TC`s build thread.

[Taiidantomcat]

totally cool! 

[tc2324]

Ladies and gentleman, I give you........,

Operation Aphrodite and Adonis

The Operation Aphrodite plan was first proposed to Major General James H. Doolittle some time in 1944. Doolittle approved the plan on June 26, and assigned the 3rd Bombardment Division with preparing and flying the drone aircraft, which was to be designated BQ-7. Final assignment of responsibility was given to the 562nd Bomb Squadron at RAF Honington in Suffolk. Old B-17 Flying Fortress bombers were stripped of all normal combat armament and all other non-essential gear (armor, guns, bomb racks, transceiver, seats, etc.), relieving about 12,000 lb (5,400 kg) of weight. To allow easier exit when the pilot and co-pilot were to parachute out, the canopy was removed. radio remote-control equipment was added, with two television cameras fitted in the cockpit to allow a view of both the ground and the main instrumentation panel to be transmitted back to an accompanying CQ-17 'mothership'. The drone was loaded with more than twice a B-17's normal bomb payload. British Torpex, 50% more powerful than TNT, was the explosive used. 13 missions were launched without any reasonable success and a number of aircrew were killed in accidents, the most famous being Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. who was the older brother of the future president of the United States. On the 3rd January 1945 the project and all future Aphrodite missions were postponed until a more reliable control system could be put in to place.

In April 1945 a new system called MCLOS, (short for Manual Command to Line of Sight), was put forward and proposed as an alternative to the older system used in the earlier Aphrodite missions.
The new proposal `borrowed` a technique from the Luftwaffe and it`s Mistel program. It was concluded that a P-51 fighter aircraft placed above the BQ-7 with direct control of both aircraft into the target area would eliminate the earlier problems and numerous malfunctions associated with long missions relying purely on remote control. It would only be in the last ten minutes of the mission that the BQ-7 would need to be directed by remote. A P-51 was chosen for the task, (now re designated as a CQ-51), as it had better performance capabilities than any other U.S. fighter at the time. It had a modified cockpit with a second rear facing seat with remote control systems and TV monitors for the RC operator. A transmission Ariel was placed in a black housing under the P-51`s wing and receiver aerials were placed in a housing on top of the BQ-7`s fin. This was so that the radio link could not be broken by any other part of either aircrafts airframe once the BQ-7 had been released on to its target.

Doolittle approved the system, now codenamed Adonis, and made available an old B-17 aircraft for a test flight with the modified Mustang hung up above which took place on the 30th April 1945. This flight proved successful but before the weapon system could be used operationally, events over took the plan and with Germany`s surrender on the 8th May, the system was scrapped indefinitely.
The only known pictures of the CQ-51 and BQ-7 mated together were taken on the morning of the 30th April 1945 prior to its test flight.













And a couple of colour shots for those who prefer them.........,

[Pablo1965]

Incredible result! Really the Mistelmania has started

[sotoolslinger]

Very nice

[tc2324]

Thanks guys.  I`m pretty happy with the result.

[tc2324]

A year of Whif`s

Well, it`s got to that time of year when I need to move stuff around as space, and the wife, are becoming limited and stressed. (Guess which one describes the missus... )

Anyway I have been `whiffing` for a year now, (I better take a shower ), and my finished builds need to placed in storage in what I like to call TC`s North East London AMARC, NELAMARC for short.. , a boneyard based in my loft and not as dry as the Arizona version.  

I took the following pics as a tribute, and record, of all the madness I have inflicted on you lot in the last 12 months and I don`t doubt that next year will have just the same amount of crazy ideas being thrown your way.  

[Pablo1965]

I can hear the sound of your imagination see that planes. Congratulations for your creativity. 

[NARSES2]

Seeing that collection together just shows your imagination and productivity 

[Sturmbock]

In one year's time I would be happy to even finish two planes.. Great level of execution too. Very impressive.

[tc2324]

Thanks for comments and support guys.

Next up........

