The cockpit area is taking shape. Opinion time. Suppose I added this nose. What do you think?
Eddie
Um…no. You want it to look like a Spitfire, not Madonna - right?
It should definitely keep that curved ‘throat’ of the Spitfire - to me, one of its most recognizable characteristics.
How about a translucent radome with a secret radar inside?
With credit to Jeaton for sourcing this photo.
You are welcome Eddie. I am glad to see some of the parts I sent you being put to good use.
I would say a definite pass on the pointy nose. Makes it looks too modern, ala F-18, F-16, F-whatever.
This is why I’m still pullin’ for a tri-motor plan- you save the essentail Spitfire nose with as little modification as possible.
You could also stick with a single-engine plan (albeit with souped-up contra-props engine) and do somethin’ funky with the front of the tail booms- big guns, anyone? [;)]
(Although I’m saddened that my idea for a rear fuselage turret has apparently been scrapped… [:(])
(Just kidding.)
How about a two seater, twin engine…leave the stock lines of the Spit but make the spinner a radar setup, the lower section of the cowl can house some heavy cannons. The tri-engine jobs sounds too much like your being influenced by the axis.
Now what about a TRi-motor with contra’s. Now that would be a serious muscle ship.[:D] [tup]
…Guy
I vote for a twin engine with the center section nose rounded off. As suggested, some heavy guns in the nose section like the P-38 carried.
Use a Mosquito type gun arrangement on this beast. 20mm in the belly area, and MG’s in the mose. 4 across like the Mossie. You will have to make gun ports on the fuselage sides, for the MG’s, as it is so thin, or you could go 2 in the belly, and 2 in the nose. 4 total would be plenty of fire for this craft. Think about it. It would be cool.
That’s a good idea - if you have 'em, I imagine external MG pods for a B-25 Mitchell could come in handy - with modifications, of course. But why stop there? You could also tack on underwing 37mm pods from a Ju-87G for a little extra punch. [:P]
four cannons in blister packs and a Fraser Nash turret with 4x.303 in the nose plus the contra rotating props idea, kinda like a backwards flying Bolton Paul Defiant with an extra tail
Alright, eechs nay on the ose nay. I do have the guns pods from my B-25 and like that idea very much, plus maybe a couple of heavy hitters in the nose under the spinner. I’m going to see what twin counter rotating props will look like.
Eddie
Hiya Eddie,
Its easy, leave the outer two engines as is with contra props, but add the turbine exhausts as per your P40 build. Cut the nose from the front of the centre fusel and fit at the rear as a pusher but just use a single 4-5 bladed prop but add Griffen bulges or maybe a jet exhaust with intakes along the sides or maybe the wing leading edge. Fit eight .050s into the wings, & give yourself 4 x 20mms in the front. Under the cockpit add windows for sideways looking cameras. Under the wings between fuselage and boom add trees for 60lb missiles, little johns, LGB smart bombs or whatever. At the tips of the wings add radar pods for night fighting ala the British Avenger with maybe a 2nd crew position radar operator in one of the booms. Add drop tanks, ecm pods, laser designators etc to taste and finish in 1950s Suez crisis stripes etc. Easy as a Whif could be.
Or else, just go your own way and it will still look great!
Regards Gary[8-]
PS Where can we stick on a T tail for JHM?
Hm… twin boom aircraft… dual contra props…
Sounds to me like the Hughes XF-11! (After he crashed the X- one, the Y- one was rebuilt with single props. It just wasn’t the same- like it’d been neutered or something…[sigh])
VS.
The moral of the story- contra-props and twin boom aircraft DEFINITELY go together! [;)][tup]
The beastly armed cockpit nacelle sounds good, though. You can NEVER have too many guns!
I like the way you think[8D]! Here’s my solution for the nose right now. Just slapping a spinner on would be too easy, so I used half an O2 tank from my old and bashed KC-135. The guns are out and ready to be modified.[:)]
Eddie
YEA!!! Like a GAU-8!!!
A little forward pregress to report. The major components are coming together and one of the wheel wells is almost complete.
Eddie
Lookin pretty good there Eddie. I wasn’t too fond of your final solution on the nose at first, but I think that it is going to work out pretty well now. The rear of the gondola seems a bit harsh; however, I will defer to the voices in your head and look forward to the final result. It seems that the voices know.
Yea, it may look odd now, but once I get a primer coat on, it will fit the look a little better. I’ve learned to trust the “Voices”. This view of the engine booms attached puts it into perspective a little more.
Eddie
Looking at it the way it is now, I REALLY don’t think you need to (or should, IMO) put a tail surface connecting the booms. That center wing section looks EXTREMELY robust.
I don’t know what your voices are saying, but I say don’t do it. [:D]