From 4 engines down to two

[McColm]

All Whiffers face the problem of shelf space. Some 1/72 models can be as large as 1/48 scale fighter planes and the 1/144 kits costing the same price for the same model in 1/72 scale.
One solution is to reduce the span of the wings from four engines down to two or tri
-engines if possible.

I tried this with the Airfix 1/72 BAe Nimrod armed with a razor saw and some files. This worked , even by folding the wing (cutting the spar and re-gluing). You can buy already formed folding wings for some models.
Thinking along these lines and nearly all of the major aircraft have at one time or the other thought of reducing their four engine bombers or airliners down to just two engines. The Convair B-24 and the Privateer were considered prime targets but none were built. Only the drawings remain.
Having said that Lockheed did submit the twin engined C-130 as a rival to the C-160.
Others could include;
P-3 Orion
Halifax
Sunderland
Stirling
Shackleton
Lancaster(not the Manchester)
Lincoln
B-17
B-29/B-50
C-97
Tu-95
C-121

I would need some help in knowing where to cut the wing or remove the engines. Or even replace the entire wing with an already available twin engine wing.

[Captain Canada]

Some interesting prospects there. I had never thought of a twin engine B-29. But now I like that idea !

[PR19_Kit]

Some interesting prospects there. I had never thought of a twin engine B-29. But now I like that idea !

That'd be a B-14.5 then? 

[Dizzyfugu]

One vague project of mine on the list is to take the wings of a 1:100 Tu-20/95 from VEB Plasticart, cut the wings down to just two engines, and mate THIS with the fuselage of a Canberra...  Should look sleek and ...interesting!

What often works well on four-engine wings is to cut just outside of the inner engines. But you have to watch where to put the landing gear, and with a reduced span you might also have to take a plug out of the fuselage, before and after the wings. Can be messy.

Re-engine-in a C-130 with just two bigger engines sounds like a much simpler affair - actually, the C-130 and C-160 are of comparable size, so that could even be achieved by an engine swap?

[McColm]

You could have great fun using the engines from the Airbus A4000M Atlas/Grizzly. Been thinking of using these on the Revell Br1150 Atlantic and C-160-could go four engine versions. I've seen drawings of twin engined aircraft in reverse with four instead of two. Especially WWII bombers. The Wellington bomber as a prime example.

[The Rat]

One of the things on my list is a Sunderland with two turboprops instead of four radials, I had the Allison T-56 in mind. Another is a shortened twin-engined C-5, with the leftover bits being used for a stretched 6 engined job. I already have one of the Academy 'Sky Giants' models in the stash, looking for a second, but they're rare as hen's teeth.

[JayBee]

Have a look at the Boeing XPBB-1 Sea Ranger.
A proposed long range patrol flying boat, only one was built but it had what was essentially a B-29 wing with only two engines.

[McColm]

I thought it looked more like the Be-12 Mail.

[Green Dragon]

When I did my 6-engined B-29GS canard bomber I had planned to use the leftovers for a twin B-29 transport but my mojo left me!

Paul Harrison

[McColm]

I hope it has returned.
I should imagine that a straight winged aircraft is fairly easy to convert, whilst the Shorts Sunderland or the Stirling would need to be thought out before cutting begins.
I think the first project for me would be a B-24.

[sandiego89]

I think a twin C-17, with a pair of those massive turbo fans from the 787 or A-380 would look quite nice.  True it would loose some it's short field capability without the blown efflux that 4 engines provides, but 17's seem to be used mostly for long range trash hauling from airfield to airfield, not tactical strips. 

C-141 and Il-76 could work as well. 

[Captain Canada]

B-14.5 

The Aurora would be kinda cool with 2 engines. Shorten the fuselage a wee bit as well.....Hmmm....

[McColm]

Shorter,
I went the other way when attempting to build the P-7. Which ended up with the wings off an Airfix BAe Nimrod. I then had the idea to use the resin Nimrod AEW conversion set. Good job I opted for the metal landing gear replacement set.
I got as far as the removal of the tail section and reshaping the vertical tail fin from the P-3 Orion.
I will be building this again, when I've collected all the parts that I need.

[jcf]

Have a look at the Boeing XPBB-1 Sea Ranger.
A proposed long range patrol flying boat, only one was built but it had what was essentially a B-29 wing with only two engines.

Sort of, while the Model 344 (XPBB-1) and Model 345 (B-29) wings shared many common elements in terms of aerodynamic
and structural design, the actual wing planforms were quite different. The Sea Ranger had a parallel center section and outer
panels with a straight trailing edge and swept leading. The B-29 wings were tapered full length on both leading and trailing edges.

Shortening, or lengthening, for that matter  , tapered wings can be a bit of a conundrum. 

[PR19_Kit]

Shortening, or lengthening, for that matter  , tapered wings can be a bit of a conundrum. 

You can say THAT again! 

I seem to spend lots of my modelling time fighting that issue.