending C-133B project, the time was right for a joint venture. A shortened C-133 fuselage was mated to CL-44 wings, tail, and Tyne turboprops. The RCAF used the CC-233 Labrador to shuttle NATO fighters to Europe.

Unfortunately for Douglas, the USAF didn't bite. Hopes had been pinned on riding on USAF CL-44 orders. When that [RW] MATS order fell through, so too did any chance of a USAF 'C-233'.

Any chance of one of these in an RAAF scheme???

M.A.D

Offline apophenia

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Re: Canadair-Douglas CC-233
« Reply #456 on: July 25, 2012, 11:43:11 AM »
Any chance of one of these in an RAAF scheme???

Now why didn't I think of that?  ;D
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #457 on: July 25, 2012, 12:05:38 PM »
Here's another from Litvyak's AltBC series...

Having overseen BC production of the Parnall Plover, designer Harold Bolas moved to Vancouver in early 1930. His first BC commission was from Hoffar Aircraft Engines.

HAE had a buy-back arrangement with the Royal British Columbia Air Force and had exported some refurbished HIV-12A Harrier air-cooled V-12s to Kwangsi to re-engine worn DH-4s and DH-9s. Now the Kwangsi Air Force was looking for a Harrier-powered fighter trainer.

The result was the Hoffar Bolas Fighter HBF-1 aka Bolas Bolo Mk.I  biplane. Twenty were built for the Kwangsi AF, entering service in 1931. By 1935, the Bolos were wearing out and Kwangsi returned them to Hoffar for modernizing and rebuilding.

The HBF-1A (Bolas Bolo Mk.IA ) was similar but replaced the Harrier V-12 with a 450 hp HLR-9A Alcyone 9-cyl radial. Kwangsi arranged for shipment from Vancouver to Hong Kong but the aircraft never arrived. Some time later, the mystery ship showed up in Barcelona harbour - the fighter-trainers had been diverted to the Spanish Republicans!

After assuring the BC government that Hoffar had nothing to do with breaking the boycott on arms shipments to Spain, the HBF-2 (aka Bolas Boxer) light fighter was developed for export. This aircraft was to have a 750 hp 18-cyl HLR-18A Procyon radial but as that engine was late, a P&W Wasp was installed instead.

With no interest in the HBF-2 shown in China, a sales tour of Central America was planned. On the advice of Hoffar de  México SA, the Bolas name was dropped and the light fighter redubbed the Hoffar Halcòn for the Latin American market.

The HBF-2 demonstrator was sold to the Nicaraguan Guardia Nacional and further development of the dated Hoffar Bolas Fighter series was abandoned.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Litvyak

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #458 on: July 25, 2012, 12:30:47 PM »
Spectacular! :D
"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 GTX_Admin

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #459 on: July 25, 2012, 01:03:34 PM »
I understand the CC-233 was a real 'dog' in RAAF service...
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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

Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #460 on: July 26, 2012, 05:49:09 AM »
I understand the CC-233 was a real 'dog' in RAAF service...

Woof!  ;D

Bolas-Crouch Monoplane Fighter and Bolide


With the Bolo/Boxer design played out, Harold Bolas began sketching out a more advanced monoplane fighter for the RBCAF. Then came the surprise announcement came that the Supermarine Skemcis would be bought.

Rather than pursue his monoplane fighter concept, Bolas revised the design as a two-seat attack aircraft. Structurally, the aircraft remained the same as did the powerplant options.

The Bolas attack aircraft, dubbed Bolide, was submitted to the RBCN but was rejected due to wooden construction and monoplane configuration. In 1938, Bolas tried the RBCAF again but that service had also fallen into the thrall of all-metal construction.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #461 on: July 26, 2012, 05:50:41 AM »
Bolas-Crouch Baccalaureate

With war in Europe imminent, the Royal British Columbia Air Force had a change of heart on metal construction for non-operational types. Early in 1939, the RBCAF planning office approached Bolas to see about turning his wooden attack aircraft design into an advanced trainer for the RBCAF. 

A trainer design with a 600 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp was quickly drawn up. This met the RBCAF's approval but the service insisted upon a change to a single tail surface. This single-finned design would enter RBCAF service as the Bolas-Crouch Baccalaureate trainer.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #462 on: July 26, 2012, 05:52:25 AM »
Bolas-Crouch Bufflehead and 'Saltchuck Baccy'

The Bolas-Crouch Baccalaureate formed the basis for two different float trainers for the RBCAF. The first was the single-float Bufflehead with purpose-designed Hoffar float and wingtip pontoons. The Bufflehead was meant as a familiarization trainer for the Sea Skemcis SF fighter. The result was unsuccessful in the extreme, the Bufflehead being prone to porpoising on take-off and skip or nose-in on landings.

