"Freddy Flameout" finished as Bell XP-74

[sandiego89]

I needed something different, and when I saw the ancient Hawk "Freddy Flameout" kit on the bargain table I said why not?  I am going to attempt making a plausible jet out of Freddy's trusty ride.  I needed a quick build and a challenge- and something for the JMN's!.  

Freddy will not reside in the cockpit, but will be there for moral support and encouragement.

The kit:


Layed out.


Freddy wonders how this will turn out?  Fuselage has some resemblance to the XV-15 tiltrotor, or perhaps a Fairchild T-46?

Side view shows a tougher challenge. Some P-59 resemblance.  Not sure where this will go, but regardless it will be ugly.  

[Go4fun]

With that hull I think "Something amphibious"?  This could get very interesting.

[Weaver]

Interesting, a whiffy kit whiffed by making it serious......

Biggest problem I can see is what are you going to do for a cockpit canopy? I doubt whether Falcon make a Freddie-Flameout-to-Normal conversion kit...

With that T-37ish front end, but a single small engine, the plane it most resembles to me is a Canadair CT-114 Tutor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadair_CL-41_Tutor

[PR19_Kit]

Oh my life, one of the late Ed Roth's more sane designs! 

I once had the somewhat dubious honour of being a judge with Ed Roth for the model car class at the Minnesota Street Rod 'Back to the 50s' event. That guy was amazingly talented and seriously unhinged, all that the same time. The world needs more like him, perhaps we're it? 

[bearmatt]

Ah, how great is this!?! 
Didn't even know, that there was a kit like this. Looking fwd to completion!

[Jay-Jay]

Excellent !! I had the very same box when I was a teenager but failed to recover the flame out situation and it all ended in a fatal crash 
.... Souvenir, souvenir (in french dans le texte) ....
I learned by then that in aviation three things are to be avoided in such a situation: Plenty of blue sky above, fuel in the tender truck and runway behind you !
whishing you good building ! 

[sandiego89]

Found the 1/46 scale Me 262 (old Lindberg) has a very similar cross section to Freddy's jet.  Shape is almost spot on, but a little narrow.  This will be used to source a new mid fuselage area and cockpit tub. 

Freddy's jet and Me-262


Freddy took his torch to the unfortunate Me-262


Cut out the solid windscreen and fuselage sides to fit the Me-262 mid section


Rough fit of the Me-262 mid section.  Cockpit tub will be moved forward.

[NARSES2]

I find builds like this amazing - I just don't have the imagination - but admire it so much it in others

[sandiego89]

Cockpit moved forward, offset to the port side like some versions of the Canberra, radar operator in the "coal hole" to starboard.

Layed planks of styrene to make up the gaps. Generous putty application.   



Bigger engine burner can- used a cut down crazy glue container tube. 

Cut out jet intakes, and lined the intakes.



Cut out wheel wheels. Scratch wheel wells.     

[sandiego89]

Paint begun.  Extended the wings a bit, but kept the fuselage basically the same.   

[Go4fun]

Looking good. Now Freddy needs a beer instead of that joystick! 

[sandiego89]

Finished. The Bell XP-74 "Shadow" .  In late 1946 a contest was issued for a jet-powered night interceptor.  The specifications called for a crew of two, radar, and good climb rates.  Bell responded with a design incorporating a large radar dish, three nose mounted 20mm cannons, the radar operator in the fuselage to starboard to better see the scope in his darkened station. All of this was combined in the shortest fuselage possible to hopefully meet the stringent climb and performance rates.  

A contract was issued for two XP-74's.  Like most jets of the era, the XP-74 suffered from low thrust and struggled to meet performance goals.  Only limited testing was conducted before the first prototype was lost in a ground fire at Muroc. After only 8.4 hours flight time the program was halted, and the second airframe was never completed.  












I promised ugly in post #1, and think I delivered!

 

[Go4fun]

That is WhIf-O-Riffic!  It looks like something someone would actually build and a viable design for the time.

[pyro-manic]

Pure, unadulterated GENIUS! I think to top it off some red tailcodes and "US Air Force" lettering would be perfect.

[Alvis 3.14159]

That's AWESOME covered in awesome sauce!

Really top notch!

Alvis Pi