AZ Models

[NARSES2]

I am looking forward to it I must admit 

Could you fit a Hornet with Centaurus engines or Griffons ?

[Mossie]

For a Whirlwind build, well worth looking through this secret projects thread, especially relating to developed peregrine's, merlin engines and alternative arrangement:
https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/westland-whirlwind-variants-and-projects.5734/

[PR19_Kit]

The RAF got out of the anti shipping game in '47.

And then had to get back in again when we ran out of proper carriers, and the RAF took over the Buccs. Madness.

[zenrat]

And the Whirlwind MkII is better able to be upgraded to turboprop engines, on the grounds that even magnesium is less heat-sensitive than wood ... oh, wait - it might not be.  Is there an industrial chemist in the house?

I'm not an Industrial Chemist but a little look on Wikipedia reminded me of Chemistry class as school where the teacher took some Magnesium out of a jar with some oil in it and put some into a container of water so we could watch it burn! 

Gondor

That would be Sodium.  Kept under oil and burst into flames when lobbed into the chemistry lab sink when Mr Fleming's back was turned.
Magnesium was stored in the form of coiled ribbon in flat tins and burst into flames when poked into a bunsen burner while Mr Fleming was in the store cupboard.

I'll be looking to pick up an AZ Hornet at Model Expo...

...oh nuts.   

[The Wooksta!]

I am looking forward to it I must admit 

Could you fit a Hornet with Centaurus engines or Griffons ?

Why Centaurus?  The whole point of the Hornet was a fighter with as little frontal cross section as possible - the Merlins were designed to be as slim as possible and the airframe designed around that.  By fitting a pair of wide radials, you undo all that work.  Absolutely pointless.

Griffons on t'other hand.  Possible but you've have a weight increase so I doubt you' get much more speed.

As I said, the Hornet is close to perfection as is.  Why change a winning formula?

[kitnut617]

Why change a winning formula?

Because --- 

[Knightflyer]

Why change a winning formula?

Because --- 

Now there's a future GB, the "make something WORSE than it actually was in RW" GB 

[Weaver]

Other than change the markings, there's little that you should do, because the Hornet - especially the F.3 - was as close as you can get to piston engine perfection.

Other than the Spitfire, it's my favorite aircraft of all time and it's the one aircraft I have the most kits of.

I had a bit of a think about what to do with a hornet, either  navalize it or fit it out for anti shipping  work. Rockets on the wings and a large  caliber  gun in the lower  fuselage, similar to the  mosquito variant. Or do that as a navy aircraft.

Hang a pair of Freightdog's Bullseye flying saucer bombs on it:

https://www.freightdogmodels.co.uk/military-products/military-aircraft-conversions/1-72-scale/freightdog-models/freightdog-1-72-raf-bullseye-spinning-disk-bomb-project.html

Basically an alternative to rockets, so anything that was rocket-ready is sutiable. I hung a pair under an Airfix Typhoon.

[chrisonord]

Other than change the markings, there's little that you should do, because the Hornet - especially the F.3 - was as close as you can get to piston engine perfection.

Other than the Spitfire, it's my favorite aircraft of all time and it's the one aircraft I have the most kits of.

I had a bit of a think about what to do with a hornet, either  navalize it or fit it out for anti shipping  work. Rockets on the wings and a large  caliber  gun in the lower  fuselage, similar to the  mosquito variant. Or do that as a navy aircraft.

Hang a pair of Freightdog's Bullseye flying saucer bombs on it:

https://www.freightdogmodels.co.uk/military-products/military-aircraft-conversions/1-72-scale/freightdog-models/freightdog-1-72-raf-bullseye-spinning-disk-bomb-project.html

Basically an alternative to rockets, so anything that was rocket-ready is sutiable. I hung a pair under an Airfix Typhoon.

Sounds like a good plan Harold, or I could do something a few more  steps towards the realm of silly, and put a pair of fireflash missiles on it.
Chris

[PR19_Kit]

Sounds like a good plan Harold, or I could do something a few more  steps towards the realm of silly, and put a pair of fireflash missiles on it.

It'd need some radar for the Fireflashes to work as it was a beam rider.

[NARSES2]

That would be Sodium.  Kept under oil and burst into flames when lobbed into the chemistry lab sink when Mr Fleming's back was turned.

Our chemistry master was Mr Brock, I kid you not, and he would demonstrate how once it was alight it would then scoot around on the surface. No safety equipment back then either. Old Brock nearly blew us up a couple of times and it was only after our "O" Levels he told us he'd be in the Royal Engineers during the War and had spent a lot of time blowing things up 

[NARSES2]

I am looking forward to it I must admit 

Could you fit a Hornet with Centaurus engines or Griffons ?

Why Centaurus?  The whole point of the Hornet was a fighter with as little frontal cross section as possible - the Merlins were designed to be as slim as possible and the airframe designed around that.  By fitting a pair of wide radials, you undo all that work.  Absolutely pointless.

Griffons on t'other hand.  Possible but you've have a weight increase so I doubt you' get much more speed.

As I said, the Hornet is close to perfection as is.  Why change a winning formula?

Fair do's Lee. I think my mind was wandering down the "lets try another engine just in case we have problems with Merlin supply" path.

[The Wooksta!]

In 1945?  We had Merlins to burn.  There were that many the MoS insisted on Boulton Paul and Avro re-engining the Balliol and the Athena to use them up.

[kitnut617]

I think if De Havilland put Griffons or Centaurus' on a Hornet, they would have gone the same route as they did with the Mosquito -- they would have made it bigger. For example, the Sabre Mosquito (DH.101) was 1.3 times bigger than the DH.98, just so the Sabre could fit in the nacelle shape like they had done with the Merlin for the DH.98. The DH.101 was cancelled because DH was told they were to use a Griffon instead, but they didn't put the Griffons on a DH.98, they scaled down the DH.101 design so the Griffon would fit into the nacelle shape, creating the DH.102. The DH.102 was bigger than the DH.98 though, about 1.15 times bigger. The Jet Mosquito was a re-engined DH.102 --- not a jet engined DH.98.

I could see Centaurus engines on a DH.101 though ----
Here you can see just how much bigger the DH.101 was to a DH.98. (and I've got copies of the 'discovered' original drawings of the DH.101 which Tony Butler kindly gave me). Interestingly, I found a 1/48 Hornet Mk.1 fin was exactly right for a 1/72 DH.101.

[The Wooksta!]

The Jet Mosquito was a re-engined DH.102 --- not a jet engined DH.98.

I found that when I scaled the drawings up and none of my planned donor kits matched up.  Pity, as I've a mould somewhere for the engines.