The Avenger / Skyrocket

sotoolslinger · March 31, 2008, 10:53:23 PM

All right then I made it to San Fransisco. I did not want to come and I have found nothing to make me change my mind. Luckily I only have to be here 4 days. Next week San Antonio( somewhat closer to Dallas)

On to the meat. The monkey has learned to bang the rocks together a little better.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0068.jpg
I think I figured out how to take better closeups.
This is the setup I created to fill the now empty nose of the twin engined ,twin tail ,Avenger.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0069.jpg
I am frankly up in the air (unintended pun) on the name for this ship. The backstory is that the U.S. did not enter the war but set up factories in Russia, England, Australia, and New Zealand to assist the allied forces.They also send designers and technicians as well as allowing mercenaries of all stripes to enter foriegn service. The Grumman engineers request to further develope the Avenger design to be more capable but as the U.S. does not want to be seen as too agressive the decline the offer but allow Grumman to import bare, unengined , airframes to Austailia.
The creative collaboration of Grumman and Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation fall back on the failed Skyrocket naval fighter design as a way to add more power to the Avenger. The improvement of turbo/supercharging, cooling, and weapons systems, as well as the new , larger carriers allow a carrier based attack aircraft to be considerably more effective while using less desireable, smaller engines. The idea behind the design was not to have a torpedo bomber that could fight toe to toe with the newer more advanced enemy craft but just to keep up.... on a budget.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0079.jpg
See how I stuck that picture in to keep you interested

That would be the flexible 20 mm cannon mount. The most vunerable point you can hit a attacking torpedo bomber which must fly low and slow is directy into its nose. Kiwi Power and Electric and Enfield developed this mount and its remote controls to fit the existing Avenger airframe.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0078.jpg
I have actually built the entire detailed forward gunners position, which of course you can't see now.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0073.jpg
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0070.jpg
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0071.jpg
That last one is from the bottom up through the (non existant bomb bay)
The designers also wanted to add much more firepower to the craft so the also added a .50 Browning to the nose
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0072.jpg
The tan colored louvers you see on the nose are vents (and inside where you can't see ) I actually modeled fans and a step so the gunner could reload or unjam the .50 and the smaller existing gun.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0074.jpg
Note the circular sweep of the (Black Widow) prop , I have left enough room to install 1 30 mm or 2 20 mm cannon in each wing root.
I will also install a wing leading edge oil cooler on the seam where the original wing folded.
The design team stripped the airframes down and completely redesign the wing to fold outboard of the engine nacells. The tail is redesigned to allow a much greater field of fire for the turret gunner.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0075.jpg
I will be adding length to the fuselage rudder
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0077.jpg
I have no idea whether that is aerodynamically sound but I think it will add interest to the rear. I actually consider the Skyrocket vertical stabilisers too small but they are 1/48 and I don't want to go to B-25 fins.
Tired now , worked 12 today and must eat and sleep. Will show more later.

Please note; I need specs help and research assistance. Does anyone know how much weight I have lost getting rid of the complex wing folding gear, landing gear and engine. How much have I added back with the weapons and 2 single row 7 cylinder turbocharged engines and shorter landing gear. I am thinking 1700 hp per engine which would roughly double available hp.I am thinking this plane would have a top speed of 370 mph. Is this feasable?

noxioux · April 01, 2008, 05:41:34 PM

Feasible? Who cares, it looks pretty wicked so far. Just as long as you don't forget to paint it up in USMC livery. . .

John Howling Mouse · April 01, 2008, 07:13:20 PM

What is the pebbly (?) stuff near the top of the cowl? Looks like some sort of modelling media but I can't tell? Or is it simply a prior paintjob?
Oh, I'm so confused.

sotoolslinger · April 01, 2008, 07:54:56 PM

You have to remember I stay on the road constantly and often don't have access to real modeling stuff but I can always find plumbers epoxy putty . It's a lot rougher than Miliput or magic sculpt.

sotoolslinger · April 05, 2008, 01:42:37 AM

Here is the little I have been able to accomplish due to the fact that no one will pay me to build models.

I felt the tail needed something since I have eliminated so much vertical ( still think it needs bigger fins)
Here is the original tail mod
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0077.jpg
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0075.jpg

Sorry about the crappy pictures.

