Using the H.P. Victor as a base for a Ekranoplan build

McColm · August 28, 2011, 12:38:25 AM

Hi,
If you attended the Hydroviation show held in Gelendzhik Black Sea, on Wednesday 6th September 2006. Good for you, those that didn't can find pictures on Google; Moscow 2006 Day 4.
The pictures of the Be-101 and Be-2500 got me thinking about using a Revell 1/72 H.P. Victor and turning it into a Ekranoplan.
Revell do a 1/144 04609 A-90 Orlyonok Ekranoplan kit and Fantastic Plastic do two 1/700 versions of the 'Caspian Sea Monster' under the title' Ships of the world' released through Takara, but I thought of building my own Whiff version instead so I could use up the spare parts in my stash.

Engine power will come from jet pods off the various Heller E-3A or C-135 FR , wing sections (canards) from my E-2C can be used to mount the engines forward along the Victor's fuselage behind the cockpit. Additional fins taken from my F-22 or YF-23 angled and glued to the Victor wing. Floats can be fuel tanks/pods attached to the main wing and ESM pods from a Airfix Nimrod kit.
A loading ramp leading into the weapons bay and a redesigned cockpit taken from a Heller C-135 FR nose. The tail section will be retained from the Victor, although on the Be-2500 it shows it tailess. Extra windows. As it's a prototype the colour scheme can be a mixture of civvie and military.

The Rat · August 28, 2011, 02:44:52 PM

I will be watching this very closely! Made an Ekranoplan out of a Boeing 727 many moons ago. Do you know how you'll be doing the hull?

Supertom · August 28, 2011, 07:13:34 PM

Madness! Madness, I say!!!

The Rat · August 28, 2011, 07:21:40 PM

Quote from: Supertom on August 28, 2011, 07:13:34 PM
Madness! Madness, I say!!!

Yeah, ain't it great?!

Captain Canada · August 28, 2011, 08:39:30 PM

Sounds like a great idea !

The Rat · August 28, 2011, 09:12:04 PM

Quote from: McColm on August 28, 2011, 12:38:25 AMThe tail section will be retained from the Victor, ...

Don't mean to go JMN on you, but there is something about Ekranoplan aerodynamics that demand a large tailplane. Mairfrog explained it to me once, he was our resident expert on Ekranoplans, but I can't find the post and I don't think he's been on here for years. Anyway, the upshot is that the Victor's tailplane would probably be insufficient.

McColm · August 29, 2011, 12:30:49 AM

Tailess it is then!!
Although on the Takara kit of the 'Caspian Sea Monster' the tail section is blended into the fuselage to appear seemless. So if there is a 1/48 tail section of a Victor that is doing the rounds I'd be interested in buying it.
The hull, I've got a Martin SeaMaster in my stash and I'm expecting delivery of my Shinmeiwa PS-1 flying boat. I'll study these first before slicing up the SeaMaster, (might be able to stratch build the hull).

The Rat · August 29, 2011, 07:08:54 AM

I still have my in-progress pics of how I built the hull, if you need some inspiration I can post them. But have a crack at coming up with your own ideas first, you might think of an easier way and I wouldn't want to send you down a dark and difficult path!

McColm · August 29, 2011, 07:55:40 AM

I suppose like most Whiffers, its more to do with how you display your end model.
Option (1) on water
or
Option (2) on land
or
Option (3) on a stand

Option (1) you can hide most of the hull, as you won't get to see the underside.
Options (2) and (3) calls for a rumage in the spare parts stash.
Thinking outside the box-the BAe Nimrod has made a few water landings and can float, Hmm

The Rat · August 29, 2011, 08:05:26 AM

Quote from: McColm on August 29, 2011, 07:55:40 AMThinking outside the box-the BAe Nimrod has made a few water landings and can float, Hmm

Ben there, done that!

McColm · August 29, 2011, 10:56:57 AM

Wow,
What scale did you use?

The Rat · August 29, 2011, 11:11:59 AM

Quote from: McColm on August 29, 2011, 10:56:57 AM
Wow,
What scale did you use?

It was a tiny little thing that Toad gave me, east German company called Dubena. Not sure of the exact scale, but it was very small:

Weaver · August 29, 2011, 05:16:12 PM

I've always thought that the Victor looks as though it could land on water on it's nose bulge and the the two trailing edge fairings if the latter were under the wing rather than above it...

deathjester · August 29, 2011, 06:03:37 PM

Quote from: Weaver on August 29, 2011, 05:16:12 PM
I've always thought that the Victor looks as though it could land on water on it's nose bulge and the the two trailing edge fairings if the latter were under the wing rather than above it...

Ah, no. According to 'Vulcan 607', Victor crews were advised not to ditch, as tests showed that the bulkhead behind the h2S acted like a scoop, pulling the nose under!

Weaver · August 30, 2011, 04:09:27 AM

Yeah I know, but I mean just in shape terms. By all means replace the radome with a good, solid hull!