I really couldn’t think of a better subject title but the best example is the speculative alternate history represented by all those “1946 luftwaffe” models.
A few facts: in 1940 one of the Miles trainer designs was earmarked as a utility fighter for when all the Spitfires and Hurricanes were destroyed. The Lancaster B2 was designed with Bristol Hurcules engines in anticipation of a shortage of Merlins. So how about a speculative Hurcules engined Hurricane. This isn’t a model I am likely to build (though I do keep considering building a Sea Harrier with an arrestor hook, just to see who notices) but I would like to know if anyone else has any CREDIBLE examples in mind.
Snibble,
I’d love to see a Beaufighter with Merlins, Griffons, or airframe A19-2 that the Aussies fitted with Wright Cyclones - that would be cool.
Cheers
LeeTree
Beaufighter II, Merlins.
P-61 Blackwidow with Allison turbo-props.
Randie [C):-)]
My brand of ‘what if’ modeling usually doesn’t go the way of alternate powerplants or armament or the like. I tend to go the more usual route of machines which were either on the verge of entering service or seeing combat at war’s end. I kinda enjoy guessing what some of these aircraft (or targets tanks and other targets military vehicles) might have looked like and what would have transpired had the war not ended when it did, both in the ETO/MTO and the PTO.
As an example, I’d like to build a P-80 in a number of scheme/marking combinations, especially something similar to some of the schemes used by the 56th FG. For the PTO I’d like to build an F7F with some nose art (rare on Navy birds, less so on Marine aircraft) and a few kill markings. Perhaps a nightfighter; I LOVE black airplanes.
Anyhoo, in both cases such a thing would be plausible, especially if the war had lasted longer in either hemisphere, as examples of both of these aircraft were either in theatre (P-80) or on their way (F7F) during the latter stages of the war.
Fade to Black…
I’d be inclined to see what a late war P-38 would look like if the RAF had taken them.
I’m seeing Griffon engines with either five blade or contrarotating props on each and four 20 mm tank busting guns in the nose.
I’d probably put it in 6 Sqn. markings, love the flying can opener emblem!
I put a P-51B on floats. Chopped the lower fuselage(cut the scoop out) and reshaped this to sit more forward but, dump at about the same location. It was thinner and tucked more closely two the fuselage. It was a Navy acft and ordered in response to Japanese float fighters and stationed in the Aleutians. The Navy felt that the Alaskan Theatre was just to much an Army/Army Air Force show and they needed a presence without sparing a carrier. I painted it tricolor camo and the star and bar has the red surround making it early to mid “43”.
I seem to recall from years ago someone made a kit for the Merlin engined Mk 2 Beaufighter, or perhaps it was a conversion kit. I also recall a conversion kit for the Hercules engined Mk 2 Lanc. I really must keep up with these things better!! How about modelling one of the Merlin engined P40F’s?
The Miles would be the M20. Mostly made of wood, fixed u/c with spats, & four 20mm cannon. Oh, & a bubble canopy, very far sighted for it’s time. In the event we had enough Hurricanes & Spitfires.
That Mustang on floats, how about a D model with a Griffon & contra props?
Speaking of which, it really is time we had a decent injection moulded Martin Baker MB5, Now there’s a prop fighter for you. (On second thoughts I think I read that one is to become available soon).
Somewhere in the USA, there’s a guy building a replica MB5 to fly, based on a Mustang wing I think.
The Hercules Lancaster was the B11, (thats a roman 2, not eleven) I think there’s a 1/72 kit of it somewhere.
Pete
I like dressing my aircraft up in CSA markings, sorta “what-if” style, I’d suppose.
I also sometimes take older/obsolete airplanes, and redesign 'em to look more modern, and more powerful(currently, I’m redesigning a Mistubishi G4M1 “betty” in 1/144th scale into a modern EW craft for the CSA.).
The Wright Flyer with a turbofan on the top of the top wing, like in that TV commercial a few months ago. I thought that was pretty imaginative.
OR… How about a C-130 with wing-top-mounted turbofans? And retractable floats?
A 747 with scramjets?
loads of cool ideas here. one kit that i am on with at the moment is the XP67, i am doing it as a night fighter with contraprops and a radar pod on the wing. all gloss black with red wing walk lines and codes.
i will post an in progress pic here shortly
Greg
Tankbusting P38 with contraprops! Turbine P61! I may need a lie down. The 1946 allied aircraft thing is interesting, I’m always seeing things written down about what effect this or that German aircraft might have made, But I’m seeing P80’s & F7’s too, and F8’s, Vampires, and Sea Furies and I think the answer is; “Not much”.
F7F Tigercat with turbojets and Sidewinders!
I’m in the process of converting Hasegawa’s Kyushu J7W1 Shinden to the turbojet-powered version that was the original focus of the design. I’ll post a photo of the work in progress soon. It’s fun to build a plane that never existed(off the drawing board at least) yet still keep it true to the period.
TenchiMuyo81: I plan to build the Italeri 1/48 Mirage F-1 into a modern-day Confederate States Airforce anti-shipping fighter(with Exocet). It’s just an exercise in “what if” history I guess, supposing that the CSA had survived into the present. I feel sure that the French would’ve been happy to sell them aircraft. I’m thinking about some sort of camo scheme based on operations over the Gulf of Mexico. I bought the kit last summer but haven’t started yet. Gary
How about a Heinkel Hirth jet powered He219?
If memory serves me the Uhu was designed with a conversion jet power at a later date in mind.
Karl
This will make all the “prop” fans (no pun) happy. Build models on the idea of :
“What If the jet engine was never invented?”
No problem, I always thought the Arado Blitz would look just as good with a set of turbo charged piston engines as it did with the jets.[:D]
How `bout a spitfire with hercules engine. Snicker
OUCH!!! Thats just ugly to think about. 
How about a Heinkel Grief with a bomb bay modified to take an unmanned ME-163 Komet up as sort of a rocket driven Mistel idea. Take the seat and instruments out of the Komet’s cockpit and replace them with a warhead.
Can you imagine that being put against allied ships in the the Atlantic, English Channel and North Sea?