Author Topic: Apophenia's Offerings  (Read 905187 times)

Offline Litvyak

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #800 on: April 30, 2013, 01:06:21 PM »
Love those Arrows!
"God save our Queen and heaven bless the Maple Leaf forever!"

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Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #801 on: April 30, 2013, 01:15:23 PM »
Cheers Litvyak. As you may have guessed, some CanCon coming with the Arrows.  ;)
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline arc3371

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #802 on: May 01, 2013, 06:12:18 AM »
Great Arrows, could they be used as reinforcements for the FEAF?

Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #803 on: May 01, 2013, 06:46:15 AM »
Wait for it ...  ;)
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Tophe

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #804 on: May 01, 2013, 07:04:07 AM »
Beautiful VG.33s... Were those engine installations "French projects" or are they Apophenia dreams? Either way, they are marvelous. :-*

Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #805 on: May 01, 2013, 11:08:42 AM »
Strictly "Apophena dreams"  :D  It seemed to make sense, though. If the Armée de l'air wants to order wooden fighters, why not order some airframes from one of the places where they keep all the trees?  ;)
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline upnorth

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #806 on: May 02, 2013, 01:10:38 PM »
Very cool stuff going on with those Arrows! They look like some serious hot rods.
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Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #807 on: May 07, 2013, 05:51:54 AM »
Those Arrows look absolutely outstanding! If I had a Fiat G.50 in the stash, I might try copying it in 3D.

Most excellent, apophenia!

Brian da Basher

Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #808 on: May 08, 2013, 09:48:20 AM »
Having failed to attract the RAF with the AAC/Parnall Arrow Mk.II trainer, Arsenal Aircraft of Canada presented a similar, Merlin-powered fighter to the Royal Canadian Air Force. Canada had a pressing need for additional domestic fighters and the low strategic material content of the AAC proposal appealled to RCAF planners. However, the RCAF objected to the six-gun wing armament of the VG.33 derivative.

AAC had anticipated the armament objection and found a simple solution. The undercarriage of the Arrow derivative would simply be moved inboard (with retracted wheels almost meeting on the centre line). This allowed for a wing armament of up to eight machine guns. A bigger concern was that all available Merlin  engines were allotted to Canadian-produced Hawker Hurricanes.

After consultation with the RCAF, it was decided to substitute the Allison V-1710 powerplant. Installing this engine was comparatively simple since AAC was originally meant to supply Allison-powered VG.32 fighters to the French. The new fighter, now named the AAC Ares, developed quickly and differed in detail from the VG.32 -- aside from the revised undercarriage, the Ares also introduced twin, synchronized .50" cowl guns with another pair of 'fifties' in the new inboard wing positions.

The prototype Ares F.Mk.I (top) flew with a V-1710-33 engine in late May 1941. The first production Ares,  the F.Mk.IA with a six-gun wing armament, followed in September 1941. In the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, the F.Mk.IAs were quickly issued to West Coast fighter squadrons. The pressure was now on AAC to fully arm the Mk.IAs and field the eight-gunned Ares F.Mk.IB as soon as possible.

Bottom: AAC Ares F.Mk.IA (upgraded) of No.111 (Fighter) Squadron flying in defence of Vancouver harbour in late 1941.
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 #809 on: May 08, 2013, 10:02:30 AM »
Love it!! Like, *love* it!
"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 Tophe

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #810 on: May 08, 2013, 12:22:30 PM »
Beautiful! :-*
Could you design someday a Twin-Arsenal with the port fuselage having no pilot (or having a radial engine)?

Offline upnorth

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #811 on: May 10, 2013, 01:44:24 PM »
Top stuff as always! :)
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Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #812 on: May 13, 2013, 09:43:43 AM »
Thanks folks. Here's a quickie 'sœur jumelle' for Tophe ...
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 #813 on: May 13, 2013, 09:45:44 AM »
Back to the Arsenal Aircraft of Canada story ...

Although much of the design work for the Ares F.Mk.IA was already done by the Arsenal VG.32, the Allison was not AAC's first powerplant choice. AAC's small design department saw more promise in a smaller engine,  the US Continental IV-1430 inverted V-12. This led to a design study known as the 'Ares Hyper'.

