Beyond The Sprues

Modelling => Ideas & Inspiration => Aero-space => Topic started by: The Rat on March 21, 2020, 07:31:12 AM

Title: Most real-life kit-bashed aircraft?
Post by: The Rat on March 21, 2020, 07:31:12 AM: A post by GTX_Admin with a lot of pictures of the Fairey Battle with various mods, got me thinking: which aircraft in history has had more test-bed derivatives that any other? Some manufacturers have used a single aircraft with which they often attached engines; Pratt and Whitney Canada used a Viscount and a B-720 for years, but those are in a different class. They were strictly used for testing new engines and their descendants. I'm talking about modifying an aircraft some way so as to find out how the whole thing behaved, from front to back, inside and out. Performance, handling, range, altitude, etc. Here are the pictures from that thread, and I know there are more, but my mind (such as it is) was sparked by this post so that's the example I'll use.

So, which one? I'll also count out aircraft that went through many changes during an operational lifetime, like the Spitfire. Let's leave it just for aircraft that have been used as test-beds more than others.

Quote from: GTX_Admin on March 21, 2020, 02:57:21 AM
:smiley:

Someone should really release some conversion kits (maybe 3D printed) for the various Fairey Battle Engine Testbeds:

Wright Cyclone engine:

(https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/GTwiner098/battle-5_zpsmhl6xrst.jpg)
(https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/GTwiner098/Fairey%20Battle_03_engine%20testbed_zpsstmhny0z.jpg)

Napier Sabre:

(https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/GTwiner098/battle-6_zpsxaodtpmi.jpg)

RR Exe:

(https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/GTwiner098/Exe_zpskf0klq6c.jpg)

Fairey Monarch or Prince 4 (also see images above):

(https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/GTwiner098/battle-15_zpsyzbloamx.jpg)

Bristol Taurus:

(https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/GTwiner098/01ATFTU3_zpsb42gii1h.jpg)

Bristol Hercules:

(https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/GTwiner098/hercBatt_zpsjf9ytd1f.jpg)
Title: Re: Most real-life kit-bashed aircraft?
Post by: GTX_Admin on March 22, 2020, 02:37:45 AM: The Lancaster and its brethren were used quite a bit:

Engines:

(https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/abpic-media-eu-production/pictures/full_size_0179/1269739-large.jpg)
(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test1.jpg)
(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test2.jpg)
(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test11.jpg)
(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test10.jpg)
(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test5.jpg)
(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test6.jpg)
(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test13.jpg)
(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test12.jpg)
(https://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1286/4633403/9698385/143037098.jpg)(https://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1286/4633403/9698385/144488958.jpg)
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/69/06/75/69067520d88ac5e5b11eb94b7df40d19.jpg)
(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-sweden1.jpg)
(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-sweden2.jpg)

Boundary Layer Wing Research:

(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test3.jpg)(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test4.jpg)

Conformal tanks:
(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test8.jpg)(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test9.jpg)(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test7.jpg)

Lifeboat:

(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test15.jpg)

Drones:

(http://www.lancaster-archive.com/pic-lanc-test14.jpg)
Title: Re: Most real-life kit-bashed aircraft?
Post by: Kerick on March 22, 2020, 11:26:58 AM: I have to throw the B-17 into the mix. Maybe I can find some pics on the big computer.
Title: Re: Most real-life kit-bashed aircraft?
Post by: ericr on March 22, 2020, 02:25:11 PM: ;D
Title: Re: Most real-life kit-bashed aircraft?
Post by: apophenia on March 30, 2020, 02:33:51 AM: Great stuff guys!

Quote from: GTX_Admin on March 22, 2020, 02:37:45 AM
Lifeboat:

Greg: Attached is an image of a Lancaster ASR.III lifeboat-carrier.

Your image is actually of Flight Refuelling Ltd's G-AHJV - one of four Lanc B.IIIs modified in 1947 for British South American Airways trials on a London-Bermuda stage. (These Lancasters used Rebecca and Eureka to keep track of each other.)

The picture of G-AHJV has me wondering ... were any Lancasters/Lancastrians ever given big belly cargo panniers akin to the Halifax C.VIII?
Title: Re: Most real-life kit-bashed aircraft?
Post by: GTX_Admin on March 30, 2020, 03:06:22 AM: :smiley:
Title: Re: Most real-life kit-bashed aircraft?
Post by: taiidantomcat on April 05, 2020, 09:57:34 AM: If I had to take a swing I would say C-130.
Title: Re: Most real-life kit-bashed aircraft?
Post by: PlasticMasticator on April 17, 2020, 02:52:05 PM: Lancaster photos, second one down...is that a big gun attachment on the nose? Never seen that photo before and I'm working on something similar next.
Title: Re: Most real-life kit-bashed aircraft?
Post by: GTX_Admin on April 18, 2020, 03:14:22 AM: Quote from: PlasticMasticator on April 17, 2020, 02:52:05 PM
Lancaster photos, second one down...is that a big gun attachment on the nose? Never seen that photo before and I'm working on something similar next.

No. caption was Lancaster Mk.III ME540
used for "Gust Research Trials" c.1951.
Modifications by Boulton Paul Ltd.
Title: Re: Most real-life kit-bashed aircraft?
Post by: PlasticMasticator on April 18, 2020, 03:53:10 AM: Thanks...I was a bit worried 'cos I hoped my idea was newish. A cross between a Lanc and that ridiculous big-gun-toting-He177. Coastal Command would be good. Just finishing up my first build, then work out how to post pictures (again :P ).