In early 1943, interested in jet powerplants for fighter was at a fever pitch. But for carrier-based fighter there were two difficult challenges - the first was the range issue - jet powerplants were quite thirsty, limiting the range of any jet aircraft. Secondly (and worse), the slow response to throttle inputs in early jets made carrier operations extremely hazardous. So, a proposal was made for mixed powerplant fighters, using a piston engine for long range cruise as well as the needed quick power response, and a jet for high top speed.
This proposal went to several manufacturers, but all the main suppliers of naval aircraft were left out so as not to interrupt the vital production of Hellcats, Corsairs, etc. Ryan, Bellanca, Fairchild and Beech all put forward designs, but only Ryan and Bellanca were selected to build prototypes. The Ryan FR-1 was initially favored, but structural weakness in the too-lightly built FR-1 led to the Bellanca fighter being selected for production. Called Flash II by Bellanca, the aircraft was officially christened FE-1 Flash by the Navy Buaer.
The FE-1 airframe was based on that of the Hellcat, but the Hellcat's big 2,200 hp R-2800 engine was replaced by a much smaller Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone rated at 1700 hp. This engine was placed high in the nose, with the area underneath becoming the intake for the General Electric J-31 engine mounted in the lower rear fuselage.
The wing of the FE-1 was designed to be extremely strong, and this allowed a very widetrack landing gear to be installed. The tailwheel was installed in a bulge underneath the jet exhaust pipe.
Armament consisted of 2 20 mm Hispano M2 cannons in the wing roots synchronized to fire through the propeller, and four .50 caliber M2 machine guns mounted well outboard in the wings (outboard of the main landing gear).
After being replaced by pure jet fighters in USN service, 80 FE-1 were supplied to Latin American countries, including 32 to Uruguay. There, in 1949, FE-1 "White-14" shot down a Soviet Tu-4 bomber over Montevideo, whilst being flown by Tenente de Navio Fernando Vacotti out of Isla Libertad airbase.
Model:
1/72 Hasegawa F6F-3/5 - fuselage, horizontal stabs (modified), forward canopy (modified), prop (clipped).
Airfix Kingfisher - wings
B-25 Mitchell aftermarket set (can't remember brand) - engine and cowling
HobyBoss Easy Assembly Me 262 - rear canopy (modified)
Various other bits and bobs from the spares box.
I am not happy with the landing gear, but everything else I am pretty happy with. Hope you like it!
Chuck
