Something to do with BOMARC

[maxmwill]

A bunch of years ago, I was given something to me by one of my uncles who worked at Boeing, and was involved in the BOMARC.

At the time, I was kind of into building models, being rather young, but this was a photo with caption that stuck with me over the years.

Years later, I had become a lot more curious, and was building a few models, so broke out that photo and tried to look into the BOMARC itself, as I wasn't very familiar with the design.

This was BCBI(before computers, before the internet), so my ability to do research was rather limited to the local public library, and even then, the now commonly used inter-library loan program was still in the future.

Anyway, what this photo showed as a mockup of a BOMARC with a cockpit and wire frame canopy.

Unfortunately, over the years, I have since severely misplaced or just plain lost the photo, but the picture of that mockup stayed with me.

And, as I have considered it, a while ago, I found the story of the Bachem Natter, and the result of the first test flight of that, and have been wondering if the same fate might've awaited an Air Force test pilot, after being strapped in and the carrier aircraft launched(after all, the BOMARC design has no space for landing gear, so an air launch would be a necessity), then launched from the pylon of the B52 launch ship.

Anyway, I realize that the whiff might not quite qualify under the parameters of this folder, but it seemed appropriate to me.

And, in addition, there really are models of the BOMARC, but these are flying models, as it seems to be well known the the model rocketry community, and I think the scale is roughly 1/24(I could be mistaken) or so.

[jcf]

The BOMARC fuselage diameter was 35", so it would definitely be a tight fit to put in
a pilot.

I have the old Aurora kit in 1/48 and it is really small in cross-section when compared to
other aircraft in the same scale.

[Captain Canada]

Scale-o-rama

Belcher Bits are doing a nice Bomarc kit and some associated bits

[maxmwill]

Well, remember during WW2 how midgets were employed to finish with wing assembling?

Couldn't the Air Force have employed midgets as test pilots?

I mean, as a whiff, you could generate whatever background, as long as it sounded plausible,

What is the addy for Belcher Bits and Scale-o-Rama?

[Old Wombat]

Independent Pygmy National Air Force!

[rickshaw]

Why not just go with a prone pilot position?  Higher resistance to "Gs" and able to fit into 35" easily.   Where though, and what type of armament could you give it?  Guns?  Wingtip missiles?  Some form of radar?

[maxmwill]

Well, as a rammer, perhaps.

However, there was one aircraft that was designed to be a rammer, the XP79, and after it was built, and the pilots were informed that that was what it was supposed to do, they all balked at it.

I don't know what the specific conversation was, but I can imagine that it was, "Real fighter pilots don't intentionally ram other airplanes" or something to that effect, and much more colorful.

[pyro-manic]

Probably more simple, something along the lines of "b*gger that, I don't want to die!"

[NARSES2]

or "sorry, you wan't me to do what ?"

Reminds me of the joke about the 3 Admirals from the USN, Soviet Navy and the RN with their respective seaman 

[Go4fun]

"Sir, I don't understand what exactly your want done. Why don't you go up and give me a demonstration first".

[PR19_Kit]

or "sorry, you wan't me to do what ?"

Reminds me of the joke about the 3 Admirals from the USN, Soviet Navy and the RN with their respective seaman 

Well tell us then!!!!!

[NARSES2]

or "sorry, you wan't me to do what ?"

Reminds me of the joke about the 3 Admirals from the USN, Soviet Navy and the RN with their respective seaman 

Well tell us then!!!!!

See your e-mail

[Old Wombat]

or "sorry, you wan't me to do what ?"

Reminds me of the joke about the 3 Admirals from the USN, Soviet Navy and the RN with their respective seaman 

Well tell us then!!!!!

See your e-mail

I'm pretty sure he said "us", mate!

[Dizzyfugu]

"Go, Frodo!" 

[PR19_Kit]

Chris' email starts off thus :-

"If I put this on site I'd start a war."