What's on the workbench!

[Captain Canada]

Good stuff. A hands on money-making hobby is a great idea. Some day I'd like to get into motorcycle restorations and modifactions. Too busy with 'real ' life at the mo'....

[McColm]

Been on eBay, just browsing. Came across the LL600 Beriev giant oceanic seaplane.
This looked to me as if someone took the Martin P6M Sea Master and added a delta wing.
My first thought was the wings from  Concorde, turned upside down or the wings from a B-58.Been wondering if the wings off the British V Force would work instead.

[Captain Canada]

I'll have to go google that one and discuss later...it's bedtime !

[McColm]

The Anti-Submarine Warfare variant of the Constellation was the EC-121K and it contained ASW sensors and Navaids for operations under water. India used eight for MR maritime reconnaissance fitted with a dustbin retractable radar.
I was thinking along the lines of a single tail fin from a B-29 or B-50 fitted with a MAD boom using the Airfix or Heller L-1049 Super-G. A fore and aft weapons bay either side of the wing. Tip tanks or one fitted with a searchlight, underwing pylons for additional kit.
Radome fitted under the forward fuselage.
A name change "Star Fish".
This could create other versions based on ASW, could even include a tanker variant. Engines will be changed, to include auxiliary jets similar to the KC-97L layout.
Thinking about changing the wings, possible swept with poded engines (the wings from the 1/144 C-17 or An-124?).

[Captain Canada]

Googled that Beriev....wow. that's a biggun'! The search brought up lots of neat ideas. Too many in fact. Darn 'web.....

[McColm]

Googled that Beriev....wow. that's a biggun'! The search brought up lots of neat ideas. Too many in fact. Darn 'web.....

The 1/72 Hasegawa PS-1 flying boat could be used with a delta wing instead of the Sea Master kit. Even the Short Sunderland is another option, there's a few other flying boat kits that could be used. Even the Valiant fitted with a Vulcan wing!

[McColm]

If you've been following my blogs then you'll know that I don't always stick to the instruction sheets that the kit comes with. The Neptune was a prime example, just fell together.
I need to build a few more.

There's an article in this months Aviation News Classic Aircraft, Berlin Air Corridors US Recce Missions. Page 50-56.
The Convair CT-29A  and Douglas C-54D both caught my eye as models to build. Proteus Models do a 1/72 vacform fuselage with resin and metal parts for the Convair C-131D @£78.99 Hannants price. Or Mach2 do the Convair C-131 Samaritan and CV-240 range priced @ £45.99.
Mach2 also do the DC-4/C-54 Skymaster @ £53.99 and now reduced to £35.99.
So I went on Google and came across the NC-131H used as a total-in-flight simulator. This appeals to me as the possiblities of Whiffs due to the various nose radars and extended cockpits. The engines are off a P-3C with over-sized winglets/stabilizers.

On the next page is an article on British Midland's Viscounts which Mach2 also has the Vickers Viscount 700 for £45.99, powered by RR Dart engines. A few lumps and bumps added this too would make an ideal ELINT or recce aircraft.

[Howard of Effingham]

thanks steven for the PM with the explanation about the Neptune you did.  

it has been very helpful and will be useful for the noratlas gunship I mentioned,  

[McColm]

thanks steven for the PM with the explanation about the Neptune you did.  

it has been very helpful and will be noratlas gunship I mentioned,  

I looked into a gunship version of the Noratlas, using the guns from an AC-119K kit. As I used the wings and tail section on a C-130 fuselage. I didn't get a chance to finish this build, another one for the list of Whiffs.

[McColm]

Lockheed did do some studies into a Super Neptune, even producing a model of an enlarged Neptune with the four engines from the Electra.
Whether you use the Frog or Hasegawa kits as a donor and add the wings from the Hasegawa or Revell Lockheed P-3 Orion kit to build a Super Neptune. Other parts from the Orion kit could be used as well.
Thinking of using the Falcon vacform conversions for the Neptune and the Grumman E-1  AEW.
A seaplane version would work, floats under the wings and V shape hull.

[McColm]

Corgi the diecast model car maker celebrates its 50th anniversary of launching the James Bond Aston Martin DB5. They hit the shops after the release of the film Goldfinger.
There have been all different scales both in metal and plastic kits.
No doubt a few more gadget equipped Whiffs will appear either based on previous Bond cars or alternatives. Even the baddies have weapons fitted to their cars!

[Captain Canada]

There's a part started PS-1 on ebay for $17, shipping from New York is only $6. Always wanted one so I think I might go for it.

[McColm]

What do you have in mind?

[McColm]

If you've ever picked up or viewed a copy of Robert E. Bradley Convair Advanced Designs 1923-1962, you can't but notice a sleek four engined seaplane on the front cover. Pages 91-94 covers the design of Model 23. Both Convair and Martin were given contracts for feasibility studies of the ANP program in May 1953.
Convair was to use four Pratt & Whitney J75 turbojet engines for operation in conjunction with its circulating fuel reactor.
Martin concentrated on adapting its P6M seaplane, whereas Convair went for a 50 degree swept wing instead of an earlier delta wing concept. Turbojet engines located over the rear of the wing aft of the fuselage and a T-tail. Known as the Model 23B, designed for long-range attack missions, aerial mine-laying and photoreconnaissance. Only a wind tunnel model was built.
This would make a great conventional jet seaplane along with the delta wing concept. Another design looks like the Vickers Valiant with six jet engines and a V-hull, wingtip streamlined floats.
Leading onto a turboprop AEW seaplane, four T-57 engines.
Six Allison J89 engined ASW and AEW & C design.
The nuclear seaplane systems studies for the USNavy totaled $2.9 million in December 1959.

[Captain Canada]

What do you have in mind?

Nothing yet. I'd have to get the kit and sort somat out. Might be a four-engine Canadair water bomber. Or an MPA.