Avro 730 & OR.330E

[Mossie]

Got talking about this at Elvington today.  The Avro 730 was the winner of a competition to select a high altitude mach 2.5+ recconisance aircraft.  As the competition progressed, a secondary bomber role was added.  OR.330 produced several designs comparable in performance & role to the A-12/SR-71 & predated that aircraft by a few years.

The pure recconisance version of the 730 had four engines of 20,750lb thrust (83,000lb total) plus two rocket motors.  The later recce plus bommber variant had eight engines of 14,000lb thrust (112,000lb total).  This was slower than the A-12/SR-71 that had 65,000lb in total, although the EE P.10 with 24 ramjets & two boost engines was capable of Mach 3.

One thing about the Avro 730 that is easy missed in three views is it's size, or more accurately, it's length (48.5m in final form).  The OR.330 aircraft were similar in size, except for the English Electric P.10 that was shorter (33.1m) because the EE team believed that advancing technology would reduce the size of the side scanning radar used.

Just to illustrate the size of the Avro 730, I've scaled plan views of contempary aircraft:


There's more info on the OR.330 contenders on Secret Projects:
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,905.0.html

[Thorvic]

So thats your next build ?........

[Martin H]

a new scratch build padwan eh Geoff?

[Mossie]

Heh!  I should maybe start with something a tad smaller eh???

[Thorvic]

Heh!  I should maybe start with something a tad smaller eh???

Avro 731 ?

[The Wooksta!]

The Airfix 72nd Concorde could give you the fuselage and possibly the u/c.  I mentioned it to Melchett a while back.

It looks to be about the size of a Valkyrie and believe me, that is an utter swine to store and transport.

[The Wooksta!]

Heh!  I should maybe start with something a tad smaller eh???

Jumping in at the deep end is sometimes the best way.  I did it with a Junkers Ju 488 V401 about 15 years ago and then made a second a few months later.  Could do a far better job now and I do have all the bits...  And witness the Atlantic.

[Mossie]

Concorde might be a place to start.   Trouble is, Concorde has an egg-shaped cross section, while the 730 has a circular section with a pannier undeneath.  In profile, Concorde has constant section for most of it's length whereas the 730's varies over it's entire length.  Talking to Duncan, it would probably be a case of a total scratch build, determining the sections & then skinning them.  That wouldn't be too difficult, even without a cross-sectional diagram you could determine the sections from a plan view.

It wouldn't be easy, what ever route is taken.  The HP.100 might be easier to produce from a Concorde kit, you might even be able to adapt the wing, although a Valkyrie might be a better option for that.

[The Wooksta!]

Rather than adapt a fuselage, just blow the plan up to 72nd and cut two outlines - top and side.  fill the centre with scrap - balsa, offcut sprue, resin plugs.  Cover with P38 and sand to shape.  If you get it right whilst it's curing (depending on the amount of catalyst used, it can be quite quick!) you can cut it like cheese. 

The benefit is than it can be sanded as smooth as glass and you can easily scribe panel lines.  It's also quite quick to cure, certainly faster than milliput which I've always detested.  Downside is that it stinks, so you'd have to go outside or use the garage or shed.

[Mossie]

Found this pic on Britmodeller of an Avro 730, Vulcan, 707 & Fairey Delta in 1/144, all by BigReg:
http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=17192&st=60

[Hobbes]

You're aware there is a kit of the 730?

http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/Avro730CatalogPage.htm

[kitnut617]

You're aware there is a kit of the 730?

http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/Avro730CatalogPage.htm

The first time I saw it was on Sharkit's website. Rene doesn't show it anymore though.

[Cobra]

Guys, the AVRO 730 & the OR.330E are Both Cool Looking but, Don't They look like Something from 'Thunderbirds'?Dan

[Mossie]

Definately, designs such as the Avro 730 were a direct influence on Gerry Anderson & the design team at TV Century 21, that golden age of aviation design in the fifties & sixties where anything seemed possible.  Thunderbirds is particularly influenced, with technology, it's benefits & but also associated pitfalls being the main theme.  The Fireflash airliner in particular has a similar style to the 730, canard layout on a long slim fuselage.

[royabulgaf]

I've pondered this myself.   As the 730 does have a circular cross section, I have given thought to using telescoping sections of PVC tubing.  I have used PVC for engine cowlings on a model, and it works quite well.  Also some millwork at the big box home improvement stores are made of some artificial product that is easy, almost too easy to carve.  I haven't found it in sizes to say, carve a 730 fuselage in 1/72.