Martin Baker Fighters

[kitnut617]

Very good point Hobbes.  There must have been some longitudnal instability to warrant the rudder size rather than the engine's torque.

Regards,

Mav

I've read in various reference books that though the contra prop evened out the torque, it created another effect----tail buffeting.  With a single prop the prop-wash was always flowing one way and the designers could compensate for that with the design of the fin chord, the contra prop messed around with the flow of the prop-wash.

From what I gather the tail was increased to counter that.  It happened on most aircraft equipped with contra props and most had their tail area increased.

[GTX]

I agree with the comment made by R.G. Worcester (The Aeroplanes's test pilot who flew the M.B. 5) alluding that it would have been good on a carrier deck:

• Widetrack landing gear
• Good over the nose visibility
• Powerful engine with contro-props (thus no torque effect)
• Good range

It is interesting to compare to the Sea Fury:

Sea Fury

General characteristics

    * Crew: One
    * Length: 34 ft 8 in (10.6 m)
    * Wingspan: 38 ft 4¾ in (11.7 m)
    * Height: 16 ft 1 in (4.9 m)
    * Wing area: 280 ft² (26 m²)
    * Empty weight: 9,240 lb (4,190 kg)
    * Max takeoff weight: 12,500 lb (5,670 kg)
    * Powerplant: 1× Bristol Centaurus XVIIC 18-cylinder twin-row radial engine, 2,480 hp (1,850 kW)

Performance

    * Maximum speed: 460 mph (740 km/h) at 18,000 ft (5,500 m)
    * Cruise speed: 390 mph (625 km/h)
    * Range: 700 mi (1,127 km) with internal fuel; 1,040 mi (1,675 km) with two drop tanks
    * Service ceiling: 35,800 ft (10,900 m)
    * Rate of climb: 30,000 ft (9,200 m) in 10.8 minutes
    * Wing loading: 44.6 lb/ft² (161.2 kg/m²)
    * Power/mass: 0.198 hp/lb (441 W/kg)

M.B.5:

General characteristics

    * Crew: one
    * Length: 37 ft 9 in (11.5 m)
    * Wingspan: 35 ft 0 in (10.7 m)
    * Height: 15 ft 0 in (4.5 m)
    * Wing area: 262 ft² (24.3 m²)
    * Empty weight: 9,233 lb (4,188 kg)
    * Loaded weight: 11,500 lb (5,216 kg)
    * Max takeoff weight: 12,090 lb (5,484 kg)
    * Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Griffon 83 liquid-cooled V-12 engine, 2,340 hp (1,745 kW)

Performance

    * Maximum speed: 460 mph (740 km/h) at 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
    * Range: 1,100 mi (1,770 km)
    * Service ceiling: 40,000 ft (12,190 m)
    * Rate of climb: 3,800 ft/min (19.3 m/s)

Now if only there was a decent 1/48 kit around to model...

Regards,

Greg

[GTX]

Half way between MB3 and MB5:



Regards,

Greg

[NARSES2]

Interesting comparison between the Sea Fury and MB5 Greg. The range figures particularly got the brain going. I have a couple of MB5's still in the stash 

[PR19_Kit]

I have a couple of MB5's still in the stash 

You do? Which kits are they then Chris?

I only know of the Skybirds 86, Pegasus and Magna versions, I wish someone (Special Hobby?) would bring out a 'mainstream' plastic version.

[kitnut617]

Depends on what scale you are using.  The one I built is a 1/72 Airframe vacuform, Falcon do a vacuform in 1/72 too as well as a 1/48.

My PAK-20 book says for the MB.5:

Airframe 1/72
Czechmasters 1/72
Dujin 1/72
Falcon 1/48 1/72
Final Touch 1/72 (rebox Ess-Jay)
Magna 1/72
Pegasus 1/72
Silver Cloud 1/48 (got one of these too)
Skybirds 86 1/72
Wings/UK 1/72

For the MB.2:

Airframe 1/72
Magna 1/72
Maintrack 1/72
Merlin 1/72

For the MB.3:

Dujin 1/72 (rebox Replica, Vami)
Final Touch 1/72 (rebox Ess-Jay)
Magna 1/72
Unicraft 1/72

[GTX]

As I said above, I would love a 1/48 one - finding one though is a tad difficult.

Regards,

Greg

[kitnut617]

High Planes has the Falcon 1/48 vacuform, AUS$20.00

[NARSES2]

I have a couple of MB5's still in the stash 

You do? Which kits are they then Chris?

I only know of the Skybirds 86, Pegasus and Magna versions, I wish someone (Special Hobby?) would bring out a 'mainstream' plastic version.

Pegasus one picked up cheap at a recent show, a couple of Magna ones and a Planet one which is very nice.

[PR19_Kit]

Has anyone ever built a Skybirds 86 MB5, or do we just take the mottled bits out of the box now and then, marvel at the sideways aligned brains that produced the kit, and put them all back in again?

I did EXACTLY that last night too, for the umpteenth time! 

[Martin H]

Has anyone ever built a Skybirds 86 MB5, or do we just take the mottled bits out of the box now and then, marvel at the sideways aligned brains that produced the kit, and put them all back in again?

I did EXACTLY that last night too, for the umpteenth time! 

I have

Mind you I havent painted it. Ive left it be with that stone age type cammo.

[JayBee]

Hmmmm....do it as the prototype, or make it an operational bird....descisions, descisions..... 

[/quote]

Duncan, it is obvious what you should do

JimB

[PR19_Kit]

I have

Mind you I havent painted it. Ive left it be with that stone age type cammo.

Hehe, magic! 

I've just got to see that some time, and it would look great on the stand too.

[kitnut617]

I was moving my stash boxes today so I could work on my hobby-room (winter has finally arrived, we're at a cosy -17C right now and a pile of snow on the ground) and I dug out my MB.5 which has been in a storage box for just over three years.  Here it is compared to a Thunderbolt and Tempest, the wing span is quite a bit less but otherwise the size of it is about the same.

[kitbasher]

Has anyone ever built a Skybirds 86 MB5, or do we just take the mottled bits out of the box now and then, marvel at the sideways aligned brains that produced the kit, and put them all back in again?

I did EXACTLY that last night too, for the umpteenth time!  

Never had one, but I do somethimes do exactly the same with my Hornet F1 and used to do the same with the Prentice I once had.
The MB5 is a fantastic beast, interesting to see kitnut617's trio not least because of the mental comparison  I make whenever at Hendon of the delightful, powerful Tempest II right there next to the thuggish Thunderbolt (alliteration unintended).  Put the MB5 betweenthe two and it looks a world apart!  Stunning mchine.  One day I'll build one, I hope.