Here is the new rudder
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0092.jpg
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0094.jpg

The squadron putty was dried uhttp://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0090.jpgp so I had to use bondo too.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0093.jpg

I will get to San Antonio tomorrow , I can't really work till Monday am so I'll be able to build some. I need to find a hobby shop. I have a new compressor and liquid mask but 0 paint. I need to prime and mask the clear parts.

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0091.jpg
I patched the hole where the original tail was with a drop tank mount.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0090.jpg

If I put bigger fins on I'll have to rework the horizontal's again.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0095.jpg

Brian da Basher · April 05, 2008, 03:24:52 AM

That's some really nice work on those tail mods, sotoolsinger! I reallt like the look and I'm impressed that you're able to do all this wile travelling. Looks like we've got our first over-the-road whiffer!

Brian da Basher

Captain Canada · April 05, 2008, 07:26:30 AM

That is nice ! Love the way she's looking. Something about the Avenger, so big and meaty....really conjures up the imagination !

Great stuff !

John Howling Mouse · April 05, 2008, 10:37:12 AM

Quote from: sotoolslinger on April 01, 2008, 07:54:56 PM
You have to remember I stay on the road constantly and often don't have access to real modeling stuff but I can always find plumbers epoxy putty . It's a lot rougher than Miliput or magic sculpt.

Cooooool, was wondering if that was it. I found some 2-part plumbers epoxy that was, well, essentially industrial Milliput, but at 1/3rd the cost!

sotoolslinger · April 05, 2008, 05:53:03 PM

Made it to San Antonio , will be doing some filing and smoothing tonight. Found a hobby shop about 1/2 mile away that is open on sunday so I'll get this critter in primer tomorrow.

sotoolslinger · April 05, 2008, 09:30:27 PM

All right then, here we go , hope this is not booring. I showed some crappy photos last night ,I am still learning my digital.
Here is the basic mod to the rudder.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0090.jpg
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0091.jpg

Here is all the rough sanded and puttied again.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0108.jpg
sand/putty
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0110.jpg

Yet another
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0113.jpg

Still a few to go but you get the overall effect

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0115.jpg

Some minor work on the nose , better detail of the forward gunner.

Putty between the interior armor and the skin.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0097.jpg

You can see I detailed the controls for the gun
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0107.jpg

Here it is from nose on
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0104.jpg

Better view of gunner
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0106.jpg

Gear drive for turret rotation
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0103.jpg

I cut out the cast in .30 cal. In my world, Enfield and expatriate Belgian gunmakers invent the 33-40 A Aircraft gun, a .330 in. diameter bullet on a necked down .404 Jeffreys case. It drives a 330 grain projectile at 2800 fps. This allows a light gun to have nearly as much range and penetration as the big fifty but have the higher ammo capacity of a .30 or a .303 British
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0101.jpg

I also added a .50 cal. Browning to the pilots guns
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0102.jpg

I got the hump from the Black Widow ,inside where you can't see is one of the nice .50's from that kit, (with a step for the gunner to reload or clear the gun.
Thats all for now , tomorrow I primer and mask.

Yet another further
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0114.jpg

Sisko · April 06, 2008, 12:30:11 AM

Always thought the avenger would make a great two engined bomber!

This whif is looking good.

I used to travel extensively with my job so I know what it is like to model and travel.

sotoolslinger · April 06, 2008, 08:30:00 PM

More work... the hard part... it looked so cool before I primered it

Oh well . PSR, PSR.
The overall look
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0120.jpg

Good engine fit
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0118.jpg

Forgot to mask the bomb bay. :banghead:and this can says flat

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0131.jpg

Fme

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh50/sotoolslinger/skyrocket/IMG_0133.jpg

sotoolslinger · April 07, 2008, 03:17:59 PM

Crap, this alleged flat gray primer Testors #1237 is freaking glossy and won't dry. I washed the model and shook the hell out of the can for a long time . Help!!! Am I gonna have to strip this?

John Howling Mouse · April 07, 2008, 07:25:44 PM

A spraybomb you say? Just leave it. It will dry for you. Has to. Then you can dullcoat it before applying next paint layers?

sotoolslinger · April 08, 2008, 06:24:00 PM

Thanks, JHM I think it will be ok. Primer and dull and gloss coat are the only can stuff I have experience with, I went right from exclusively brush to airbrushing with manual painting only for tiny details and figures. It seems much drier today and we have had high humidity.