Beyond The Sprues

Modelling => Ideas & Inspiration => Aero-space => Topic started by: raafif on October 12, 2012, 08:10:16 AM

Title: T6 Texan floatplane !
Post by: raafif on October 12, 2012, 08:10:16 AM
pix found on ebay
The RoK Navy used a float from a Rufe and the tip floats are USAF drop tanks.  Only a one-off in the real world but in Whif-ville ? ...

(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Korean-War-ROK-Navy-T6-Sea-Plane-Boat-South-Korea-1950s-Kodachrome-Red-Slide-/00/s/MTA4NlgxNTg0/$(KGrHqZ,!h4F!-SbIS7+BQZ4mF,S-!~~60_57.JPG)
(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Korean-War-ROK-Navy-T6-Sea-Plane-Boat-Vintage-1950s-Kodachrome-Red-Slide-3-/00/s/MTA4NlgxNTg0/$T2eC16J,!)sE9swm(wv0BQZ4+Dv!kw~~60_57.JPG)
(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Korean-War-ROK-Navy-T6-Sea-Plane-Boat-Vintage-1950s-Kodachrome-Red-Slide-/00/s/MTA4NlgxNTg0/$T2eC16dHJGoE9nuQg2L0BQZkdyBfLQ~~60_57.JPG)
Title: Re: T6 Texan floatplane !
Post by: Logan Hartke on October 12, 2012, 09:10:32 AM
That's one of the coolest T-6s I've ever seen!  Thanks for sharing!

Cheers,

Logan
Title: Re: T6 Texan floatplane !
Post by: Litvyak on October 12, 2012, 09:13:30 AM
That's brilliant! Build that as the photos show, and I bet most people would still think it's a whiff!
Title: Re: T6 Texan floatplane !
Post by: TomZ on October 12, 2012, 02:40:17 PM
There is a 1/72 kit of this by Classic Plane of Germany.
It's the Academy T-6 with resin floats.

TomZ
Title: Re: T6 Texan floatplane !
Post by: Cliffy B on October 12, 2012, 11:08:31 PM
That is beyond cool!!!!!!!  Thanks for sharing man  8)
Title: Re: T6 Texan floatplane !
Post by: Acree on October 13, 2012, 12:16:57 AM
I have read that this plane had drop tanks for tip floats before, but had never seen a photo.  If those really ARE drop tanks, they are heavily modified ones.  Take a look: they had knife-edge aft ends and planing bottoms.  My bet is they are Rufe tip floats with a totally different strut setup (or perhaps Kingfisher, etc.).  What do you think?
Title: Re: T6 Texan floatplane !
Post by: jcf on October 13, 2012, 01:40:19 AM
In his book on the T-6 Dan Hagedorn states: " ... center-line float of unknown provenance and F-80 wingtip tanks as outboard floats, ... ".

I find it interesting how everyone gloms onto a Rufe as the source of the center-line float, it could
just as possibly be from a Pete, or a Nakajima E8N, which had a strut attachment very similar to
what is seen in the T-6 photos, or perhaps one float from a Jake.

Or it could be that it's not Japanese at all.  ;D
Title: Re: T6 Texan floatplane !
Post by: Logan Hartke on October 13, 2012, 03:48:02 AM
Nakajima E8N, which had a strut attachment very similar to what is seen in the T-6 photos
That's what I was thinking, myself.  The SOC Seagull was similar as well, but the float shape is much more similar to a Rufe or Dave, so my money's on Japanese.

If I were forced to bet, though, I think I'd say the E8N Dave is most likely.

Cheers,

Logan
Title: Re: T6 Texan floatplane !
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 13, 2012, 04:44:17 AM
Great find!
Title: Re: T6 Texan floatplane !
Post by: Alvis 3.1 on October 13, 2012, 05:05:38 AM
I built one of those ages back for a Korean War display, using the Testors Texan. I can't recall what I used for the float, but the reference I had on the plane stated it was taken from the remains of a Japanese floatplane and that yes, the tiptanks from an F-80 were the tip floats. Then again, it's a single source of info, so no idea if it was accurate.

Alvis 3.1
Title: Re: T6 Texan floatplane !
Post by: Alvis 3.1 on October 13, 2012, 05:11:31 AM
More info, some of the same pics, but a few of the construction itself...
http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=47413&start=0 (http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=47413&start=0)


Alvis 3.1
Title: Re: T6 Texan floatplane !
Post by: Acree on October 13, 2012, 09:41:02 AM
OK, maybe my old eyes are failing, but I am SURE the tip floats are different in the condtruction photos compared to the in-service, color photos.  Looks to me like it was originally equipped with F-80 tip tanks, later replaced by proper tip floats.