It was proposed that the IV-1430-1 powerplant be installed in a standard Ares F.Mk.I airframe. The engine would be fed by a Bendix-Stromberg PD-12P2 updraught carburettor (fed from an air intake in the ventral radiator bath).

The smaller IV-1420 allowed AAC to consider larger cowl guns. The proposed main armament was an aircraft version of the 20mm Polsten cannon to be made by John Inglis Ltd of Toronto. It was hoped that the lighter Polsten guns (along with the elimination of the intercooled GE turbocharger) would help offset the greater dry weight of the Continental engine.

A single Ares F.Mk.I airframe was temporarily converted into an 'Ares Hyper' mockup. However, in the end,  neither the IV-1420 engine nor the aircraft Polsten gun became production items. The 'Ares Hyper' became a 'widow' project with neither powerplant not main armament available to it.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Tophe

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #814 on: May 13, 2013, 09:53:11 AM »
Thanks folks. Here's a quickie 'sœur jumelle' for Tophe ...
Very lovely! Thanks a lot! And congratulations...

Offline lauhof52

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #815 on: May 13, 2013, 01:30:31 PM »
Beautiful real!! :)

Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #816 on: May 14, 2013, 10:26:58 AM »
The Ares F.Mk.II was to have an Allison V-1710-F20R but development was delayed as Arsenal Aircraft of Canada focused on production of Mk.I fighters. For the Ares F.Mk.III series the Mk.I's V-1710-C15 engine was replaced by its USAAF equivalent (the V-1710-33) and US equipment substituted for much of the RCAF's preferred British kit.

The Ares F.Mk.III employed US equipment and armament for better integration with the USAAF supply lines in the Alaskan theatre. The Ares F.Mk.IIIA retained the armament of the Ares F.Mk.I but its machine gun-calibre Brownings switched to US .3" rounds. Intended to defend the coast of British Columbia coast, the Ares F.Mk.IIIB retained .303" machine guns.

(Top) This Ares F.Mk.IIIA of No.111 'Thunderbird' Squadron sports a range of Alaskan markings. The yellow spinner and vertical white stripes follows the example of fighters of the USAAF 11th FS. On the fuselage is the short-lived 'D' Type or 'Western Air Command' roundel. The wing 'A' and 'B' Type roundels were retained but had their red portions overpainted with white.

This aircraft is almost factory-fresh. A No.111 Squadron thunderbird 'totem' has been painted on its nose  but squadron codes are missing and the individual aircraft letter has only been chaulked on.

____________________


The Ares F.Mk.IIIC took US standardization another step. Armament now consisted of six .5" Brownings - two cowl guns, two wing guns, and a further two guns in underwing pods. While this considerably increased the Ares' weight of fire, underwing pods had a deleterious effect on both top speed and manoeuvrability. Many Mk.IIICs had their pod guns removed in the field. Some 'Cs had US Type Q2 bomb racks installed in place of the pods. Others flew as four-gun interceptors.

(Bottom) No.14 (F) Squadron took on Ares F.Mk.IIICs when it rotated from Sea Island, BC to the Alaskan theatre. This aircraft had its standard RCAF markings modified in the field. All trace of insignia red paint has been removed. Its roundels have been overpainted with white and even its tailfin red stripe has been covered over with a coat of fresh Ocean Grey.

The fuselage codes are slightly unusual on YA-F. The southern-style underscored squadron codes are retained but these are matched with an oversized individual aircraft letter (note that this 'F' has also been given a Dark Green outline where it overlaps the Sky fuselage band).

