World War One Whifs

[stevehed]

My latest whif and entry in the ATF Whiff GB. It's a follow on from the previous Albatros D.VI back story. After cutting their teeth on the Albatros D.VI the LMA company designed a parasol observation aircraft based on the Hannover designs the company was building parts for. At least 35 aircraft were built during 1919 and they served with the Ukrainian(UNR) Air Force during 1919-20. After the Bolsheviks had defeated the White Forces in Southern Russia the Reds turned their attention to the Ukraine and Poland. Although eventually driven back from Poland the Ukraine was overrun and fell under Communist rule. The defeated UNR forces retreated into Czechoslovakia and Poland. What equipment remained was deemed unserviceable and scrapped. Although an LMA design the aircraft were known as Hannover Parasols. The first ten aircraft had the latest Mercedes engines but the remainder used former Austro Hungarian 225hp Austro Daimler engines from Czechoslovakia. As the Allied Commissioners drew nearer LMA moved over the border and merged with Avia, who were to become a major Czech aircraft manufacturer, and maintained a supply of engines, parts and aircraft to the Ukraine.

The donor kit is the Airfix Hannover CLIIIa. Being a monoplane I reckoned that the wing would need to be increased in span and chord. I had the remains of another upper wing from a previous Hannover kit bash and managed to get two sections 0.65ins, 12mm, wide which increased the span to 45ft. A length of .030 x .080 strip was cemented to the leading edge and blended in with filler to increase the chord. The other major change was to the tail unit. I removed the fin and rudder and replaced it with a modified half elevator from the Airfix Albatros D.V. The tail planes are remnants from the Airfix Bristol Fighter. The cabane struts are kit parts while the wing struts are .020 x .040 strip with rod dividers. The engine is the kit part re-modelled to look Austro Daimler by removing the exhausts and replacing with six individual pipes from a Roden Albatros. A Roden Gotha supplied a couple of bombs but the rest of the build was OOB. Build thread and I tweaked RCW history a little to create another future Whif area of operations.
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/airfixtributeforum/2018-airfix-whiff-gb-stevehed-s-build-t52881.html






Regards, Steve

[NARSES2]

That is excellent. There is no way I would have recognised that you had started with the old Airfix Hanover.

Given a different engine/nose and possibly a slightly changed tail appendage I can see that in use during the early 30's with the Poles perhaps ?

[stevehed]

Thanks Narses2. The Hannover kit has been a welcome surprise over the years and proved useful in five conversions to date. Of equal if not greater potential is the Airco DH4 and here is my second ATF entry for this year. It is the Airco DH4-3m and came about after I read that the DH4 airframe was ready by mid 1916 but the intended power plant, the 250hp Rolls Royce Eagle, wasn't available in sufficient numbers until the end of the year. The first DH4 squadron did not reach France until March 1917. But if a combination of the lower powered but readily available engines could produce a viable stop gap I'm sure the navy would have found a use for it after the Airco board outfoxed an attempt by a certain engine manufacturer to play politics. Here's the back story.

Airco's attempts to create a viable multi engine version of the DH4 did not go down well with the engine manufacturers. Airco rightly argued that the 3m was a temporary stop gap and would not interfere with regular DH4 construction but one manufacturer in particular began to bend ears within the Air Ministry. Airco were "requested" to desist but the board of directors decided otherwise. The Admiralty were asked if they had a use for tri-engine patrol bomber to tide over the delays expected due to the late arrival of suitable engines for the DH4. After receiving an affirmative response two aircraft were despatched to RNAS Eastchurch for acceptance trials in mid September 1916. Another aircraft arrived in October and at the end of the month two machines were sent to RNAS Dunkirk. With a top speed of 85mph and the ability to carry 350lbs bomb load the navy decided that night bombing and anti submarine patrols were the roles best suited to the 3m. As masses of aircraft were never envisaged daylight raids with tight formations of 20 plus with mutually supporting defensive gunfire were never going to be an option. From Nov 16 to April 17 the 3m participated in raids against the Belgian U Boat bases and patrolled the sea lanes for submarine activity. Aircraft from Eastchurch twice forced enemy subs to dive and several attacks by Dunkirk aircraft are probably hidden within the plethora of references to twin engine aircraft which are recorded in U Boat reports and cannot be reconciled with the recorded activities of RNAS aircraft such as the Caudron GIV and Curtiss flying boats. The usual bomb load for anti sub patrols was 3 x 65lbs while the usual load on night raids against shore installations was 2 x 112lbs and 4 x 20lb Cooper bombs. Provision existed for a synchronized Vickers but it was never fitted and defensive armament was one or two Lewis guns mounted on a Scarff ring in the rear cockpit. Only eight aircraft were built and the last was written off in August 1917.
Build thread. https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/airfixtributeforum/2018-airfix-whiff-gb-stevehed-s-2nd-build-t52974.html





Regards, Steve

[zenrat]

Oooh yeah, very nice.

[stevehed]

Thank you kindly.

[NARSES2]

Oh that is very nice 

I can see that as a twin engined bomber with an extra gun position in front of the cockpit

[ericr]

  I like the three engine arrangement

[stevehed]

Thanks Gentlemen. The design definitely has more potential. A nose position is a must and I suppose the obvious choice would be to use the kit Eagles. This would give it a bit of poke and turn it into a mini Vimy. However, I'm going to have a rake through the spares to see if there is anything that could be used to look like a Hispano Suiza. Thinking along gunship lines similar to the Caudron R.11 which was used to escort Breguet 14 bomber formations.

Regards, Steve

[stevehed]

Airco DH4H-S. My entry in the latest ATF Whif GB.

