Warcoupe float plane

solidmodeler · April 03, 2009, 07:10:14 AM

Part of the WWII Lend-Lease program, a ship-full of special turreted Erco Ercoupe float planes was sent to patrol England's vast canal system...

Ed S · April 03, 2009, 07:14:09 AM

Nicely done. You're definitely showing your talents with woodworking along with WHIFF creativity.

Ed

sotoolslinger · April 03, 2009, 11:39:18 AM

Dang that is some beautiful work right there

John Howling Mouse · April 03, 2009, 08:34:48 PM

Man, it's like chocolate cake: can't get enough of this one!

GTX · April 04, 2009, 02:40:10 PM

Classic

Regards,

Greg

Brian da Basher · April 06, 2009, 02:45:59 PM

That is truly a wonder to behold! You back it up with a very believable concept and finish with the perfect paintjob!

Brian da Basher

solidmodeler · April 06, 2009, 03:32:30 PM

Thanks all. It's weird, but I can almost believe it flew in the war. Some decals are in the works.

Weaver · April 06, 2009, 05:01:48 PM

Kerrrrist - I wouldn't know where to begin doing something like that: excellent work!

Canals are notoriously narrow: maybe an improved version would have single float in the middle with outrigger wheels under each wingtip to rest on the towpaths? (The float would have to be black with a flower-painted bucket on it, of course....)

solidmodeler · April 07, 2009, 06:03:21 AM

Thanks for the tip Weaver

So no worries then about U-boats traveling upstream. Honestly, I wasn't sure if England even had an extensive canal system.

Weaver · April 07, 2009, 07:56:44 AM

Quote from: solidmodeler on April 07, 2009, 06:03:21 AM
Thanks for the tip Weaver So no worries then about U-boats traveling upstream. Honestly, I wasn't sure if England even had an extensive canal system.

Extensively extensive....

Typical British canal boat on typical British canal:

jcf · April 07, 2009, 09:59:10 AM

The Ercoupe is a tiny aircraft, narrow canals would not be a problem.

I think the kid would be the gunner.

solidmodeler · April 07, 2009, 10:17:47 AM

Nice photos. Now you can see I added exhaust ports and a big air scoop. There will be a small caliber machine gun in each wing and two 120lb bombs mounted underneath.

PR19_Kit · April 07, 2009, 10:49:43 AM

Quote from: solidmodeler on April 07, 2009, 06:03:21 AM
So no worries then about U-boats traveling upstream. Honestly, I wasn't sure if England even had an extensive canal system.

Even today it's amazingly extensive, although a lot of it has decayed into disuse, sad to say

I'd love to have seen a U-Boat trying to get through the Devizes Caen Hill flight of locks, where the upper gate of one lock is the lower gate of the next one, all sixteen of them! The bow would be in one lock while the stern would have been 3-4 behind!

That little Warcoupe would have had a choice of which bit to bomb.....

JayBee · April 07, 2009, 10:54:49 AM

Quote from: joncarrfarrelly on April 07, 2009, 09:59:10 AM
The Ercoupe is a tiny aircraft, narrow canals would not be a problem.

I think the kid would be the gunner.

Oh yes it would have a problem.
The wing tips would knock the beer glasses off the tables, of the people having lunch at the canal side public houses.
Such rude manners!

Weaver · April 07, 2009, 02:59:16 PM

LOL - got me thinking now - folding wings and a Q-ship narrowboat seaplane tender..... it could be the "quaint" equivalent of 007's Bede-in-a-horse-box.......