1/72 Berliner-Joyce XP-5 Project H.E.A.P.

[Brian da Basher]

In the summer of 1929, the U.S. Army Air Corps announced a new requirement for a heavily-armed, long-range pursuit aircraft that could carry enough payload to also be used for attack duties. Many designs were considered for Project H.E.A.P. (Heavy Expirimental Attack Pursuit), but the Berliner-Joyce XP-5 was the clear winner. Boasting a 24 cylinder Packard engine rated at 750 h.p., the XP-5 could achieve a top speed of 275 m.p.h. The Berliner-Joyce "H.E.A.P." was heavily armed with two 20 m.m. cannons and two .50 caliber guns synchronized to fire through the propellor. It also had the latest in aerodynamic streamlining: spatted landing gear. The Air Corps was impressed enough with the XP-5 to order a service test squadron and 37 XP-5s were eventually built between 1929 and 1931. The XP-5 H.E.A.P. shown here, No. 82, is in a high-altitude trial camo pattern like it wore in the 1931 war games at Fort Knox, when a flight of H.E.A.P.s flown by 1st Lt. Johnny Fontaine (who later gained fame as a singer and actor and sang at the Corleone wedding in 1945) was instrumental in defeating the "mauve" force. Old No. 82 can be seen on display at the Berliner-Joyce Museum in Bremerton, Washington, not far from the Johnny Fontaine Hall of Fame.

Brian da Basher

[anthonyp]

Now that's neat!  I do like the "low-vis" scheme from 1931 

[Jschmus]

Wow!!!

So that's what happens when you get hold of a Curtiss racing plane.

I love it!!!

[Brian da Basher]

The basis for this project is the 1/48 Lindberg Curtiss RC3-2. The incredibly generous Jeff Fontaine sent me two of them recently along with some plastic wire that makes excellent rigging. I was pleased to see that the 1/48 RC3 was very close in size to a 1/72 P-40 so an idea was born. I added a pair of 1/72 Gloster Gauntlet spats and decided to arm my H.E.A.P. with two large guns forward of the cockpit and two more guns poking out between the engine cylinders just behind the prop. I then made a radiator scoop from part of a spare drop-tank. I also puttied in part of the sides of the 'pit so it would look closer to 1/72 scale. At first I was going to fit a bubble canopy, but as the fuselage was already tall enough for 1/72, I opted for a simple windscreen instead. The rest of the build was fairly straightforward, and the model was brush-painted by hand with a mix of model and craft store acrylics. A tip of the pin goes to Comrade Harps for inspiring me to try an all gray scheme. The kit decals were used along with some code numbers from the decal stash. Here are some pics that highlight the rigging. If you're looking for rigging material, Jeff Fontaine has more of this wonderful plastic wire, which comes in both black and yellow.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

This little project was a "quick build" and took me just a shade over two days to complete. Sometimes it's fun to do something simple between more involved projects. As I've still got a bunch of bread clips waiting for me, this was a nice break! Thanks to Mr. Fontaine for his generosity in sending me the kit and rigging and also to Comrade Harps for the inspiration on the camo scheme.

Brian da Basher

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the promotional plug.  I am very pleased with how the rigging turned out with that plastic fiber.  This is the same product that was also sent to Jason and Tom for "evaluation purposes" so that I can get an idea of it utility for model building.  From what I see so far it appears to have some great potential as rigging material and radio antennas in small scale which may lead to offering a qunatity of these fibers in a package for sale to others on the forum. 

[Rafael]

A top-of-the-HEAP, inspirational build, Brian!!!!

Sure, those grey tones make this aircraft look outstandingly beautiful, and yes, the rigging looks top-notch.

Changing scales was a masterful decision. To the untrained eyes, like mines, it would have passed as a model in its correct size.



Saludos,
Rafa

[Ed S]

Dang! BDB, you just keep turning out great looking models in almost no time at all.  Here is another good looking biplane right on the heels of your "Baguette".

Ed

[Maverick]

Briliant stuff as always Brian and a well thought out backstory to boot!

Regards,

Mav

[John Howling Mouse]

Dang! BDB, you just keep turning out great looking models in almost no time at all.  Here is another good looking biplane right on the heels of your "Baguette".

Ed

Exactly!  How the heck do you manage to keep pulling off these quick winners, Brian?!

[cthulhu77]

You never cease to amaze me with your wonderful builds. Yet another stunner !   

[proditor]

BdB, your builds constantly amaze me.

Every time you post a new plane, I smile.  Your builds take me back to being a kid and being filled with the wonder of flight; of having visions of mad planes racing through my head on imagined missions to far off places, or dueling in the sky for honor and glory.

[NARSES2]

BdB, your builds constantly amaze me.

Every time you post a new plane, I smile.  Your builds take me back to being a kid and being filled with the wonder of flight; of having visions of mad planes racing through my head on imagined missions to far off places, or dueling in the sky for honor and glory.

Could not of put it better myself  - BdB putting the fun back into modelling 

[noxioux]

Excellent idea.  I found myself visualizing some rather irreverent nose art involving those two big guns on front.  Something along the lines of the "Pussy Galore" F-105. . .

[sotoolslinger]

Well that's just terrible I especially hate the paint job. Send that to me and I'll get rid of it for you