Yet another slightly mad idea

[simmie]

Hi there guys

Here we go with another idea from my strange mind.

While doing a spot of reading up on the early PR conversions of Spitfire by Sidney Cotton.

Reading "Spitfire – The Combat History" about his attempts to get his hands on Spitfires in 1939.  He was knocked back by the Air Ministry at every turn until he went to see Sir Hugh Dowding, who promised him 2 aircraft; they arrived at his base at Heston the next day.  Also, an RAF officer who had been assigned to Cotton, Flying Officer Maurice V. Longbottom had produced a memorandum that stated that the best method of carrying out strategic reconnaissance was by the use of a small aircraft relying on speed, climb and ceiling to avoid interception.

All well and good so far, then I retired to the "Smallest Room" for a sit down think.  Then the following idea came in to my head.

Cotton was at Heston, where they were building the Heston R-5 Racer.  This was an aircraft that was build to take the World Air Speed record, but crashed on its first flight (12 June 1940).  This aircraft (G-AFOK) was supposed to be capable of approximately 480mph.  It was powered by an early production Napier Sabre engine.

After a spot research I found that its endurance was only 18 minutes (at full power) the fuel capacity was a single 73 Imp Gal tank between the fire wall and the instrument panel.  There was a second aircraft (G-AFOL) that was 80% complete at the time of the crash of the first, work on this was abandoned with the lost of the first prototype.

So, why didn't cotton look out his office window and consider the Racer as a reconnaissance aircraft??  He is direct to call upon Heston aircraft by contacts at the Air Ministry.  He discussed the type's potential, increasing the fuel capacity by increasing the wing area.  In addition, the tails area is to be increased to improve stability.  2 5" cameras are to be installed in the wing root so that they're coverage over laps, possibly an 8" in the fuselage.

Now, I accept that this is probably a non-starter as the changes would probably be far too extensive to be practical, but hey this is the land of What-if.

[Hobbes]

You're right, by the time you've made all the changes, you end up with a completely new aircraft.

[simmie]

Very true there Hobbes

But then all ideas are good ideas in the "Quiet Room".

[simmie]

Upon further reading, I find that the 73 Imp Gallon fuel capacity is around half that of the Typhoon.

It thus might be possible that by changing the wings to a set with a slightly greater area and a couple of extra fuel tanks of 38.5 imp gallons mounted in the leading edges, betwean wider spaced spars.

further info from :
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1943/1943%20-%200955.html?search=napier-heston j-5 racer
and:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napier-Heston_Racer

[simmie]

Hi there everybody

Quick one today.

While digging around about the Napier-Heston racer I was reminded of the Pond-Rutan effort.

How would it have looked as a light CO-INS aircraft???

[Mossie]

If you wanted to do a developed Napier Heston, you could maybe use AZ Models Ki-78 as a basis.  The two are quite similar & the Ki-78 is a bit longer.  You might want to add a new wing, re-work the engine bay a bit & possibly replace the side intakes.

[pyro-manic]

I'd say stretch the fuselage a bit, moving the engine forward and the tail back to counter, and add extra fuel tankage in that space. Four-blade prop (a cut-down Typhoon/Tempest one? Or a five-blader/contra-prop from a later Spitfire) to get the most from the Sabre, and enlarged tail fin to compensate for the extra length. An oblique camera mounted behind the cockpit, PR Spit-style for low-level fast recce flights. 

[simmie]

OK here we go again.

I was looking at a 3-view of the Northrop N-1M, when  a thought occured.

How about rescaling the aircraft to a twin Allison V-1710 powered long range fighter??  Along similar lines to the P-38 Lightning.

[GTX]

I like!

[simmie]

Thanks greg, lets see if you like this one.

We all know that the Lockheed Hudson was a militarised Model 14 airliner.  Now, what-if De Havilland had carryout a similar convertion on the DH.95 Flamingo??  There was a military transport version, the Hertfordshire, but only a single aircraft was completed.

[PR19_Kit]

Even better would be to make a bomber version of the Albatross. Not quite sure where the bombs would fit, but it would look WONDERFUL! 

[GTX]

Thanks greg, lets see if you like this one.

We all know that the Lockheed Hudson was a militarised Model 14 airliner.  Now, what-if De Havilland had carryout a similar convertion on the DH.95 Flamingo??  There was a military transport version, the Hertfordshire, but only a single aircraft was completed.

Different idea - maybe uprate those engines a tad?

Regards,

Greg

[GTX]

Even better would be to make a bomber version of the Albatross. Not quite sure where the bombs would fit, but it would look WONDERFUL! 

I like your thinking - maybe do as a Maritime patrol aircraft in the same vein as the Fw-200?  External weapons + radar etc?

How I wish there was a kit available!

Regards,

Greg

[simmie]

Thanks greg, lets see if you like this one.

We all know that the Lockheed Hudson was a militarised Model 14 airliner.  Now, what-if De Havilland had carryout a similar convertion on the DH.95 Flamingo??  There was a military transport version, the Hertfordshire, but only a single aircraft was completed.

Different idea - maybe uprate those engines a tad?

Regards,

Greg

I had the same thought just today.  So, I checked and the Bristol Perseus was almost the same diameter as the Bristol hercules.

[Mossie]

IIRC, the Taurus was replacing the Perseus at this time, although it wasn't exactly well loved & didn't make it onto many aircraft types.