Design Off?

[Planeman]

Sorry if this is an old idea done a million times...

Is there any interest in some sort of friendly collaboration/competition within the forum community to design and model some military vehicle within some preset specifications?

Like "Design the best possible propeller fighter technically feasible in 1943 but with modern hindsight" or something, anything that encourages cool solutions and original thought.

People would chuck in ideas, contributing design, 2d graphics, virtual modelling or real modelling as they wish. Groups naturally form so that over the course of the thread we end up with several rival designs each with a "team" championing them.

Then at a predetermined time the thread is closed and the teams are given a few days to create a "idea presentation" which might involve drawings, explanations, CGI models or real models, whatever.

These solutions are then posted in a new thread and forum members can vote for their favourite.


Cool idea?

[PanzerWulff]

I like it     I'm in if we can get enough interest

[Maverick]

Sounds like a blast.  Retro has being doing some awesome mashing together of late from opposing sides.

The question is, would the groups be designing from a particular nation's viewpoint or is it open slater.  The whole 'technically feasible' is a can of worms cause for instance the Japanese weren't too poo-poo (with an english accent) hot with inline motors and borrow heavily from Germany as did the Italians.  

Mav

[Planeman]

Well the "1943 piston fighter" was just an example, the actual design challenge is really whatever the forum staff, or whoever takes the lead being the "official" (and thus doesn't actually contribute designs, just overseas the comp) decides.

And teamwork is completely open slate. Even be on multiple teams or propose multiple solutions provided you play it straight.

It's only fun afterall. Nothing to be taken too seriousy.


Suggested format:

1. Someone self-nominates themself as "comp official" and picks a challenge.

2. Said person starts a thread along along the lines of "Design challenge 1: Battleship 2010" or whatever their chosen challemge is. They outline the challenge, the timeline (see below) and the design constraints. People are free to ask for clarification.

3. People chuck in ideas, pics whatever. A free for all brainstorming session ensues. Over the course of the thread some ideas pick up more steam than others and people with specialist skills such as drawing or modelling, pick the designs they want to champion. Loose teams evolve of people working on the same idea.

--(special rule: it is unbecoming of a whatiff modeller to reject out of hand help offered by others in the spirit of teamwork. Egos play second fiddle to all getting along)---

4. At pre-determined time the staff lock the thread giving the teams a pre-determined timeframe to mold their efforts into a 'formal' presentation suitible for posting in a forum. Exactly what that is is up to you. Pics, text, photos of models, whatever.

5. After said time delay threat started for each team to post their proposal. Somehow enforce a cut-off for submissions. Then after cut-off people can vote and comment on designs. At some point a winner is chosen based on votes.

6. Prize is 600,000yen and a bus trip to Basingstoke.  

[cthulhu77]

I love the idea !  Keep us posted.

[ysi_maniac]

I AM IN TOO.

[Hobbes]

Excellent idea. I'm in.  

[Gervasius]

I am in...

Marko

[Planeman]

So what's the challenge and who's going to act as official?

Suggestions are, and these are just starters...

* Design the best WWII tank. Can use modern knowledge and hindsight but must be technically feasible in 1944.

* Design the best submersible aircraft carrier. Any time period, and type of manned aircraft provided it is designed to return yo the carrier for re-use (i.e. not kamikaze)

* Design the ultimate of 2007 missile boat, any nation, but only using real weapons systems (weapon systems currentky in prototype stages allowed). No more than 1,000t full displacement

* Design the ultimate early 1970s (latest) "battleship", any nation.

* Design the ultimate WWII heavy bomber. Must be mechanically feasible in 1944 but otherwise free to imagination.

[Maverick]

i'm in... I'm actually working on a backstory conversion of a Typhoon class SSBN to Kreigsmarine 1946 standards, it's a long road, but I'm nearly there.  I'm not profiling it tho, mainly cause subs are pretty  :zzz:  at the best of times.  It's mainly the innards that are the Point of Divergence.

[ysi_maniac]

* Design the best submersible aircraft carrier. Any time period, and type of manned aircraft provided it is designed to return yo the carrier for re-use (i.e. not kamikaze)

This is funny because this weekend I was looking at an old Aoshima 1/72 Seiran and thinking on fitting it with undercarriage. But besides this, I was thinking on a modern equivalent of that concept: Submarine Carrier. Then I could collect some alternatives that I want to share with all of you:

1) Float collapsible planes that work as original Seiran. something like folding SeaDart B): very cool but not completely practical. In this case the submarine can be conventional just has to carry containers for planes.

2) Collapsible planes that can transition from ekranoplane B): config to convencional aircraft. Same submarine type as before.

3) Collapsible planes that can be rocket launched from the ICBM tubes. But the problem of recovery needs any kind of floats.

4) A huge submarine with flying deck and conventional carrier planes.

More ideas or comments?

Thanks,
Carlos.

[PanzerWulff]

i'm in... I'm actually working on a backstory conversion of a Typhoon class SSBN to Kreigsmarine 1946 standards, it's a long road, but I'm nearly there.  I'm not profiling it tho, mainly cause subs are pretty  :zzz:  at the best of times.  It's mainly the innards that are the Point of Divergence.

Launch tubes for V-2's and a Catapault for V-1's Now that would be cool! B)  

[cthulhu77]

Perhaps we should just say:  Ships from 44-75 ?  And then see what we come up with...with this crowd, who knows!

[GTX]

This is funny because this weekend I was looking at an old Aoshima 1/72 Seiran and thinking on fitting it with undercarriage.

Like this?



regards,

Greg

[Mossie]

Tamiya do a 1/72 kit of it.  Another strange coincidence, I was browsing the Tamiya catalogue especially for float planes & spotted the Nanzan & thought 'that'd make a nice build!'.  Review of it here:

http://ipmslondon.tripod.com/aircraftreviews/id28.html