Even as the war turned in the Allies favour during August 1918 most soldiers still felt the war would continue into 1919. On the Western Front the RAF wanted a replacement for the venerable RE8. Some units received DH9's as the much better DH9a became available to the bomber squadrons but the 9's BHP engine was an unreliable powerplant. The same could be said for the Sunbeam Arab which was intended to power Bristol Fighters assigned to the Army Co-operation units. Neither aircraft was considered an adequate replacement in its current form. However, Airco thought they might have access to an alternative engine and a ready made test vehicle. The Wright-Martin Corporation were licence building the Hispano Suiza direct drive engine and an improved 220hp + was expected. The intended recipient of this motor was a scaled down, single bay version of the DH4. Before the Bolshevik Revolution Airco had agreed the licence production of the DH4 by the DUX factory at Moscow and facilities had been constructed. The scaled down version was offered as a replacement for the many pusher types used on army co-operation duties by the Imperial Russian air service. As it shared great commonality with the bomber version DUX were keen to build it as it offered better performance than the RE8 that was the alternative design the British government was pushing. Airco agreed to send twenty airframes to Moscow with DUX licence built Hispano Suizas as the powerplant. Unfortunately, the revolution prevented completion and the airframes remained in Britain.

As the Hisso was considerably lighter than the engines normally fitted to the DH4 and the DH9 and derivatives it was possible to reduce airframe weight. This was done by removing a section from the fuselage and reducing the wingspan. This improved both handling and maneouvribility. It also brought the crew members back to back which improved communication. Airco decided to re-engine 10 standard DH9's and 10 of what became known as the DH4 HS. They were issued in two's and three's to several units on the Western Front for comparison and evaluation. As American engines were not yet available French engines used, probably refurbishments from US or RAF Air Depots. Reports are few and far between but nothing derogatory has been discovered regarding the modified aircraft and it is felt they were well received by units used to the RE8. Thankfully there was no further need for any further aircraft when the Armistice was signed in November 1918.

Some before and after photos before the main shots which are of a pre-production aircraft on the Western Front circa October-November 1918. Build thread.
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/airfixtributeforum/2019-airfix-what-if-group-build-stevehed-s-build-t54012.html







Regards, Steve

[NARSES2]

That's come out well sir 

It's nice to see one of the "workhorses" in plastic rather than the glamour boys of the fighter squadrons. 

[DogfighterZen]

That looks very good indeed!

[stevehed]

Thanks Guys. Much appreciated.

[stevehed]

By mid 1918 the Entente forces had established numerical superiority on every front. On the Macedonian Front only aircraft such as the DFW and the Bulgar Biff could carry out high altitude day time reconnaissance flights and even these needed the local fighter units to be airborne to defend the airspace around the home bases as these flights attempted to land. On the ground the Bulgar/ German forces occupied the high ground and had less need for aerial army co-operation flights during the day but during the cover of darkness the Allied forces continued preparations for the 1918 offensive. Using techniques developed on the Western Front the 3rd Aviation Unit carried out night time reconnaissance and artillery co-operation missions using flares and radio communications. Beyond the range of the artillery aircraft of the 3rd bombed railheads and troop concentrations. The aircraft most capable for these operations were the modified BE2c's and RE8's. Unsuited for high altitude operations the inherent stability of these types made them ideal for the hazardous pursuit of night flying. From late July to September when the offensive began these aircraft carried out regular sorties against the Italian-Serb rear areas. Once the attacks had begun all aircraft were committed to daylight aerial attacks on the enemy ground forces and the 3rd succumbed to attrition and had ceased to exist before the Bulgarian Armistice was signed at the end of the month.



One of three repaired British RE8 aircraft that were refitted with 180 hp Mercedes engines and issued to the Bulgarian air service in 1918. They served with the 3rd Aviation Unit and opposed Italian and Serb forces on the Macedonian Front. Build thread.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/airfixtributeforum/2019-airfix-what-if-group-build-stevehed-s-2nd-bui-t54113.html#p841243







This is the ancient Airfix RE8 kit of 1950's vintage. Still capable of looking quite decent with a few minor amendments. This is a continuation of the 3rd Aviation saga, a Bulgarian unit whose recently discovered history shows they were part equipped with former British aircraft. The main changes are in the engine compartment. The air scoop was removed to expose a large cavity. The original RAF engine is a V12 and two sets of inline 6 cylinders are provided. One of these was combined with a sump made from flat bottomed sprue to create the Mercedes engine with rod for the pipe work and a Roden refugee providing the exhaust. The upper side panels, usually used in conjunction with an over engine hood/bonnet in winter, came from the new KP LVG C.VI. The Mercedes needed a radiator and it, and the prop, came from an Emhar Anasal that is languishing in bits after a failed project. The Mercedes and the RAF engine are of similar weight so I fitted the radiator farther back than usual to help with any possible CoG problems. The bombs came from another KP 1920's Czech bomber and looked WW1 Germanic and the Scarff ring was scratched from copper wire.
Regards, Steve

[NARSES2]

That old Airfix RE 8 still gives me nightmares. It was the first biplane I ever tried to build way back when it first came out, but you've done a wonderfull job with it 

I particularly like the colour scheme of the Bulgarian one 

One of the problems when this first came out was the only glue available was the original thick tube stuff. The only good thing that could be said about it was that you could do the rigging at the same time as you put the struts in as it was so stringy 

[stevehed]

Thanks. The Bulgarians flew aircraft sporting late 16 - mid 1917 green/brown colours well into 1918. Seemed logical the repair shops would be geared up with these colours so have kept to this scheme. This theme has proved quite productive so far. Know what you mean about poly glue. I usually use the Revell version and find it cures quite quickly which helps setting cabanes and allowing tweaking time so that the upper wing can be test fitted. Downside is it can be stringy. Ran out and had to buy Humbrol. This stuff is far runnier and less manageable IMO.
Regards, Steve