Cessna 172LR

[Eddie M.]

Excellent idea! It goes along with my original inspiration I got from NASA's Helios. The gas powered engine could drive a generator which could then produce electricity that could be stored in batteries to drive the wing mounted engines to save fuel. That and the nanotechnology and superconductivity that has been incorporated to the engines, makes for a very effecient aircraft.
   Eddie

In this case, you'd do better with a turboshaft engine rather than piston to drive the generator. Coupla reasons:
1: Turbine exhaust and noise are considered bad for cars, but clearly not for planes
2: Turbines can be more fuel efficient, and can use *more* fuels, than a piston
3: A piston engine all by itself produced no real thrust. But a turboshaft engine can produce a useful thrust. This would be handy in the event of an electrical system failure, as it would give the plane thrust to fly and land.

Good observation. I'll see what I whip up.
   Eddie

I think the wing mounted engines look like weee little turbos. So,... they will generate the power that can power the main engine with electricity when needed. How's that for tap dancing around the problem?

[Ed S]

I think the wing mounted engines look like weee little turbos. So,... they will generate the power that can power the main engine with electricity when needed. How's that for tap dancing around the problem?
[/quote]

Works for me. 

It's your whiff, make up the story you want...

Ed

[SimonR]

Excellent idea! I worked with a guy who once had a job to ferry a Cessna 172 across the Atlantic. His preparations were to have a ferry tank installed, nail some crappy old nav kit to a piece of wood and borrow a pink wetsuit in case it all went wrong. Somewhere over the North Atlantic he realised his nav kit (I can't remember exactly what it was) had the Southern Hemisphere data in it and he was pretty much lost. He flew on for a bit and did an emergency call on HF which was relayed by the laughing crew of a passing MD-11F. At this point he thought he was going for a bracing swim in the Atlantic so he thought he'd better get his wetsuit on. Unfortunately, it was impossible to put it on over his clothes, so with one hand on the yoke he ripped his clothes off and got his feet into the wetsuit. Then, deliverance in the shape of two F-15s out of Keflavik appeared to guide him in. When he landed the startled USAF ground crew found him in the cockpit with a death grip on the yoke and naked apart from pink wetsuit around his ankles.

[John Howling Mouse]

Then, deliverance in the shape of two F-15s out of Keflavik appeared to guide him in. When he landed the startled USAF ground crew found him in the cockpit with a death grip on the yoke and naked apart from pink wetsuit around his ankles.

Yeah, but who hasn't experienced this on any given Saturday night, eh?  He must have been Canadian.

Eddie, upload some new progress pics, willya? 

[The Rat]

Then, deliverance in the shape of two F-15s out of Keflavik appeared to guide him in. When he landed the startled USAF ground crew found him in the cockpit with a death grip on the yoke and naked apart from pink wetsuit around his ankles.

Yeah, but who hasn't experienced this on any given Saturday night, eh?  He must have been Canadian.

Eddie, upload some new progress pics, willya? 

I'm sending you the cleaning bill for my pants! 

[Eddie M.]

Then, deliverance in the shape of two F-15s out of Keflavik appeared to guide him in. When he landed the startled USAF ground crew found him in the cockpit with a death grip on the yoke and naked apart from pink wetsuit around his ankles.

Yeah, but who hasn't experienced this on any given Saturday night, eh?  He must have been Canadian.

Eddie, upload some new progress pics, willya? 

Here's the finished product before the primer coat. Don't mind the unsavory gentleman at the rear of the aircraft. Here's just looking to pinch your pink wetsuit.
   Eddie

[Brian da Basher]

Now that you've added the four bladed prop on the nose it's all starting to come together for me Eddie. That prop brings the other four props into scale and it just looks right! Nice wingtip tanks too.

Brian da Basher

[cthulhu77]

Whooohooo!  Are you going to go bmf, or something civilian?

[B777LR]

You know, this aircraft would be nice in pink...

[Eddie M.]

You know, this aircraft would be nice in pink...

How about red with orange?

[John Howling Mouse]

Oooooooo....that is nice.  Subtle, yet striking.
Mind if I steal this red-orange stripe idea with pride for a future SAR build, Eddie?

[Eddie M.]

Oooooooo....that is nice.  Subtle, yet striking.
Mind if I steal this red-orange stripe idea with pride for a future SAR build, Eddie?

Be my guest.
  Eddie

[Ed S]

Got to give you credit.  It's not boring gray on gray...

Looks good.  Good job on the finish.

Ed

[BlackOps]

KAZOWIE! you won't be able to ignore that paintjob!

I like it very much! 

[The Rat]

Ah yes, the classic low-viz red on red.