The Really Bad Idea GB

[Weaver]

Much of the effort on here goes into producing models of ideas, either our own or other people's which are at least credible, or even sometimes good, but which just didn't get built in real life for some reason. But what about the other ideas? The bad ideas, the really, REALLY fruitloop, hatstand, away-with-the-fairies ideas, the ideas that you consider for a nanosecond whilst exploring all the options before consigning them firmly to the pile marked "nah..."?

So here's the challenge: build a model of something that might or might not look cool, and might be considered a jolly good idea by someone who actually knew next to nothing about the subject, but which absolutely would not, under any circumstances, work. 

Some ideas:

The low-wing Harrier. This was what gave me the idea: I was considering how to re-arrange a Harrier, moving all the bits around in my mind, and just for a second, I moved the wing down to the low position: seemed perfectly reasonable....... for a second.

When Petter was designing the EE Lightning, his main concern was how to get the minimum frontal area with two engines, so he started off with the "impossible ideal" of one engine in front of the other and then progressively offset them until the intakes and exhausts would actually work. But what if he'd gone with his original idea: the really, REALLY long and thin first Lightning prototype, right at the back of Warton's museum where they hope no-one will notice it.......

M1-Abrahms based Kettenrad?

How about a modern aircraft carrier arranged like HMS Furious, with central battleship superstructure, really short landing on and flying off decks and some serious cranes in the middle? Could be kitbashed from a Nimitz and a New Jersey kit......

Or the easy option: if someone makes a Rockwell XFV-12 kit, you could just make it OOB.....

Over to you......

[cthulhu77]

In itself, the F4 isn't a bad aircraft.  I just hate them because they are so mind numbingly, soul crushing DULL!  And the Spey ones are the worst.  Waste of good engines...

You wouldn't say that after talking to some of the pilots...yikes. Every single one I know hated flying those things.  I like how they look, with the angled fins and all, but the pilots seemed to loathe them.

[Joe C-P]

A submarine with great, big windows at the bow or on the side.

[jcf]

A submarine with great, big windows at the bow or on the side.

Aww c'mon, the windows worked fine on the Seaview and the Nautilus respectively.



Jon

[upnorth]

I have a couple of models of early L-13 Blanik gliders. I could try to rig them up for COIN.

No engine, no armor, no countermeasures, depending on a winch or tow plane to get you and your explosives up there and possibly thermals in all the wrong places or none at all.

Yep, sounds like a winner to me.

Might as well do your COIN with a hang glider and a 12 guage.

[jcf]

I have a couple of models of early L-13 Blanik gliders. I could try to rig them up for COIN.

No engine, no armor, no countermeasures, depending on a winch or tow plane to get you and your explosives up there and possibly thermals in all the wrong places or none at all.

Yep, sounds like a winner to me.

Might as well do your COIN with a hang glider and a 12 guage.

The L-13M is a motorized version:


They created a true motor glider from the Blanik, the Vivat.
http://www.nwi.net/~blanikam/ba/prod03.htm


The SSAKTP SL-2P Twin Blanik is also very cool.


So combine your L-13 kits and add a small engine or two (maybe a podded turbo-jet) all in the name of getting a heavier load off of the ground of course, the mission profile would still be a silent gliding attack, Aural Stealth doncha know. 

Jon

[puddingwrestler]

So... essentially most of my ideas then

[Mossie]

Fairey Battle, with a tandem engine arrangement like the Bolkhovitinov Spartak.  Crap single engine aircraft converted to a crapper two engine aircraft.

Continuing the Fairey theme, Barracuda with a RR Vulture.  A fitters maintainance nightmare turned night-terror!  Not to mention a wee bit uglier!!!

Lancaster zwilling.  Greater range, can loft even more bombs, great!  Hang on a mo, where's it going to take off from??? 

[Leigh]

Well I'm planning on trying to scratch together this truly inspired design, the Sizaire-Berwick Wind Wagon. Lets attach a honking great aircraft engine and monstrous prop to an armoured car. Except we'll only armour the cab and leave the engine and fuel tank exposed to anything that comes at it. Then we'll test it in the desert, sandstorm anyone? God knows how the clutch, gears and braking systems worked 


Thinking the Matchbox 1/32 rolls Royce looks like the best starter kit for this thing.

[Taiidantomcat]

Can i do an OOB Super hornet?  

[Weaver]

I have a couple of models of early L-13 Blanik gliders. I could try to rig them up for COIN.

No engine, no armor, no countermeasures, depending on a winch or tow plane to get you and your explosives up there and possibly thermals in all the wrong places or none at all.

Yep, sounds like a winner to me.

Might as well do your COIN with a hang glider and a 12 guage.

Of course, if you hang some napalm tanks off it, you can make your own thermals........

[Joe C-P]

The USN's Arsenal ship. No defenses, no armor, and undermanned.

[Bryan H.]

The Convair NB-36H, a nuclear-powered B-36 bomber.   

A truly BAD idea!  I don't think anyone at SAC or Convair thought through a the obvious what-ifs...  What if your NB-36H crashes on take-off, landing or in a bad storm?  What if a crash occurs over an urban area?  The former SAC base, Carswell AFB is located in Ft. Worth - I'm sure other SAC bases were also located near cities.  What if you have an inflight meltdown?

Bryan     

[B777LR]

Hmm, lets see:

Catalina with mid- or low-set wings (and engines)

A-10 with engines located underneath the wings

Hindenburg strategic bomber...

[B777LR]

What if you have an inflight meltdown?

Considering how much the radiation from Chernobyl spread, from ground level...