This Ares F.Mk.IIIC saw heavy use in the Aleutian campaign. Having operated from Adak and Amchitka Islands, this Ares left on its final mission from Umnak on 15 August 1943. The planned 'Rhubarb' over Kiska proved uneventful as the Japanese had already abandoned the island. However, on the return leg of the mission, Ares 9241 developed engine trouble and lost power. Plane and pilot were last seen descending through low cloud 20 miles NE of Kiska.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline apophenia

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CAMS Arrow
« Reply #817 on: May 17, 2013, 08:47:43 AM »
By 1941, the Parnall Aircraft factory at Yate had become Frazer-Nash and was producing hydraulic gun turrets. But, as Frazer-Nash, the firm had inherited the support contract for RAF Arrow fighter trainers. The latter was a type that the RAF found it had little use for but, with the advent of the Catapult Aircraft Merchant Ship concept, a new role was suggested.

Frazer-Nash's initial proposal for a CAMS rebuild was rejected as existing Arrows had seen hard use at the hands of  student pilots and their 'recycled' Kestrel engines were already old when the Arrow conversions were first created.

Rejection of conversions raised the possibility of new-built CAMS Arrows. Parnall's had done some design work on an Arrow which re-used the Napier Dagger air-cooled engines from the Hawker Hector. That concept was resurrected for the catapult-launched Arrow. As with the Arrow fighter trainers, Canadian-made airframes would be provided with engines taken from RAF stores.

As Daggers had also become available from the Handley-Page Hereford re-engining programme, Frazer-Nash revised its original submission. The initially that that airframe finishes could be minimal (as the CAMS fighters were expected to be single-use aircraft) was abandoned in favour of painted finishes (including  RCAF schemes when already applied to semi-complete airframes). The Hector-style cowling was also revised (with the portside trough for a synchonized machine gun eliminated).

The worth of the 'Dagger Arrow' scheme was acknowledged as it made use of a low-strategic material airframe and now-unwanted powerplants. However, the Fleet Air Arm now had war-weary Fulmar and Hurricane fighters available for the CAMS role. No order was placed for the 'Dagger Arrow' and Frazer-Nash returned to producing aircraft gun turrets.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Tophe

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #818 on: May 17, 2013, 08:53:18 AM »
Great addition, thanks! :-*

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #819 on: May 18, 2013, 02:55:31 AM »
 :)
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline apophenia

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #820 on: May 19, 2013, 06:48:18 AM »
Thanks folks! I forgot to mention that I 'borrowed' the CAMS catapult from a Herbert Ringlstetter profile of a 'Hurricat:-[
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 #821 on: May 19, 2013, 01:18:05 PM »
Arsenal Aircraft of Canada finally got access to a Packard-built Merlin engine when a CCF Hurricane Mk.X  was damaged on the ground in Edmonton. With permission of the RCAF, the 1,300 hp Merlin 28 was experimentally installed in a Ares Mk.Ib returned to the AAC facory with engine bearer damage.

Dubbed the 'Merlin Ares', this test mule proved considerably faster than the Allison-powered Ares. This aircraft was dispatched to Patricia Bay, BC, where it was to undergo trials as a tactical reconnaissance fighter as well as testing its experimental camouflage. Unfortunately, Ares 9327 suffered a landing accident on arrival at Pat Bay so no Tac-R trials could be undertaken and its 'Hun Scheme' was never tested over the Pacific.

(Top) The 'Merlin Ares' as orginally flown (armament and main wheel doors were fitted later).

Another Ares was converted to take the 'high' Allison V-1710-F3R engine. after engine trials, this aircraft was transferred to Bell Aircraft as the USAAF's XP-76B (42-21163). The XP-76B was used to test wooden airframe components for XP-77 (and potential parts substitution on P-63 Kingcobra). The Ares airframe was later tested to destruction at Bell's test facility at Buffalo, NY.

(Bottom) Bell XP-76B in factory-fresh USAAF applied at AAC's paintshop. Note US insignia incorrectly applied to all four wing positions (these were later painted out by Bell).
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 #822 on: May 19, 2013, 01:39:05 PM »
They're both great, but the Merlin Ares is gorgeous!
"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 #823 on: May 20, 2013, 06:22:23 AM »
That Merlin Ares looks soooo right!!!!

Offline lauhof52

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Re: Apophenia's Offerings
« Reply #824 on: May 20, 2013, 03:32:56 PM »
Bell XP_76B is outstanding!