Quote from: kitbasher on June 17, 2024, 09:07:31 AMhttps://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=51733.0

Wow that's awesome.    Hope mine turns out that well.

Harry mate the M134 would have been a easy install into the nose of the P61 ..there's plenty of room..the weight isn't a issue either as I've used this system quite a few times in the past ..the ammo supply would require some thought as the rate of fire would need a crap load of it .
Now the lads in Vietnam wouldn't be to concerned but using the ammo with to much caution so even with a reduced rate of fire of 3000rpm ( thats 60 rds per second) you'd still need a pretty large amount  ..at full chat ..6000rpm your ammo wouldn't last long at all ..120rds per second empties a 4000 round ammo box very quickly.
Even with the weights taken into mind ..they ain't that bad but you'd need to get them right ..the minigun weights 85 lb or 41 lb  with  lightweight mods ..the ammo alone if going with a 4000rds is about 160lbs without the ammo box or feed system and electrical equipment.
Once your mounting location and balance is sorted you'd just have to rig up a 24volt power supply and a trigger for it..also a gun sight ....again an easy job for the talented men in the field 😀.
Hell in WW2 the guys relocated the upper gun turrets of B25 Mitchell's from the back to behind the cockpit to bring more guns to the front and when that wasn't enough they custom made entire gun nosed Mitchell's by mounting 8 .50cals machine guns in ghe nose ..that's a huge amount of work that is but it was done and with massive success.
So your idea is very doable 😀
Ya know it's a very little weapon when it was mounted in the nose of the A37 Dragonfly ..a surprisingly small plane 😅

Quote from: Wardukw on June 17, 2024, 12:50:21 PMHarry mate the M134 would have been a easy install into the nose of the P61 ..there's plenty of room..the weight isn't a issue either as I've used this system quite a few times in the past ..the ammo supply would require some thought as the rate of fire would need a crap load of it .
Now the lads in Vietnam wouldn't be to concerned but using the ammo with to much caution so even with a reduced rate of fire of 3000rpm ( thats 60 rds per second) you'd still need a pretty large amount  ..at full chat ..6000rpm your ammo wouldn't last long at all ..120rds per second empties a 4000 round ammo box very quickly.
Even with the weights taken into mind ..they ain't that bad but you'd need to get them right ..the minigun weights 85 lb or 41 lb  with  lightweight mods ..the ammo alone if going with a 4000rds is about 160lbs without the ammo box or feed system and electrical equipment.
Once your mounting location and balance is sorted you'd just have to rig up a 24volt power supply and a trigger for it..also a gun sight ....again an easy job for the talented men in the field 😀.
Hell in WW2 the guys relocated the upper gun turrets of B25 Mitchell's from the back to behind the cockpit to bring more guns to the front and when that wasn't enough they custom made entire gun nosed Mitchell's by mounting 8 .50cals machine guns in ghe nose ..that's a huge amount of work that is but it was done and with massive success.
So your idea is very doable 😀
Ya know it's a very little weapon when it was mounted in the nose of the A37 Dragonfly ..a surprisingly small plane 😅

Actually the Dragonfly is what gave me the idea. I build a little Academy A-37 last year. For the particular Widow I'm building the story is the field guys take the M134 and M128 (or maybe 2xM134 haven't decided yet) system from a wrecked AH-1G and duct-tape and baling wire it into the nose. Probably have to run the ammo boxes on either side of the front gear, under the pilot maybe, that or give it some cheeks bump-out aft of the nose. Not sure of any of the dimensions work but it would look cool 

Quote from: HarryPhishnuts on June 17, 2024, 01:39:08 PM

Quote from: Wardukw on June 17, 2024, 12:50:21 PMHarry mate the M134 would have been a easy install into the nose of the P61 ..there's plenty of room..the weight isn't a issue either as I've used this system quite a few times in the past ..the ammo supply would require some thought as the rate of fire would need a crap load of it .
Now the lads in Vietnam wouldn't be to concerned but using the ammo with to much caution so even with a reduced rate of fire of 3000rpm ( thats 60 rds per second) you'd still need a pretty large amount  ..at full chat ..6000rpm your ammo wouldn't last long at all ..120rds per second empties a 4000 round ammo box very quickly.
Even with the weights taken into mind ..they ain't that bad but you'd need to get them right ..the minigun weights 85 lb or 41 lb  with  lightweight mods ..the ammo alone if going with a 4000rds is about 160lbs without the ammo box or feed system and electrical equipment.
Once your mounting location and balance is sorted you'd just have to rig up a 24volt power supply and a trigger for it..also a gun sight ....again an easy job for the talented men in the field 😀.
Hell in WW2 the guys relocated the upper gun turrets of B25 Mitchell's from the back to behind the cockpit to bring more guns to the front and when that wasn't enough they custom made entire gun nosed Mitchell's by mounting 8 .50cals machine guns in ghe nose ..that's a huge amount of work that is but it was done and with massive success.
So your idea is very doable 😀
Ya know it's a very little weapon when it was mounted in the nose of the A37 Dragonfly ..a surprisingly small plane 😅

