The Flying Boat, Seaplane and Amphibian G.B - Discussion thread

[McColm]

<...> A Heller Karas is going to get the floats from an Airfix Ar 196. <...>

That's just inspired.  Now, are you going to put the Karas' landing gear on the Arado?

<...> another polish airplane - the Zubr.

<...>

AFAIK, Zubr translates to "bison". Could you imagine a plane more deserving of that name? Surely there's some beauty in that.

Reminds me of the Whitworth Whitley bomber. If there's a pair of floats large enough, that's worth a punt!

[NARSES2]

The advantage of hanging them that way is if the latching mechanism fails (or someone does a "what does this do?") and one of them drops out when the plane is on the ground then the tail hits the ground rather than the nose and it is less likely to go bang.

Makes sense and now the He 111 has been mentioned I can recall seeing film footage of both the bombs dropping and the bomb cells.

[NARSES2]

<...> A Heller Karas is going to get the floats from an Airfix Ar 196. <...>

That's just inspired.  Now, are you going to put the Karas' landing gear on the Arado?

Yes. All part of my alternative Austro-Hungarian Empire theme.

[Snowtrooper]

The advantage of hanging them that way is if the latching mechanism fails (or someone does a "what does this do?") and one of them drops out when the plane is on the ground then the tail hits the ground rather than the nose and it is less likely to go bang.

But don't most bombs have tail fuzes as well, to guarantee detonation in case it doesn't fall nose first after all, or if the nose fuze fails?

[PR19_Kit]

The advantage of hanging them that way is if the latching mechanism fails (or someone does a "what does this do?") and one of them drops out when the plane is on the ground then the tail hits the ground rather than the nose and it is less likely to go bang.

But don't most bombs have tail fuzes as well, to guarantee detonation in case it doesn't fall nose first after all, or if the nose fuze fails?

I think so, but they'd be arranged to respond to shocks directed from the nose to the tail rather than the opposite direction.

[kitnut617]

TSR2Joe has posted a drawing of a Skyvan on floats over at the Secret Projects Forum, here's the link to it but you have to be a member to see pics. (sorry I still haven't decided which way I'm going to go to post my own photos)

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,29444.msg316148.html#msg316148

Very doable for a model using Twin Otter floats, in real life the two aircraft have practically the same empty and max take-off weights.

[zenrat]

I am fairly confident that a Skyvan float plane would need longer wings. 

[PR19_Kit]

I am fairly confident that a Skyvan float plane would need longer wings. 

AND bigger engines too!

[loupgarou]

Why floats?
Like the flying model in the Secret Projects page, it's a natural for Dornier-style sponsons. Just a LITTLE bit of hydrodynamic fuselage underside et voilà! 

[Dizzyfugu]

A Heller Karas is going to get the floats from an Airfix Ar 196.

Checked the boxes in the stash, and I could join a sister ship, based on the (crappy) Mastercraft Karas with floats from a Revell Ar 196. Should be a "nice" combo.

I have two other potential floatplane conversions in mind, and an idea for a kitbashed jet-powered flying boat in the ranks of the USN Convair Skate project.

[zenrat]

Why floats?
Like the flying model in the Secret Projects page, it's a natural for Dornier-style sponsons. Just a LITTLE bit of hydrodynamic fuselage underside et voilà! 

Kitbash it with a Sea King - all sorts of interesting possibilities there.

[Weaver]

Why floats?
Like the flying model in the Secret Projects page, it's a natural for Dornier-style sponsons. Just a LITTLE bit of hydrodynamic fuselage underside et voilà! 

Kitbash it with a Sea King - all sorts of interesting possibilities there.

Had this handy comparison photo on file:

IMG_5244

Note that the Skyvan is much shorter than the Sea King. You could probably cut the Sea King's boat hull off at the point where it narrows just behind the side door. The Skyvan's tail ramp would be 'interesting', but if Chinooks can do it...

[jcf]

I always think that the designer of the front of the Karas was having a raging argument with the designer of the rear at the time they built it, and they plain didn't talk to each other.

The first prototype of the P.23 series had the engine on the centerline of the fuselage, during testing it
was found that this resulted in very poor forward visibility, the Pegasus engine was moved down on the
second prototype, there were still visibility issues, so on the third prototype it was lowered further and
the pilot's cockpit was redesigned: raised seat, higher canopy, and redesigned windscreen, all of which
led to the "hump-backed" appearance.

The aircraft was developed from an unbuilt concept for a US influenced fast, six-seat, single engined
civil transport, which was the same role, and same source of influence that led to the He 70 and Ju 60.

- paraphrased from Polish Aircraft 1893 - 1939, Jerzy P. Cynk, Putnam, 1971.

[zenrat]

Usefull pic H.

You could put tip jets on the Sea King rotor and sit it on top of a pylon to make a Seavanodyne...

[PR19_Kit]

You could put tip jets on the Sea King rotor and sit it on top of a pylon to make a Seavanodyne...

Hehehe, LOVE that name Fred.