Narses2's Blog - or what I'm slowly making progress on

[NARSES2]

I knew about the Mk V but the reason I was thinking of a late war Martin turret was, just that, it is late war and more streamlined then a B.P. or other British style bomber turret. Maybe even a remote turret a-la the Spearfish ? Was thinking of a Coastal Command strike aircraft circa 1946. And yes I know a lot of Coastal squadrons would have probably moved to Mosquitos by then.

[Captain Canada]

I'm syre they could still use an aeroplane as rugged as the Beaufighter ! especially with a nice turret. Or are you now thinking of a Mossie with a turret ?

[Radish]

In "Biggles in Borneo" a Beau with that turret configuration is illustrated.....but thankfully it retains radial engines!!

[kitnut617]

I'm syre they could still use an aeroplane as rugged as the Beaufighter ! especially with a nice turret. Or are you now thinking of a Mossie with a turret ?

De Havilland experimented with a Martin style of turret, not a great success as it slowed the aircraft down much more than expected. It was to have four guns and remotely operated.

[NARSES2]

Or are you now thinking of a Mossie with a turret ?

Strangely although I think a Beau would look good with a Martin style turret, or a remote one, to put one on a Mosquito would be heresy 

One look at the picture Kitnut has posted shows why in my opinion. I have seen that picture before and always thought....why ?

[NARSES2]

Anyway first progress in a few weeks what with being away etc.

Got some more transfers on the I-16, indeed just need to finish the rudder striping and she can be matted.

I've finished the Do 17 inners and glued the fuselage together and added the wing spars etc. Also worked on a few more sub assemblies. You really don't want to move away from the bench with this kit, she is that good  Had one moment when fitting the engine/undercarriage nacelles  "oh that will need some filler there" and then realised that with this kit if it don't fit you are doing something wrong or haven't cleaned the part up properly. Sure enough the nacelles were handed. It's only a minor difference from port/starboard but if you get it right the fit is spot on. The other way round and they will fit but would need fettleing. I brought this upon myself simply by building some bits out of sequence. So in future I'll mark such sub assemblies with the stage No in felt tip !

[Captain Canada]

Interesting....an aeroplane I've yet to build but once I see that kit I'm in !

[NARSES2]

I had a thought yesterday so checked it and  The Do 17 comes with alternate parts for the bomb bay and undercarriage doors, you get open and closed options. The closed ones fit well enough so that you can use them to mask the openings whilst painting the undersides 

[rickshaw]

Methinks you'd need a new rear fuselage to make a turret work in a Beaufighter...   

[zenrat]

Found this on Hyperscale.
I know the Beau is pretty pugnacious to start with but adding that turret there doesn't do it any favours in the looks department.


http://www.hyperscale.com/features/2000/beaufightervds_1.htm

[kitbasher]

Methinks you'd need a new rear fuselage to make a turret work in a Beaufighter...   

Saw Zenrat's pics and thought 'why not something similar to the Beaufort's dorsal turret' arrangement?  Turret replaces the dorsal 'bubble' with either a retractable Defiant-style rear fuselage behid it or - to save weight and complexity - a cut down rear fuselage.

[kitnut617]

The turret was place where it is because of the weight of it, the four cannon had to be removed too.  Now if they had continued with the Griffon engine arrangement, I think the turret could have been moved backwards as you suggest, and keep the cannon.  But I think a Martin twin .5 turret would be better to use.  I've got a Griffon Beaufighter in the works with something along these lines planned.  But instead of the ugly dorsal fillet, I'd just go with a bigger fin & rudder

[kitbasher]

The turret was place where it is because of the weight of it, the four cannon had to be removed too.  Now if they had continued with the Griffon engine arrangement, I think the turret could have been moved backwards as you suggest, and keep the cannon.  But I think a Martin twin .5 turret would be better to use.  I've got a Griffon Beaufighter in the works with something along these lines planned.  But instead of the ugly dorsal fillet, I'd just go with a bigger fin & rudder

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,31451.msg483259.html#msg483259

Centaurus instead of Griffons, maybe?  And yes, bigger fin/rudder not the dorsal extension.

[kitnut617]

The turret was place where it is because of the weight of it, the four cannon had to be removed too.  Now if they had continued with the Griffon engine arrangement, I think the turret could have been moved backwards as you suggest, and keep the cannon.  But I think a Martin twin .5 turret would be better to use.  I've got a Griffon Beaufighter in the works with something along these lines planned.  But instead of the ugly dorsal fillet, I'd just go with a bigger fin & rudder

Centaurus instead of Griffons, maybe? 

Now that would look cool, and I'll watch your thread with interest --- 

[NARSES2]

If I try it then I will use the Martin style turret as I have a spare although as Rickshaw says it might prove and interesting fit in so far as the Beau's re fuselage dimensions go. Strangely I find the dorsal fillet quite attractive