A different kind of Herky Bird

[maxmwill]

Not sure if any of you heard of this, so if not, perhaps there might be some interest. if only for some spirited discussion.

Lockheed had been building the C130(and Kelly Johnson called this the ugliest plane ever built), and decided to do a design study on a C130 flying boat.

The three view shows a planing hull with a keel, as it the case on any flying boat, but also the nacelles are turned with the intakes above the wing.

http://atomictoasters.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/C130-Seaplane-2.jpg

Here is a thumbnail explanation from the same page as the three view

http://atomictoasters.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/C130-Seaplane-3.jpg

And if anyone is inspired enough, here is an artist conception with paint on

http://atomictoasters.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/C130-Seaplane-4.jpg

[maxmwill]

Yeah, the nacelles do kinda look like they were taken off an Orion(I'm actually more partial to the Electra, which is what the Orion came from), but they are just Herky Bird nacelles flipped. Why design a whole new nacelle when the engines are the same as what the Herky already has?

There are a few other types which almost look like they could have a keel, planing hull, and tip floats(or even the little sub wings that Dornier seems to prefer when they get around to designing another flying boat). Types such as the Rockwell Aero Commander, because of not only the high mounted wing, but the deep fuselage(I've worked at enough FBOs and have seen lots of those, and know them without ever seeing one, because of the howl it makes when taxying).

Another one might surprise you, but the Mitsubishi MU2, for pretty much the same reasons. And, in my experience(used to work at an FBO that sold MU2s on the side), I think the Japanese engineers who designed that wanted to build a Japanese Martin Marauder, because like the B26, the MU2 takes off and lands hot, that is, you have to fly it until it is taxying, and it is one of the few business twins which can do a "roll and tuck" just about right after takeoff.

And still another type that would make for an interesting whiff model as a flying boat is the B24, only as an actual real live flying machine, it's be a lot more of a wallowing pig in the air, even with that graceful looking Davis wing.

On a more esoteric front, there was the manned BOMARC project, but that's something for another thread and later discussion.

[comrade harps]

I can see that waterbird Herc in bright colours as a fire bomber.

[PR19_Kit]

Lockheed built a fairly large scale R/C flying model of the Herk Pantobase flying boat project to prove the point, but I can't find any pics of that particular model. Other R/C modellers have built some too, but perhaps not as large as Lockheed's original.

The original model had retractable skis as well as the flying boat hull and tip floats.

[jcf]

The B-24 got its wing and empennage from the Model 31 flying boat.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidated_Model_31

[Logan Hartke]

And its fuselage from a boxcar.



Cheers,

Logan

[maxmwill]

A "roll and tuck" was a maneuver a pilot described to me a long time ago.

As soon as the aircraft is airborne, barely, the pilot then retracts the landing gear, and nearly immediately rolls, while simultaneously clawing for altitude, and something the a few B26 pilots were able to do, or more like attempt, as this wasn't considered safe flying by the higher ups, but as the '26 was blessed with an abundance of power, it was more than possible, and the MU2 has the potential for that.

[maxmwill]

The B-24 got its wing and empennage from the Model 31 flying boat.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidated_Model_31



You mean like the B29 used the same wing as the Boeing model 314 Clipper?

[jcf]

The B-29 and 314 wings were completely different, however the XB-15 and 314 did share a wing design.
The B-29 wing was based on the wing designed for the Model 344 XPBB-1 Sea Ranger patrol bomber.

With the Consolidated pair, the Model 31's Davis wing was directly modified to produce the wing
for the Model 32 aka B-24.

[maxmwill]

Ok, didn't use the same wing, but the same data used with the 314, led to the Ranger and the Superfort.

You'll have to pardon me, as I had found out that the B29 used the same wing as the Clipper a long time ago, and with the relentless march of merciless time, the memory might've gotten a tad mist-bound.

[McColm]

I'm kitbashing the Hasegawa PS-1/US-1 flying boat hull and T-tail to the Airfix AC-130H.
Another Whiff build is a second hand C-130 with an air skirt from the Airfix 1/144 Hoverspeed Hovercraft kit. I've used the Italeri AC-119K tail boom and resin turboprop engines. Still working on the rear section of the C-130 as I cut off the vertical tail fin. There is a thumb print on the cockpit glazing by the previous owner. Searching my stash for a replacement windscreen, might add the Fulton nose and  FLIR. Haven't come up with a colour scheme yet.