Actually the Dragonfly is what gave me the idea. I build a little Academy A-37 last year. For the particular Widow I'm building the story is the field guys take the M134 and M128 (or maybe 2xM134 haven't decided yet) system from a wrecked AH-1G and duct-tape and baling wire it into the nose. Probably have to run the ammo boxes on either side of the front gear, under the pilot maybe, that or give it some cheeks bump-out aft of the nose. Not sure of any of the dimensions work but it would look cool 

Well mate when you think about it 2 miniguns would still work weight wise.
To think today Dillon make M134 minigun gun pods with 3000rd magazines which you can mount on choppers..UH-1Cs and the like .
Mounting the ammo ..if possible under the pilot or front wheel bay would be good cause you could even more ammo to the guns ..at least another 200rds and more is always better 😊
Honestly if the GAU19 weapons system was available then that's probably what they'd use ...a full chat 3 barreled 50cal 10.000rpm gun would rip .
Wouldn't surprise me if those ground crew lunatics wouldn't have thought of trying a 20mm Vulcan rotary cannon in the nose 
I've got pics somewhere of one mounted on a UH-1 C Huey so anything is possible 

I read a story about an A-37 with its minigun in the nose and a minigun pod on each wing. It rolled in on some grass shack and strafed it. It looked like an entire haystack exploded into the air.

Quote from: kerick on June 17, 2024, 02:05:31 PMI read a story about an A-37 with its minigun in the nose and a minigun pod on each wing. It rolled in on some grass shack and strafed it. It looked like an entire haystack exploded into the air.

Not surprised at all to hear that Ken ..saw pics of a F4 Phantom with two 20mm Vulcan gun pods firing and mate ..a A37 with all three guns firing ..would loved to have seen that for sure 👌 😀

I saw I pic of an A-10 with two 20mm gun pods. That could take out an entire convoy.

Quote from: kerick on June 17, 2024, 09:51:16 PMI saw I pic of an A-10 with two 20mm gun pods. That could take out an entire convoy.

A GAU 8A Avenger 30mm rotary cannon and two Vulcans    
Yeah an entire convoy and the next one after that and the one from the next days aswell..fecking hell that's alot of fire power..
I love it 😀 😍

Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 17, 2024, 09:42:20 AM

Quote from: Geoff on June 17, 2024, 08:56:18 AMI have a vague memory of being told of a proposed recce version with cameras replacing the cannons, and the radar operators' position deleted in favour of fuel tankage.
Don't know if the turret was retained, I suspect not.

Wasn't the F-15 the recce version of the P-61?

Yes, but this was earlier during WW2 and proposed by 8th AF IIRC

As an aside A&A are bringing out a new tool F-15 Reporter in 1/72. Should be available shortly

Quote from: NARSES2 on June 18, 2024, 06:07:32 AMAs an aside A&A are bringing out a new tool F-15 Reporter in 1/72. Should be available shortly

Check out smallbrowndog's artwork here or on bts. This kit would be perfect for kitbashing one of his illustrations.

I've got a couple of F-15 kits already, but they're a ) vintage and b) not easy to build as one's a vacform and one's resin, SOLID resin!

I do like it as an aircraft though and an injection one could be interesting.

Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 18, 2024, 08:39:04 AMI've got a couple of F-15 kits already, but they're a ) vintage and b) not easy to build as one's a vacform and one's resin, SOLID resin!

I do like it as an aircraft though and an injection one could be interesting.

Combine the resin cockpit pod and engines with the vac wings and booms? Probably would not need nose weight.

Quote from: kerick on June 18, 2024, 08:41:37 AMCombine the resin cockpit pod and engines with the vac wings and booms? Probably would not need nose weight.

I like that idea. 

But it'd probably need forged titanium landing gear` legs to support the weight.

Even better, use BOTH sets of wings to give it a decent span!   

Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 18, 2024, 08:44:36 AM

Quote from: kerick on June 18, 2024, 08:41:37 AMCombine the resin cockpit pod and engines with the vac wings and booms? Probably would not need nose weight.

I like that idea. 

But it'd probably need forged titanium landing gear` legs to support the weight.

Even better, use BOTH sets of wings to give it a decent span!   

ANd more engines