What to do with a Privateer?

[James]

Hi all,

First post – been checking out the site for a while and thought I'd join in the fun. 

I'm in the process of gathering ideas about what to do with a Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer that I have. Just want to ask you guys if you think this is a good idea....

An RAF Privateer AEW.1, circa 1956 Suez Crisis. Thinking behind it is that the fuselage is quite wide and would have a bit more room than an Avro Shackleton. Base it on the cargo version.

[Radish]

Sounds good to me. I like using the transport version too, but I'd perhaps keep some armament somewhere, possibly a top turret?

Of course, you could go the whole hog and add a dome for an AWACS "look"??

Love it.

Perhaps Dark Sea Grey undersides and sides/fin, with a "plan view" camouflage of Dark Earth and Sand or Sand and Dark Green?

And "Hi"

[deathjester]

Special Forces transport and fire support aircraft?

[ChernayaAkula]

Vietnam-era gunship like the AP-2H Neptune! 

[thedarkmaster]

Got a Privateer started for Empires Twighlight , going 1956 suez. Has contra rotating props and large radar bulge but has been stalled a while     

[The Wooksta!]

An RAF 1950s AEW is a non starter, because this was the purview of the Royal Navy. Union demarcation and all that.

One in overall DSG as a trainer with MOTU would be nice, but I rather like that idea and may do it myself.  Or an ASW aircraft in Slate Grey/DSG and white with SEAC markings although had they been supplied then, more likely overall Midnight Blue with BPF markings.

Might just have to get one now!

[James]

Thanks for the advice so far guys.

An RAF 1950s AEW is a non starter, because this was the purview of the Royal Navy. Union demarcation and all that.

That's something I was a bit unsure about. I'm only really getting into 'What if' after restarting model making after a break of around 5 years while at uni and starting work (although there sadly doesn't seem to be many 25 year old modellers around).

Anyway, I want to have some accurate historical detail into the background of what models I'm doing, although sometimes I'm just going to let the mind wonder! 

In the long run I plan on doing a Alt. History around France joining not just the British Commonwealth (similar to the current EU but with a common constitution for all members etc..) but as a nation of the UK, based on the proposals of 1956 - which may give me some more freedom to move away from the real-timeline.

Anyway, I do like the idea of a gunship/fire support Privateer. 

[GTX]

Welcome aboard James!

For your Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer, how about a RAAF Maritime Patrol version instead of the Lincoln Mk 31s - after all we flew the Liberator during the war. 

Regards,

Greg

[kitbasher]

RCAF Lancaster replacement.  Lots of dayglo!

[tigercat]

Member of the Battle of the Atlantic memorial flight

[puddingwrestler]

Fly it round the room making 'vroom vroom' and 'dakkadakka' noises?

[Alvis 3.14159]

Pan Am airliner. Great big tail for great big logos. Other airlines would be American, Trans Canada Airlines, Qantas, and Air France.

For some reason, I like taking military aircraft and turning them into civvie airliners. It's a lot harder to do with a Spitfire, but not impossible to do with a Bf-109.
As for a military aircraft, a night ops USAF plane from Korea would be a good version, even perhaps an early "Spooky" variant. Miniguns from either a C-47 or a C-119 would fit nicely, and with the high wing of the Privateer, they could be spaced along the fuselage evenly as well. Spotlights and other accoutrements would be fairly easy to add, and a nice black underside camo extending wayyyy up the fuselage and all the way up the tail would look spiffy.
Getting a little bit weirder, you could use one as a NACA drop plane for a variant of an X-1 type research aircraft. natural metal and dayglo markings, and a really weird looking swept wing bullet barely protruding from the bomb bay might light some people's fuses.
Getting totally weird, flip the fuselgae over, leave off the wings and tail surfaces, and convert it into a submarine. 1/144 scale boomer, Royal Tibetan navy, circa 1966. Use parts from the 1/144 scale modern German sub to add the control surfaces, fins, props, conning tower, etc etc, I think they might work.
Leave off the prop engines and convert to jet power, using Arado 234 or Me-262 engines (1/48) as the powerplants. I'd do it as a recon bird in that case.
Or do it stock and mark it up as a Pirate Airforce "Privateer" Arrrrr....Arrrr...

Alvis 3.1

[Taiidantomcat]

That's something I was a bit unsure about. I'm only really getting into 'What if' after restarting model making after a break of around 5 years while at uni and starting work (although there sadly doesn't seem to be many 25 year old modellers around).

There is actually a disproportionate share of youngin's on this site. Im 27 myself!  one day older (wiser  ) than Chernaya Akula. Lots of other folks in their early 20's as well


I always thought the idea of a 1946 or 1947 gunship like the AC-47 or AC-130 would be cool as an invasion of Japan support aircraft (Extra credit for US Marine markings  )

Or maybe a "Gun nose" version?



Welcome aboard! 

[jcf]

Alvis' airliner is not far off the mark of real Convair proposals and a built aircraft:
The Model 39 Liberator Liner which used PB4Y-2 wings, engines and tail mated to a new fuselage.
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,10138.0.html





Convair also proposed a number of two engined conversions of the Lib/Privateer family (and B-32 BTW).
Basically the idea was to remove the four 14-cylinder R-183o engines and replace them with a pair of
18-cylinder R-3350. Convairs number crunching showed improvements in payload, range and speed
when compared the four engine layout.

Alvis would love one of the airliner conversions , The Model 332, as it looks like a York with a round fuselage.   .

[upnorth]

How about a turboprop testbed or some such?

Spending it's twilight years at Boscome Down getting married up to the various turboprop engine prototypes in development....

Someone mentioned contraprops. Don't stop at the props, find an old Frog Shackleton or one of the eastern European reissues therof and re-engine it entirely.

A Privateer with Griffons and contraprops would look plenty sweet methinks.