What if

Hot Research Topics => Aircraft, Armor, Weapons and Ships by Topic => Topic started by: tigercat on July 18, 2012, 12:08:31 PM

Title: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: tigercat on July 18, 2012, 12:08:31 PM
How feasible would it be to say take the Hawker Sea Fury  T20  or any other 2 seat fighter conversion

spin round the  rear seat  and adapt the rear canopy to accept a gun mounting.

Title: Re: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: PR19_Kit on July 18, 2012, 01:05:17 PM
Falling off a log I'd say.

Just be careful cutting the barrel slot in the back of the canopy, clear plastic tends to be very brittle.
Title: Re: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: wagnersm on July 25, 2012, 03:32:18 AM
Quote from: tigercat on July 18, 2012, 12:08:31 PM
How feasible would it be to say take the Hawker Sea Fury  T20  or any other 2 seat fighter conversion

spin round the  rear seat  and adapt the rear canopy to accept a gun mounting.


Wouldn't a turret be a better choice?

At the speeds that the Sea Fury flew at, wouldn't a hand held gun be rather hard to control?

Just my two cents.

Steve
Title: Re: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: Dizzyfugu on July 25, 2012, 04:10:32 AM
Maybe add a twin tail, for a better field of fire? Another option could be a barbette arrangement, as in the Me 210/410?

I'd just be careful with the overall concept, since you lose a lot of ordnance load and internal space through the 2nd crewman and the rear gun or turret. I would not consider this solution to be very effective, the turret fighter did not take root. Unmanned barbettes could be another thing, though, maybe take a look at the A-26, with a remote-controlled twin-0.5" MG in both a ventral and dorsal barbette?
Title: Re: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: tigercat on July 25, 2012, 05:57:54 AM
I was thinking of it more as a field expedient conversion.
Title: Re: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: The Wooksta! on July 25, 2012, 06:11:02 AM
I've done a two seat RAF Fury as a spotter over Malaya  - do I win £5?

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,30659.0

And then there's my torpedo fighter conversion:

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,30650.0
Title: Re: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: pyro-manic on July 25, 2012, 01:15:22 PM
As a field conversion, plausible and do-able, but I would think the rear gun would be of limited usefulness on something like a Sea Fury to be honest.
Title: Re: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: tigercat on July 25, 2012, 01:17:40 PM
good point i only used the Fury as an example as I have one in the stash.

what about a converted 2 seater Brewster Buffalo then.
Title: Re: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: The Wooksta! on July 25, 2012, 03:26:36 PM
Why not just execute your aircrews on the airfield?  Same result.  The Buffalo was a deathtrap.
Title: Re: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: scooter on July 25, 2012, 03:40:09 PM
Quote from: tigercat on July 25, 2012, 01:17:40 PM
good point i only used the Fury as an example as I have one in the stash.

what about a converted 2 seater Brewster Buffalo then.

It'd be an even bigger dog than the single seater.  Even Brewster's Corsairs were junk.  And its not like they designed them, the just built them for the Navy under contract from Vought.  The Navy terminated their contract, and Brewster folded; probably the only arms manufacturer to do so during the War
Title: Re: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: royabulgaf on July 25, 2012, 04:31:19 PM
"I've done a two seat RAF Fury as a spotter over Malaya  - do I win £5?"

Yes you have!  Please send your bank name and account number, and our accountant, a former high-ranking employee in the Nigerian Finance Ministry will put the money in your account pronto. :wacko:
Title: Re: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: The Wooksta! on July 25, 2012, 05:57:04 PM
Nice try, Mr Adgdgdgdgdgdgwengo!
Title: Re: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: tigercat on July 25, 2012, 10:35:51 PM
The Finn's  when handed lemons made lemonade

The Finnish Air Force produced 36 Buffalo aces. The top scorer was Capt. Hans H. Wind with 39 Buffalo air victories (out of 75); second was WO Eino Ilmari Juutilainen, with 34 (out of 94) and third highest score was Capt. Jorma Karhunen (25.5 out of 31.5). First Lt Lauri V. Nissinen also had victories on the type (22.5 out of 32.5).

Although obviously the exception to the rule

what other 2 seater fighter trainers  could there have been.

2 seater kittyhawk perhaps?
Title: Re: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: NARSES2 on July 26, 2012, 12:40:40 AM
Quote from: tigercat on July 25, 2012, 10:35:51 PM
2 seater kittyhawk perhaps?

Didn't the Russians produce some 2 seat trainer conversions of the P-40 ? I know they had some 2 seat Hurricane conversions with a drum fed MG for the rear seater
Title: Re: Two Seat fighter bomber trainer conversion as attack aircraft
Post by: Dizzyfugu on July 26, 2012, 12:45:28 AM
When the radio was/is gone, you could also seat a secand man in a Mustang behind the pilot. Frequent practice in warbirds, and AFAIK some staff machines were used this way in WWII as fast "passenger planes". You could easily extend the canopy a bit and add a spotter?