Soviet Jet & Rocket Projects

McGreig · May 21, 2007, 10:52:42 AM

The Group Build rules suggest that anyone can join in but I'm fairly new around here, so if you have to apply or register please let me know.

I've been working on some Soviet lend-lease P-40 projects, including the P-40N pulse jet test bed and the P-40C experimental rocket fighter shown below. Assuming that its OK, I'll post details of the builds here, otherwise I'll move them to the "Show us your current project " section.

John Howling Mouse · May 21, 2007, 10:58:39 AM

Intriguing!

ysi_maniac · May 21, 2007, 10:59:37 AM

Wow I DO like. Is there any difference between these two?

Chap · May 21, 2007, 11:35:32 AM

Great work McGreig! Such original concepts, I can't wait to see them completed.

~Steve

McGreig · May 21, 2007, 12:14:33 PM

QuoteIs there any difference between these two?

Yes, they are different - you'll see when I post individual pictures.

The P-40N is essentially a standard aircraft but has two under-wing pulse-jet boosters. In real life these were tested by the Russians on the La-7, La-9, Pe-2 and B-25 Mitchell but not, as far as I know, on the P-40.

The P-40C has had its piston engine removed and has been converted to a pure rocket propelled point defence interceptor. It has three rocket motors - two under the wings and one in the tail. Again, while this conversion was never applied to a P-40, it is based on real Russian projects.

I'll put in the full background as the work progresses.

Brian da Basher · May 21, 2007, 12:31:24 PM

McGreig, you're certainly welcome to join in! I really like what I see so far and am looking forward to seeing more! Remember to post some pics in the Completed Builds section as well as in the general I Love P-40s! GB area. The idea of posting copies of your completed build pics in a seperate place is so board members have a central location to look at all the entries before they cast their votes. Good luck!

Brian da Basher

cthulhu77 · May 21, 2007, 04:53:51 PM

Yeeha! I love those two! The nose of the 40 lends itself perfectly to your testbed project...great stuff.

McGreig · May 23, 2007, 03:48:56 PM

I've moved the pulse-jet version to a separate thread. The P-40 rocket interceptor had two main inspirations.

The first was that, beginning in the late Thirties, the USSR probably did more work on rocket propelled aircraft than any other wartime nation. Although they designed their share of small, Komet-sized rocket aircraft, some of the Soviet designs were relatively large - the I-302 and the La-162 were the same size as contemporary fighters and they also produced rocket boosted versions of the La-5, La7, Yak-3, Yak-7, Pe-2 and Il-10.

The second was that the USSR received about 2,000 P-40s but, while they appreciated its comfort, build standard and ruggedness, they considered it a less effective fighter than the P-39 and their own Yak-1/3/9 and La-5/7 designs and many of the P-40s served with second line air defence units, defending cities in the rear. At the end of the War, they still had 27 P-40Cs and 844 P-40E/K/M/Ns, so it would have been easily available. (And they often used foreign aircraft for test work - Spitfires on catapults, jet engines test flown on B-25s, Ju-252 engine testbed - so a rocket powered P-40 is a distinct possibility).

I've taken the three-engine layout proposed for the La-5VI, I-302, and Yak-7R and assumed that a P-40C has been chosen as a test vehicle because of its availability, size, rugged construction, and second line fighter status. The piston engine has been removed and replaced by ballast and the armament has been retained.

McGreig · May 23, 2007, 03:50:01 PM

The kit is the 1/72 Hobby Boss P-40B/C. It's not a bad kit but I have to say that I'm slightly underwhelmed by the Hobby Boss P-40s. The layout of the B/C is slightly different from the E/M/N versions but they all work the same way, with a one piece fuselage and a one piece wing and lower fuselage. They're relatively cheap, sharply moulded and appear relatively accurate but the fit of the parts isn't too good and filler is definitely requires for such joints as there are. I've not found them any quicker or easier to build than the Hasegawa or Academy P-40s.

As well as the removal of the engine, the kit has been modified by raising the height of the fin to compensate for the cutting away of the rudder to make way for the rear fuselage rocket. This started life as a missile in the (old, inaccurate) Revell MiG-31 kit while the wing mounted rocket motors were MiG-15 drop tanks in a previous existence.

cthulhu77 · May 23, 2007, 03:57:54 PM

Hey now! Great stuff happening on this build, can hardly wait to see what you come up with for colour schemes.

Brian da Basher · May 23, 2007, 04:11:12 PM

Wow that's some fine work there McGreig! I really like how plaisoble this idea is and it looks like you've got one to fool the experts in the making!

The pulse-jet version looks to be an eligible entry for this group build as well if you want it in!

Brian da Basher

McGreig · May 23, 2007, 05:10:38 PM

QuoteWow that's some fine work there McGreig! I really like how plaisoble this idea is and it looks like you've got one to fool the experts in the making!

The pulse-jet version looks to be an eligible entry for this group build as well if you want it in!

Thanks for the kind words, Brian.

The pulse-jet version will be in, but I've given it its own thread.