USAAC 8th Air Force Lancaster Mk I/III     

I`m looking to create my interpretation of a US 8th Air Force Lancaster. I`m still in two minds of how simple I want to make this.   I could go for the easy version and build the kit `as is` with a typical drab olive green or silver paint scheme. Or..., I could go with the uprated version and imagine that while the USAAC kept the basic Lancaster design and Merlin engines, they added some upgrades for daylight operations over Europe like extra gun positions, uprgaded turrets and .50 Cal MG`s...

If anyone has any thoughts, feel free to express them, but please remember under 18`s read this forum....   

Pic of the kit below and I guess I won`t be needing those decals....    

[pyro-manic]

Extra turrets (rear of cockpit, waist positions, ventral ball turret, extra guns for top and nose turrets), natural metal with garish nose art, and possibly radial engines? Or maybe something unusual like formation ship paint?

[tc2324]

Extra turrets (rear of cockpit, waist positions, ventral ball turret, extra guns for top and nose turrets), natural metal with garish nose art, and possibly radial engines? Or maybe something unusual like formation ship paint?

Thanks for the input Pyro. Extra guns are a must but I`m keeping the Merlins. I stilll want the look of the Lanc but happy for people to do a double take when they see it.

Anyway, I started doing some quick sketches of various options for my upgraded 8th AF Lanc. Came up with the following and before anyone says anything I know I`m no Picasso, so no laughing at the back........!

First up was the nose section. Option `A` is just a standard B-24J nose with turret and bomb aimers window. Option `B` is a `super` upgraded option including a chin turret. The chin turret weapons would be linked to the front turret and point and shoot in the same direction. With option `B` the bomb aimers window would be below and behind the chin turret.



The second lot of sketches show the main fuselage with option `A` showing the waist gunners positions and option `B` showing the ball turret position. I have concluded that I can`t do both as there just wouldn`t be enough room to fit them all in together. I don`t want to cut the bomb bay short as this would restrict the amout of bombs carried. I have also moved the dorsal turret back above the main wing spar. The rear turret is an easy swap over so no drawing needed.



As always, C+C welcome. 

[Slerski]

Hum... "A" version of the front looks good for me and the "B" version of the fuselage is more... realistic for day-time operations over Europe (no crazy Messerschmitt doing an underside attack  )

[tc2324]

Captured SHAR.......

Had to put the Lanc on hold as I`m waiting for parts and have started this 1/72 SHAR as part of a GB on another forum. Pics of the progress for far......,

Kit and decals to be applied.......,





Cockpit completed and engine fans weathered......,







More soon.......!

[rickshaw]

Extra turrets (rear of cockpit, waist positions, ventral ball turret, extra guns for top and nose turrets), natural metal with garish nose art, and possibly radial engines? Or maybe something unusual like formation ship paint?

Thanks for the input Pyro. Extra guns are a must but I`m keeping the Merlins. I stilll want the look of the Lanc but happy for people to do a double take when they see it.

Anyway, I started doing some quick sketches of various options for my upgraded 8th AF Lanc. Came up with the following and before anyone says anything I know I`m no Picasso, so no laughing at the back........!

First up was the nose section. Option `A` is just a standard B-24J nose with turret and bomb aimers window. Option `B` is a `super` upgraded option including a chin turret. The chin turret weapons would be linked to the front turret and point and shoot in the same direction. With option `B` the bomb aimers window would be below and behind the chin turret.



The second lot of sketches show the main fuselage with option `A` showing the waist gunners positions and option `B` showing the ball turret position. I have concluded that I can`t do both as there just wouldn`t be enough room to fit them all in together. I don`t want to cut the bomb bay short as this would restrict the amout of bombs carried. I have also moved the dorsal turret back above the main wing spar. The rear turret is an easy swap over so no drawing needed.



As always, C+C welcome. 

You know that Manchesters were actually designed to have a belly turret?  They were removed quite early because they were considered ineffective at night.  The weight saved extended payload and range.  The mount was used later in the Lancaster for the H2S radar set.   I'd suggest that a belly turret would be more use than the waist gunners.

For the nose, I'd suggest the B-24 turret by itself.  There isn't room for it and a power-operated chin turret.  If you extended the nose, as on the Australian Lincolns, you could put in cheek gun positions, as well.