Conair Firebird - Fairey Gannet Water Bomber

[Mossie]

Revell 1/72 Fairey Gannet



To be turned into something like this:



I'm using the T.5 kit as it has the blanking piece for the radome, should save me a little work.  Other mods will be to remove the rear radar operators canopy, delete the finlets on the tail, add a fairing where the tailhook should be and change the weapons bay into a retardant tank.

Premise is that Gannet was more successful in sales. The Canadians took the Gannet instead of the Tracker, so Conair had a glut of Gannets to convert rather than Trackers.  I actually believe that the Tracker probably made the better water bomber, as it was a simpler beast, but, why not eh???

I've got some Syh@art decals that cover the Conair Firecat in Canadian and French registrations.  Trouble is, Conair painted each type that they operated in quite different schemes while keeping the same basic colours of white with black and red stripes.  It's not possible to just transfer the Firecat scheme to the Gannet (wing gets in the way), so I'm going to have to invent my own scheme.

I've also got some PJ Productions Transport pilots, I'll add these in in the hope of mounting in-flight it on a special stand, if I can make it work.
Simon

[rickshaw]

Bulged bomb-bay doors, Mossie?   Afterall, the Gannet could lift a lot more than what the bomb-bay could contain!   

[zenrat]

My first thought is that it'd be over-engined (not necessarily a bad thing).
I know they could shut down half of the Double Mamba but maybe the fire bomber version would have only a single Mamba (i.e. blank off an exhaust).

[Mossie]

Bulged bomb-bay doors, Mossie?   Afterall, the Gannet could lift a lot more than what the bomb-bay could contain!   

It's got quite a capacious weapons bay, so I'm just planning to modify the doors.  On the Tracker, the weapons bay is much smaller (on the starboard side only) and Conair ripped everything out and put a full width tank in there within the existing airframe.  Conair have a reputation for going farther with their conversions than most contractors, if it can be rerouted or moved, it is.

I'm assuming the same with the Gannet.  The front portion of the weapons bay is lower than the rest, but from cutaways it doesn't seem to be due to anything major so you could probably rip out and re-arrange stuff to get a pretty large tank in there.

My first thought is that it'd be over-engined (not necessarily a bad thing).
I know they could shut down half of the Double Mamba but maybe the fire bomber version would have only a single Mamba (i.e. blank off an exhaust).

Twin engine designs tend to be favoured, especially in the period I'm looking at (Single Engined Air Tankers (SEAT) I believe are designated as such to underline the differentiation) and from what I've read, an excess of power is very handy thing for a water bomber.  Many conversions actually look to increase the engine power.

[Captain Canada]

Great idea. I'm gonna love this one !

[PR19_Kit]

My first thought is that it'd be over-engined (not necessarily a bad thing).
I know they could shut down half of the Double Mamba but maybe the fire bomber version would have only a single Mamba (i.e. blank off an exhaust).

Nah, there's no substitute for cubic inches, or whatever the turboprop equivalent is. 

[kerick]

This one will be fun to watch! Carry on!

[Hobbes]

Are you going to modify it so it can fill its tank by skimming the surface of a lake?

[Dizzyfugu]

THAT sounds like a great idea. I also played with a fire bomber idea, glad I did not settle on that. 

[jcf]

Cool.

Do agree though that a 'bulged belly' ala the TBF firebombers would look cool.

Maybe in Hemet orange? 



Draw Decal offer a nice selection of firebomber decals:
http://www.shopdrawdecal.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1931

[The Rat]

I am loving this! And yeah, unless the wings are peeling off in level flight, you haven't got too much power, in any aircraft. Especially when operating down low with potential obstacles, as firefighting aircraft often are.

[Mossie]

Are you going to modify it so it can fill its tank by skimming the surface of a lake?

Giant floats?  Those from a DC-3 might work.  Not planned it, but interesting...

Nah, there's no substitute for cubic inches, or whatever the turboprop equivalent is. 

I am loving this! And yeah, unless the wings are peeling off in level flight, you haven't got too much power, in any aircraft. Especially when operating down low with potential obstacles, as firefighting aircraft often are.

No such thing as too much horsepower....

Cool.

Do agree though that a 'bulged belly' ala the TBF firebombers would look cool.

Maybe in Hemet orange? 



Draw Decal offer a nice selection of firebomber decals:
http://www.shopdrawdecal.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1931

The idea of a simpler scheme than the Conair one certainly appeals....  I've got a couple of WWII aircraft that might look in that scheme, if I get this finished I might get onto them.

Great idea. I'm gonna love this one !

This one will be fun to watch! Carry on!

I am loving this! And yeah, unless the wings are peeling off in level flight, you haven't got too much power, in any aircraft. Especially when operating down low with potential obstacles, as firefighting aircraft often are.

Cheers guys!

THAT sounds like a great idea. I also played with a fire bomber idea, glad I did not settle on that. 

Dizzy, don't let me stop you.  Librarian has a water bomber planned too, there's room for several more.

[Hobbes]

Are you going to modify it so it can fill its tank by skimming the surface of a lake?

Giant floats?  Those from a DC-3 might work.  Not planned it, but interesting...

No floats, I was just thinking of a big trough or pipe being winched down from the bomb bay. Stick the end of the trough in the water to load up. Makes for very precarious flying without floats though. 

[Mossie]

I see what you mean now.   I've got a vague memory (maybe a false one) of something like that being trailed somewhere, I'll see if I can find anything.

[philp]

I think something you lowered into the water would cause too many issues with flying.  More like the pole of a pole vaulter.  pretty sure other than helicopters the only planes that scoop are seaplanes as they actually are taxing on the water as they scoop.

Just do it like the Avengers were done.  Load up at the field and off you go.