Airfix 1/72 Shorts Sunderland composite idea

[McColm]

 During WWII Hawker tried the composite idea with the Liberator/Hurricane. I don't have any information to hand or any pictures of this idea, nor do I know if they reached operational status.
The Germans worked on their Mistel Ju 88/BF 109 or FW-190, packing the nose of the bomber aircraft with explosives and using the fighter aircraft to guide it to it's intended target. 250 Mistel sorties were flown with mixed results. Airfix produced its own 1/72 Mistel kit.
The Shorts Mayo idea is discussed in another topic, my idea would be to use the Sunderland fitted with six engines and a longer wing for the long range flight and carry either a Spitfire or Goose. This could be military or for civvie use.
The idea for the Liberator/Hurricane composite is a great Whiff, has this been tried before?

[kitnut617]

Haven't heard about the Liberator/Hurricane combo before, but this below I have,



Now whether it's a 'real deal' is up to question because I've not found anything extra about it either, except this pic and a paragraph that said it was the brainchild of a USAAF officer

[McColm]

Glider composites were used during WWI, not too sure if they were tested during WWII. I've got a P-38 in my stash, under 'restoration projects'. Thanks for the info.

[pyro-manic]

Would a P-38 have enough grunt to lift a laden glider? Or would there be a towing aircraft for liftoff and the P-38 used to extend the range?

[PR19_Kit]

The Sunderland could probably lift a Spit or a Goose as it stood. The top half of the Mayo Composite, 'Mercury', wasn't a small aircraft at all, and the lower half, 'Maia' was an Empire 'C' boat with a slightly widened hull.

Mind you, a six engined Sunderland would look LOADS n better and be much more fun to build. 

[jcf]

Would a P-38 have enough grunt to lift a laden glider? Or would there be a towing aircraft for liftoff and the P-38 used to extend the range?

Sure, given a long enough runway.   

[kitbasher]

During WWII Hawker tried the composite idea with the Liberator/Hurricane. I don't have any information to hand or any pictures of this idea, nor do I know if they reached operational status.

Vickers apparently came up with the idea of a Wellington/Hurricane composite. 

[PR19_Kit]

Vickers apparently came up with the idea of a Wellington/Hurricane composite. 

As modelled by someone not a million miles away, eh? 

[rickshaw]

Would a P-38 have enough grunt to lift a laden glider? Or would there be a towing aircraft for liftoff and the P-38 used to extend the range?

It was intended for ferrying the glider once unloaded back to base.   The weight of the Hamilcar was apparently within the limits of the P-38 but I suspect it would have been a slow trip.  The Hamiilcar X was a much better idea - a Hamilcar would fly into the LZ after the operation had concluded (presumbly successfully) carrying engines, which would then be attached to the front of the wings of the other Hamilcars and they would then fly out under their own power.   The Germans also experimented with the same idea with the Go242 glider, from which the Go242 transport was created - again the original idea was to utilise "power eggs" - engines attached to the glider to fly it out of the LZ after the operation was over.   These gliders, while cheap were still worth conserving where possible.

[NARSES2]

During WWII Hawker tried the composite idea with the Liberator/Hurricane. I don't have any information to hand or any pictures of this idea, nor do I know if they reached operational status.

Vickers apparently came up with the idea of a Wellington/Hurricane composite. 

Naughty boy 

[McColm]

An idea of a triple stack of having the Sunderland for the base, a Mosquito and then fighter on top of that.

[lancer]

The Sunderland could probably lift a Spit or a Goose as it stood. The top half of the Mayo Composite, 'Mercury', wasn't a small aircraft at all, and the lower half, 'Maia' was an Empire 'C' boat with a slightly widened hull.

Mind you, a six engined Sunderland would look LOADS n better and be much more fun to build. 

With longer wings to accomodate the extra engines,yes?

[Martin H]

During WWII Hawker tried the composite idea with the Liberator/Hurricane. I don't have any information to hand or any pictures of this idea, nor do I know if they reached operational status.

this do you?

[McColm]

Thanks for the picture.