Author Topic: US X aircrafts in '40s - '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XB-51, XP-87...  (Read 12913 times)

Offline ysi_maniac

  • I will die understanding not this world
« Last Edit: May 26, 2021, 04:09:08 AM by ysi_maniac »

Offline jcf

  • Global Moderator
  • Turn that Gila-copter down!
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2013, 12:00:07 AM »
Interesting collection, one thing though, those are all 1940s designs.
 :)

The Air Force Museum site has some good photos on the various type pages:
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/research/aircraft/index.asp
“Conspiracy theory’s got to be simple.
Sense doesn’t come into it. People are
more scared of how complicated shit
actually is than they ever are about
whatever’s supposed to be behind the
conspiracy.”
-The Peripheral, William Gibson 2014

Offline GTX_Admin

  • Evil Administrator bent on taking over the Universe!
  • Administrator - Yep, I'm the one to blame for this place.
  • Whiffing Demi-God!
    • Beyond the Sprues
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2013, 02:07:39 AM »
I have long liked the Convair XB-46 - the slender wings and long fuselage just look so appealing.



Plenty of interesting photos and pictures Convair : XB-46 :
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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

Offline finsrin

  • The Dr Frankenstein of the modelling world...when not hiding from SBA
  • Finds part glues it on, finds part glues it on....
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2013, 02:39:41 AM »
XB-46 has impressive performance for being powered by J35 engines.
Moving up to J65 and later to dry F404 (in Skyhawk fashion) would be interesting moves.  Even considering critical Mach issues.

Offline Cliffy B

  • Ship Whiffer Extraordinaire...master of Beyond Visual Range Modelling
  • Its ZOTT!!!
    • My Artwork
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2013, 02:58:02 AM »
I wonder how well an XB-46 with piston/turboprops (for better range) would fair as a maritime patrol bomber?  Its not much larger than a P2V Neptune, can carry more ordnance, but is shorter legged.  Hmmm.... :)
"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

Offline Daryl J.

  • Assures us he rarely uses model glue in dentistry
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2013, 04:56:01 AM »
I wonder what an XB-46 would look like in the role the WB-57(x) plays.
kwyxdxLg5T

Offline ysi_maniac

  • I will die understanding not this world
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2013, 10:25:23 AM »
... those are all 1940s designs ...
You are right. My fault  :-[
« Last Edit: November 20, 2013, 03:26:55 AM by ysi_maniac »

Offline ysi_maniac

  • I will die understanding not this world
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2013, 03:32:27 AM »
And what about XB-48 with those 3 jet packs? that make me think in 4, 5, or 6 engines packs 8) :P

Offline jcf

  • Global Moderator
  • Turn that Gila-copter down!
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2013, 04:13:19 AM »
And what about XB-48 with those 3 jet packs? that make me think in 4, 5, or 6 engines packs 8) :P

Cool notion, although you'd want to use a different design for the pack as the one Martin
engineers used created massive drag.
Looked good on paper, seemed OK in the windtunnel, full size not so good.
“Conspiracy theory’s got to be simple.
Sense doesn’t come into it. People are
more scared of how complicated shit
actually is than they ever are about
whatever’s supposed to be behind the
conspiracy.”
-The Peripheral, William Gibson 2014

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2013, 04:26:40 AM »
IIRC the XB-48's engines were actually in separate 'boxes' with small gaps in between, just because of the high drag problems JCF mentions. One weird design.
Regards
Kit

--------------------------
Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline jcf

  • Global Moderator
  • Turn that Gila-copter down!
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #10 on: November 20, 2013, 04:44:54 AM »
Yep, and the ducts between the engine were the problem, the air dammed-up between
the engine boxes and created the drag. A redesign that eliminated the 'floor' of the ducts
possibly may have fixed most of the problem.
“Conspiracy theory’s got to be simple.
Sense doesn’t come into it. People are
more scared of how complicated shit
actually is than they ever are about
whatever’s supposed to be behind the
conspiracy.”
-The Peripheral, William Gibson 2014

Offline elmayerle

  • Its about time there was an Avatar shown here...
  • Über Engineer...at least that is what he tells us.
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #11 on: November 20, 2013, 12:37:07 PM »
Yep, and the ducts between the engine were the problem, the air dammed-up between
the engine boxes and created the drag. A redesign that eliminated the 'floor' of the ducts
possibly may have fixed most of the problem.
Yeah, that can be a real problem.  Look at the thickened  nacelle pylon on the Lear 25G where the tight areas between narrow pylon, fuselage, and nacelle were eliminated with a definite reduction in drag.

Offline PR19_Kit

  • Likes to brag about how long his...wings are.
  • Made it at last!
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #12 on: November 20, 2013, 05:11:57 PM »
A similar situation obtains with VC10s.