The second Baccalaureate conversion was more successful. The twin-float
Baccalaureate TF employed imported Edo floats. This 'Saltchuck Baccy' was used as a lead-in trainer for the Sea Skemcis SB torpedo bombers. The wooden structure was not ideal for exposure to salt air and the 'Saltchuck Baccy' was phased out of service in 1946.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #463 on: July 26, 2012, 05:54:21 AM »
Bolas-Crouch Brambling

Ryan Aeronautical Company of San Diego and Bolas-Crouch struck a deal whereby all-metal specialist Ryan got production rights to the wooden Baccalaureate trainer while Bolas-Crouch could participate in Ryan's bid to build a wooden derivative of their ST series for the US Army.

In the end, the USAAF decided not to proceed with the Ryan trainer beyond a handful of YPT-25 trials aircraft. Bolas-Crouch, on the other hand, produced fairly large numbers of BC-150 Brambling trainers for the RBCAF and for export to Canada for RCAF use.

Initially, it was planned to use the Hoffar-Bolas Bombus 6M V-6 engine in the Brambling but that proved an unhappy combination. The Brambling prototype was re-engined with a de Havilland Gipsy Six which would also power two Brambling production marks. Other Brambling marks used imported Menasco B-6 Buccaneer or Fairchild Ranger 6-440 engines.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Litvyak

  • Shifting between quantum realities...
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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #464 on: July 26, 2012, 05:57:07 AM »
<3 <3 <3 !!!
"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."

Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #465 on: July 26, 2012, 06:09:04 AM »
Great stuff! That grey/green over yellow scheme on the Baccalaureate is quite tasty!  :P

Offline JP Vieira

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #466 on: July 27, 2012, 02:55:55 AM »
Very good

Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #467 on: July 27, 2012, 07:11:47 AM »
Thanks folks! Somebody on Secret Projects was asking about the unbuilt Macchi C.204 with Isotta Fraschini Asso L.121 or L.122 V12. I cobbled together this using an online C.202 image -- alas, I'm not sure who did the original  :-[
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #468 on: July 27, 2012, 01:12:36 PM »
Before the Chimera ...  "Eternal glory to Soviet Workers and Peasants!"
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline AXOR

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #469 on: July 27, 2012, 04:45:02 PM »
IL-21 is quite impressive !!!
Alex

Offline Tophe

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #470 on: July 28, 2012, 12:47:20 AM »
 :-* I love your Il-21!

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #471 on: July 28, 2012, 03:38:40 AM »
 :)
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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

Offline JP Vieira

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #472 on: July 28, 2012, 10:35:23 PM »
That proto- chimera is amazing :)

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #473 on: July 29, 2012, 12:20:53 AM »
I've got to agree, JP! That "Chimeraski" is an absolute wonder to behold!

Brian da Basher

Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #474 on: July 30, 2012, 08:59:03 AM »
Thanks folks!  Working on that conceptual Macchi C.204 image inspired a similar AltHist Macchi C.202. My spring-off point was the various negotiations and treaties attempting to tie Italy and France together in the  1930s. What if that succeeded?

That took me to a HS.12Y powered Macchi C.202 in service with a Regia Aeronautica fighting on the side of the Allies. And mightn't the French have been interested in such a Hispano-powered aircraft to bolster their own fighter defences in 1940? So, presented here are:

* The unpainted prototype Macchi C.202 (MM 445) at Lonate Pozzolo on 01 May 1939 before going to the Regia Aeronautica experimental station at Guidonia. The prototype was fitted with a Czech Avia-built HS.12Y.

* An export Macchi for the Armée de l'Air in 2e Escadrille, GC II/7 markings (Panthère noire, inset) at Luxeuil, 20 May 1940. Aircraft '4' had an Alfa Romeo RA.1000 RC.12 Monsone (licenced HS.12Y) and a French armament (including 20mm HS.404 cannon).

* An MC.202 serie II of 79° Squadriglia, 17° Gruppo, 1° Stormo. Having claimed two Luftwaffe kills, 79-8 was lost over Osttirol on 28 June 1940. This aircraft had a RA.1000 RC.12-II Monsone, 20mm Scotti cannon and twin 7.7mm Breda machineguns.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."