Back For The P-40 Gb!

[Rafael]

Hola Amigos!!!

What about a VTOL (my favorite subject) P-40 derivative?
Well, that's what I'm currently doing.

Thanks to Brian da Basher, who so kindly invited me to this GB AND sent me a wonderful P-40!!!

Guys and Gals, Rafa is back in town!!!

Rafa

[Brian da Basher]

Welcome back, Rafa! I'm pleased as punch you've decided to join our group build! I'm going to be thrilled to see what you do with your P-40.

Brian da Basher

[Rafael]

OOOoooooH!!! I'm delighted with that little bird!!!
And I'm putting a whole lotta love in it!!!

Wait and you'll see....

Rafa

[ysi_maniac]

Hurra! We want to see that Bird!

[Rafael]

The VTOmahawk

This is a progress account of my work on the VTOmahawk. As you can see, I deleted the dorsal aft fuselage and filled it with some balsa shapes. Then I used a defunct P-51 canopy and moved it forward. The propeller cone is a nose cone for a small multifunction radar, and the thing on top of the cowling is now the housing for a IRST device.


The Engines. I used cardboard (Yum!!!) and a plastic tube that I found inside one of my wife's shoes, used for maintaining the shape of the new shoe and to keep the paper filling in place. I lightly bent the tube  and wrapped a small cardboard (Yum!!!) piece underneath to form the intakes.


Here, the tilting engines, sans propellers, with the cones I cast with automotive resin on a plasticine mould. The master for this tip is the tip of a pen.



I will make this airplane as a tricycle. So I will put the mains in nacelles extending aft from the trailing edge. The tail will be.....

I hope you like it!!!

Rafa

[Brian da Basher]

Wow is that imaginative, Rafa! I would've never dreamed of turning a P-40 into a tilt-rotor! I'm amazed at your creativity in coming up with this concept and your innovative use of such diverse materials. The canopy looks great and I can't wait to see it finished! This is one of the most unique P-40s I've seen yet. Two thumbs up!

Brian da Basher

[Rafael]

Thank you very Mucho!!!

Here's a little backstory. Bear with me. I'm making it up now:

The General Dynamics/Boeing VTOmahawk

The WOT dragged for many years, and the Allies kept pumping into it a great deal of 21st century hardware at an immense cost. Valuable pieces of hardware were being systematically destroyed by the invisible, ever-present enemy.

In order to stop the bleeding of their economies, the Allies started to implement a new policy: Use old, battle-proven equipment and vehicles, update them to current standards as is possible and ruggedize them the most, all at the same time of using cheap, off-the-shelf technology and materials, and produce in large quantities.

This policy started to give good results, because the attrition rates started to lower and the interest of young and old peoples around the Allied sphere became greater. This led to an increase in troops and technical personnel, and a growth of the defense industry not seen in decades, with the corresponding economic benefits.

One such vehicle of the new generation of old is the VTOmahawk. A product of a GD/Boeing partnership, it resurrected the ancient Curtiss P-40 and gave it a new lease in life.

The airplane was conceived as an Urban-Warfare support vehicle, and incorporated a good amount of electronics equipment (jokingly called the X-BOX generation cockpits), with sensor-fusion, satellite feeds and a credible armament suite all neatly packaged in a cheap, modified Warhawk/Tomahawk airframe.

What made this aircraft unique, was its VTOL capability, provided by two tilting turboprop engines mounted on each wingtip, which allowed for a great mobility and deployment from a greater number of places, without the costs of the 5th generation fighters, needed for more conventional scenarios and operations.

The VTOmahawk could move with the troops, could air-refuel, and could be reloaded at advanced battlefield sites. This deployability and rapid response capability, joined with its light construction and great range/loiter characteristics made it a favorite for special operations campaigns for the Allies.

It was used as a transport scort, accompanying the new Osprey tilt-rotors and freeing the much heavier and complex Apache and Cobra Helicopters for more important duties.

Survivability was assured by the widespread use of composites and clever designs such as the Dragonskin™ armour. Easily maintained and repaired in the field, it was loved by its crews and was a welcome sight in the troubled air of the terrorist-ridden world of the 21st Century.

------------------------------------------------------

Wow, an intellectual challenge

I hope you enjoy it,
Rafa

[ysi_maniac]

I like it bttb      

[Mossie]

Crazy. :dum:

I love it!!!  

[Archibald]

The VTOmahawk

This is a progress account of my work on the VTOmahawk. As you can see, I deleted the dorsal aft fuselage and filled it with some balsa shapes. Then I used a defunct P-51 canopy and moved it forward. The propeller cone is a nose cone for a small multifunction radar, and the thing on top of the cowling is now the housing for a IRST device.


The Engines. I used cardboard (Yum!!!) and a plastic tube that I found inside one of my wife's shoes, used for maintaining the shape of the new shoe and to keep the paper filling in place. I lightly bent the tube  and wrapped a small cardboard (Yum!!!) piece underneath to form the intakes.
Here, the tilting engines, sans propellers, with the cones I cast with automotive resin on a plasticine mould. The master for this tip is the tip of a pen.
I will make this airplane as a tricycle. So I will put the mains in nacelles extending aft from the trailing edge. The tail will be.....

I hope you like it!!!

Rafa

What? What's on the right corner of this photo ?

...


A tube of L.. STRONG GLUE


Excellent idea!   This is the second tilt-rotor this week... I have to build one, too...

[lenny100]

great minds do think alike

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index...showtopic=16605

[BlackOps]

Rafa, this is off to a killer start! Really going to be a looker    

[Rafael]

Thanks for your comments!!!

This is what the VTOmahawk looks like today, awaiting painting...

The nacelles with the landing gear are ready, made from two pieces of balsa, and an arrangement reminescent of the A-10. Note the forward wheel is also semi-reccessed. The wingtip tilting engines have now fully rotating joints and propellers, and the canopy is installed. I skipped a full cockpit because of the small size of the model


The tail assembly. I wanted a tail with a modern/retro-look, geometrically straight and with vertical surfaces like the ones of a constellation. Note also that the armament is installed.


Now on to the painting....

Rafa

[Brian da Basher]

Rafa this one is absolutely ingenious! I am astounded at your creativity! I can't wait to see her with paint on!

Brian da Basher

[Rafael]

Well, the wait is over!!!
Here she is, with camo applied:

In cruise:




Hovering:







Underside:


I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed building her.

Rafa