The pylon is a REALLY complicated shape and I don't think any model manufacturer has ever got it tight yet. It's twisted, cambered and tilted in every direction you could imagine in the quest to get the air going in the direction they wanted without causing lots of drag.
Regards
Kit

--------------------------
Any aircraft can be improved by fitting longer wings

Offline GTX_Admin

  • Evil Administrator bent on taking over the Universe!
  • Administrator - Yep, I'm the one to blame for this place.
  • Whiffing Demi-God!
    • Beyond the Sprues
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #13 on: November 20, 2013, 05:24:14 PM »
The XB-48 always looked to me to have been a Soviet or Eastern bloc design.
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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

Offline jcf

  • Global Moderator
  • Turn that Gila-copter down!
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #14 on: November 21, 2013, 03:55:13 AM »
The XB-48 always looked to me to have been a Soviet or Eastern bloc design.

Yep, I can picture it painted up with red stars starring as a Commie bomber in a 1950s
Red-Scare flick.

 ;D
“Conspiracy theory’s got to be simple.
Sense doesn’t come into it. People are
more scared of how complicated shit
actually is than they ever are about
whatever’s supposed to be behind the
conspiracy.”
-The Peripheral, William Gibson 2014

Offline finsrin

  • The Dr Frankenstein of the modelling world...when not hiding from SBA
  • Finds part glues it on, finds part glues it on....
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #15 on: November 21, 2013, 05:24:48 AM »
The XB-48 always looked to me to have been a Soviet or Eastern bloc design.

Yep, I can picture it painted up with red stars starring as a Commie bomber in a 1950s
Red-Scare flick.

 ;D

Big bomber borrowing on IL-28 experience.

Offline GTX_Admin

  • Evil Administrator bent on taking over the Universe!
  • Administrator - Yep, I'm the one to blame for this place.
  • Whiffing Demi-God!
    • Beyond the Sprues
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #16 on: October 11, 2014, 04:06:03 AM »
Cool (X)B-42 Artwork:

All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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

Offline kitnut617

  • Measures the actual aircraft before modelling it...we have the photographic evidence.
  • Holding Pattern
  • *
  • I'd rather be dirtbike riding...
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #17 on: October 11, 2014, 04:54:31 AM »
what are the cannon supposed to be, 40mm's  ???

Offline GTX_Admin

  • Evil Administrator bent on taking over the Universe!
  • Administrator - Yep, I'm the one to blame for this place.
  • Whiffing Demi-God!
    • Beyond the Sprues
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #18 on: October 11, 2014, 05:01:06 AM »
No idea - I think it is just artistic licence.
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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

Offline jcf

  • Global Moderator
  • Turn that Gila-copter down!
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #19 on: October 11, 2014, 06:40:05 AM »
Twin 37mm, the other proposed armament fits for a solid-nose attack
variant were sixteen .50 MG or one 75mm and two .50 MG.
“Conspiracy theory’s got to be simple.
Sense doesn’t come into it. People are
more scared of how complicated shit
actually is than they ever are about
whatever’s supposed to be behind the
conspiracy.”
-The Peripheral, William Gibson 2014

Offline finsrin

  • The Dr Frankenstein of the modelling world...when not hiding from SBA
  • Finds part glues it on, finds part glues it on....
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #20 on: October 11, 2014, 11:37:37 AM »
Cool artwork  8)
See a lot of Heinkle 100 in those Tony fighters.

Offline GTX_Admin

  • Evil Administrator bent on taking over the Universe!
  • Administrator - Yep, I'm the one to blame for this place.
  • Whiffing Demi-God!
    • Beyond the Sprues
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #21 on: October 12, 2014, 02:54:57 AM »
Thanks Jon.

Here's another:

All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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

Offline upnorth

  • Distorting a reality near you.
  • You want maple syrup on that Macchi?
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #22 on: October 18, 2014, 01:12:02 AM »
I always found the Custer Channel Wing to be a fascinating concept and I understand its STOL performance was very good.


net photo

I imagine it would have done well in SAR or air ambulance roles.

I wonder how it would have fared with turboprops.

From all I've read, the aircraft's single biggest problem was the guy running the show. Willard Custer sounds like he was a real piece of work.

Pickled Wings, A Blog for Preserved Aircraft:
http://pickledwings.com/

Beyond Prague, Traveling the Rest of the Czech Republic:
http://beyondprague.net/

Offline elmayerle

  • Its about time there was an Avatar shown here...
  • Über Engineer...at least that is what he tells us.
Re: US experimental aircrafts in '50s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XP-87...
« Reply #23 on: October 18, 2014, 01:47:49 AM »
Well, you'd need cross-shafting between the engines for safety (don't want way more lift on one side than the other) and I'd love to see what other special requirements the FAA would levy for certification.  I will agree that Willard Custer doesn't come off sounding that good.

Offline ysi_maniac

  • I will die understanding not this world
Re: US X aircrafts in '40s: XB-42, XB-43, XB-46, XB-48, XB-51, XP-87, ...
« Reply #24 on: August 08, 2017, 01:20:07 AM »
Updated XB-43

« Last Edit: May 26, 2021, 04:07:58 AM by ysi_maniac »