Librarian's Banana

[Librarian]

Why are we apostrophising nazi?

Because some people objected to the use of the real word some while ago. Anything for a (relative) peaceful life.....

Very interesting, topic...needs discussion elsewhere maybe. I'm a Brit. I call myself a Brit and I cannot believe anyone would take umbridge with my stance. During the Scottish Independence situation I made an observation about "Great Britain/United Kingdom" mindsets. I simply stated that it seemed quite acceptable to say you're Welsh, Cornish, Irish or Scottish but have always noticed a reluctance amongst Southers to refer to themselves as English . The full weight of PC has impacted the South quite hard and I feel we Sassanachs are never too sure what is and what isn't correct.

I'm two eighths Scottish, One Eighth English, One Eighth American, One Eighth French, One Eighth Italian, One Eighth Prussian and the final Eighth a complete muddle of Russian, Greek and something else I can't remember. My Kids have all that and a full half Indian. True mongrels and fully proud of it . In WW1 we had as a family two French Uncles and one Prussian Uncle (great,great that is)who died so I find it all a bit odd.

[Librarian]

Here are the wheels and what I've achieved with the 509...new propeller and a fuselage extension plug ahead of the cockpit:

Finally got past the block. Fuselage plug allowed me to angle the nose gear forward a bit and fit a 30mm hub cannon. Didn't like the original nosewheel bay so cut, filled and sanded a rectangular entrance like the P-39. Kept the oil cooler at front but added a radiator scoop. Haven't decided where to go with further camo. Leaving it for now as I shattered both canopy parts through heavy-handedness. Jettisonable slipper tanks for longer range:

[NARSES2]

Colour scheme has really made it come alive

[Captain Canada]

That's a big 'ol spinner ! Love the look !

[Librarian]

Very slow going with constant back pain and horrible sciatica, but I've managed to do some tinkering. This is a ground attack Do335:





My son had one of those almost toy-like Hobbyboss two-seat A-10Bs he bought at Duxford for pennies. Swapped it for a £10 . Gave me those nice tall tailfins. Realised that a 1/72nd A-10 is bigger in dimensions and cockpit space than most 1/48 trainers. If you cut very carefully around those rear wing fillets and cut the fuselage at the rear angling up and forwards, then a 1/48 Spitfire cowling fits like a glove. Added a radiator scoop from a project years ago. In 1/48 the gun reverts to about 20mm calibre. This is going to be an advanced single seat military trainer:

[NARSES2]

Oh my  Love what you are doing to the A-10  It just screams "Miles Aircraft" to me for some reason ??

[lancer]

Oh my  Love what you are doing to the A-10  It just screams "Miles Aircraft" to me for some reason ??

Big wings at the back little 'uns at the front. Oh, it also looks like one of tghier drawing board designs IIRC!!!

[rickshaw]

Oh my  Love what you are doing to the A-10  It just screams "Miles Aircraft" to me for some reason ??

Dunno.  Looks more German to me, particularly with the turbo-charger scoop on the side, very German.  Perhaps replace the GAU-8 with a 50mm mono-barrel cannon?  There would be plenty of room behind the cockpit for it.  30mm cannons in the wings, as extensions to the main wheel housings?  Thing is, with rear engined aircraft you need plenty of weight forward to counter-balance it.

[Librarian]

Makes sense. I've dumped the Gatling, the idea will be that the offset front gear allows an interchangeable pod to be slotted in and out. As a trainer this allows pilots to use a variety of calibre guns (small to medium)to get used to them. Under the outer wings will be a pair of pylons for other weaponry.

Distracted again as I've now started tinkering with a P-39 . That's three projects....Oh lord!

I've noticed a lot of trainers seem to be painted black now. Is this cost, weight saving or.....?

[scooter]

I've noticed a lot of trainers seem to be painted black now. Is this cost, weight saving or.....?

US DoD trainers are still pretty white.  But then, considering they're based on Southern states, baking in the sun all day, makes more sense than painting them black

[JayBee]

I've noticed a lot of trainers seem to be painted black now. Is this cost, weight saving or.....?

It is to make them more visible to other aiarcraft. Black with Yellow is also good.
When the RAF were experimenting they also tried matt black but it proved to be less visible than gloss.

[Librarian]

Seems surprising....I'd have thought white/red/day-glo etc to be more effective for high visibility. UK can have such grotty weather for long periods, I'd have thought black wouldn't be very high-viz over distance. Oh well, you live and learn. Black and yellow does sound striking though, although I hate gloss finishes.

[Captain Canada]

That A-10 thing is looking pretty neat !



Do Hobbyboss make 2 A-10 kits ? I'd like to get a 2 seater but not if they are junk.

[Librarian]

Both A and B (NW) versions in 1/72 but they're an interesting cross between beautifully detailed and snap together. Can be made into very nice models I'd suspect.

[Librarian]

To quote from Seven "I've gone and done it again!". Can't seem to concentrate on completing things, just trying to work some ideas out of the system. P-39...wings shortened, all wing guns etc removed, two inlets deleted and new scoop. Fuselage has new rear empennage, engine covers for enlarged powerplant and removal of car-doors. A sort of P-39 Spitfire XII for low-level high speed pursuit and combat:



I'll try to complete the others soon .