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[killnoizer]

They could have made the effort to add passenger windows.

Maybe there are GREAT Panorama windows under the bay doors ... open just in orbit 

[2996 Victor]

Neat idea, a Wildcat modified as a dive-bomber, by Jose Andres Romero. Still in progress:

I'd be interested to see this - have you got a link?

Forgot to include the link, now I can't remember where it was.     

It must be this: https://www.facebook.com/groups/388572005891340/permalink/1134915341256999/

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Thanks guys and perttime for the link.

I like it - it's a great premise, although I think I'd have slung a single bomb under the centre line on a crutch like the Vought Vindicator. In fact, I might have to give it a go! The metallic finish is pretty spectacular, too.

Thanks again,
Mark

[The Rat]

By Jove, I think that's the one! Thanks! 

[kerick]

That Wildcat looks awesome!
Did Wildcats ever carry bombs or tanks under the belly? I don't recall seeing any. There may not be enough ground clearance. The wing points look good to me and the flaps/ airbrakes look great!

[Dizzyfugu]

AFAIK the F4F only had underwing hardpoints. However, the SBC, with a similar landing gear, had a fuselage hardpoint, but I have only ever seen an auxiliary fuel tank in that position. IIRC the aircraft had a forked arm to swing the bomb (maybe 500 lb at best?) outside of the propeller disc, though.

[2996 Victor]

That Wildcat looks awesome!
Did Wildcats ever carry bombs or tanks under the belly? I don't recall seeing any. There may not be enough ground clearance. The wing points look good to me and the flaps/ airbrakes look great!

I've only ever seen drop tanks under the wings

AFAIK the F4F only had underwing hardpoints. However, the SBC, with a similar landing gear, had a fuselage hardpoint, but I have only ever seen an auxiliary fuel tank in that position. IIRC the aircraft had a forked arm to swing the bomb (maybe 500 lb at best?) outside of the propeller disc, though.

Great drawings on the SBC. I was wondering if a bomb could have been semi-recessed into the lower fuselage and swung out on a crutch like that.

Cheers,
Mark

[jcf]

That Wildcat looks awesome!
Did Wildcats ever carry bombs or tanks under the belly? I don't recall seeing any. There may not be enough ground clearance. The wing points look good to me and the flaps/ airbrakes look great!

I've only ever seen drop tanks under the wings

AFAIK the F4F only had underwing hardpoints. However, the SBC, with a similar landing gear, had a fuselage hardpoint, but I have only ever seen an auxiliary fuel tank in that position. IIRC the aircraft had a forked arm to swing the bomb (maybe 500 lb at best?) outside of the propeller disc, though.

Great drawings on the SBC. I was wondering if a bomb could have been semi-recessed into the lower fuselage and swung out on a crutch like that.

Cheers,
Mark

The landing gear placement and geometry makes that unlikely. The recess would have to be farther aft and the crutch longer.

[jcf]

The F4F is cool, but I wouldn't want to do it with one of the folding wing versions. The earlier solid wing would probably be safer.

[2996 Victor]

The landing gear placement and geometry makes that unlikely. The recess would have to be farther aft and the crutch longer.

Agreed. The F4F has a girder-like structure between the wheel wells - I wonder if that could be beefed up as the pivot point for the crutch. The bomb would then be located farther aft.

The F4F is cool, but I wouldn't want to do it with one of the folding wing versions. The earlier solid wing would probably be safer.

Definitely! The F4F-3 would be the better basis. The SBD had non-folding wings for that reason.

Cheers,
Mark

[Dizzyfugu]

The F4F is cool, but I wouldn't want to do it with one of the folding wing versions. The earlier solid wing would probably be safer.

I wasn't aware that the wing folding was only introduced with the F4F-4, but an earlier fixed wing would certainly be the best basis.
Makes me seriosuly wonder about an extended cockpit with a 2nd crewman in tandem, and maybe a rear-facing machine gun (for an SB2F, an SBF actually existed, a biplane with retractable landing gear).

[2996 Victor]

So, like a dog with a bone, the whole Wildcat dive-bomber idea is spiralling madly out of control.

This afternoon I've had a little play around with an Eduard F4F-3 fuselage and the bomb arrangement from an Academy (ex-Accurate Miniatures) SBD-1. Suffice to say I think its a go-er, although the Wildcat fuselage would need to be recessed slightly for the bomb itself. Anyway, here are a few pics of the silliness.

[perttime]

Is it possible to get a recessed bomb loaded on a Wildcat? Without resorting to any awkward structures or procedures, that is.

[2996 Victor]

Is it possible to get a recessed bomb loaded on a Wildcat? Without resorting to any awkward structures or procedures, that is.

Probably not I reckon several of the fuselage frames would need modifying!

[jcf]

You'll need an extended tailwheel strut. 

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[2996 Victor]

You'll need an extended tailwheel strut. 

Excellent point