Mystery P-38

[Librarian]

Funny thing is, that's been bothering me. Would need some kind of automatic spoiler over port to counteract. I suppose if you're torping a ship you kick the rudder anyway to keep the gunners heads down.

My uncle flew some missions with the IID (?) Hurricane and told me of a hair-raising incident when the 40mm guns went out of sync....nearly took his rudder off !

[CANSO]

Here we go...frees up the mainplane for some ordnance. This is based on the P-38M with rear cockpit. Observer will have a periscope ( a la a-26 Invader) for aiming the rear stinger behind the engine. I think It's mainly a scout/recon/torp concept giving the pilot and observer a clearer view.

One thing I don't see working well so far is the tail - it's position and size.
In their own "Float-lightning" design Lockheed changed the original tail -

One problem that needed to be addressed was the tail section. The tail would pose problems during takeoff and landing on the water. One way to address this problem was to raise the entire tail section. Wind tunnel tests revealed minimal performance loss.

Now you chopped up one of the tails, leaving the second one in it's original size. I wonder if the a/c can turn at all...
But still, "This is a whiffer's world..." as James Brown sang ...or something similar at least . I like the "loon".

[Librarian]

That would certainly make sense. A hard water landing would probably have caused serious metal fatigue to the original boom, as thin as it was. I considered replacing the tail early on (still am to be honest) but nowadays its all in the building and a little more in the whiffie. In my world Australia is a nature reserve populated by Dinosaurs .

[PR19_Kit]

In my world Australia is a nature reserve populated by Dinosaurs .

Ouch, you could be playing with fire there!!! 

[eatthis]

In my world Australia is a nature reserve populated by Dinosaurs .

Ouch, you could be playing with fire there!!! 

it isnt far off 

[Tophe]

That's so TOTALLY crazy that it's brilliant!  

Worthy of Dr. Richard Vogt at his very best.

Oh yeah, Tophe will LOVE it too! 

Sorry, I see this topic lately, but yes, I love it!

[Librarian]

Ok, that tail got to me so I've enlarged it :



Haven't decided thw colour-scheme yet but I may stick with Forest Green/Shieldmen squadron...

[Tophe]

Wonderful, more and more!

[Librarian]

Spent most of the weekend flat on my back for all the wrong reasons . Accomplished some painting and detail work, notably the periscope in the rear cockpit:



Putting off the dreaded canopy painting 'til the last minute.

[Tophe]

Great!
Have you changed the propeller for a 6-bladed one?

[Librarian]

Five-bladed...a Spit resin replacement. Trying to decide whether to have it cockpit open or closed .

[Librarian]

This just about sums up how I feel about the whole whatifry game:

.

Academy's lightning has one of the worst fitting canopies I have ever encountered....getting there though!!!

[Librarian]

OK, she's finally finished . Always liked the SEAC blues, works well with the green scheme:



I like the way the rear stinger worked out although putting together the whole cockpit periscope thing was a pain. A good forward arnament with a centerline torp rounds her off...great fun all round:



Got something really mad coming next .

[Go4fun]

OK, she's finally finished . Always liked the SEAC blues, works well with the green scheme:



I like the way the rear stinger worked out although putting together the whole cockpit periscope thing was a pain. A good forward arnament with a centerline torp rounds her off...great fun all round:



Got something really mad coming next .

Something MORE mad?!?!?!

[Tophe]

Delicious, I will try drawing it in my collection, thanks!