North American Bronco F.2b SEAC late 1946

[kitnut617]

I've managed to get another build done for the Allied '46 GB on Beyond The Sprues forum.

This is based on the P-86 straight wing that came before the very familiar swept wing F-86.

[kitnut617]

This is a North American model of it which was done around 1945.

[PR19_Kit]

My brain keeps saying 'It's an F-84. No it isn't, it's an F-86. No it isn't......' 

Love it, looks REALLY good and very plausible too. 

[Dizzyfugu]

Second that. Looks very good, and elegant, too.

[Rick Lowe]

Nice work! 
Good to see the 'Allied 46' getting some love.
I'll have to check that GB out.

[kitnut617]

Thanks guys  ---

I used a Matchbox F-86A for the fuselage and Siga FJ-1 wings and tailplanes, main wheels and the fin/rudder comes off an F-82.

Kit, the F-84 puzzle might be because the nose gear comes from one, I needed a longer leg because I had used the two Siga FJ-1 ones on my Twin Fury project.  I'm not sure where the nose wheel comes from though, I ""think"" it's from aa MPM Ryan Fireball. Anyway, I needed taller u/c so they fit with the wing wheel bays.

For the load-out I thought that the conical streamlined tail cone on the bomb would be perfect for the new 'fast-movers' (there's photos of F-86's carrying them around that time) and the podded rp's was another development around 1946

[zenrat]

 

[NARSES2]

Now that does look good, and it's in one of my favourite schemes  Must admit when I read the title and opened the subject up part of my brain was expecting a take on a Vicker's Gunbus ? 

and the podded rp's was another development around 1946

I wasn't aware of that. Thought it was quite a bit latter - cheers for the update

[sandiego89]

That looks great!  Love straight winged early jets. 

[kitnut617]

Thanks very much everyone, appreciate all the comments

and the podded rp's was another development around 1946

I wasn't aware of that. Thought it was quite a bit latter - cheers for the update

Actually, when I did a google on rp pods, it just says that they were developed right after the war. I couldn't actually find an exact date though. Late 1946 would to me be "right after the war"   

[kitnut617]

Here's a footnote: The P-86 in it's straight wing form wasn't proceeded with because it didn't have a marked improvement in performance over the other two jets that were being developed, the P-80 and the P-84 which were put into production because they were much further ahead with the designs (eg. they were flying, at least the XP versions were). So here's the story:

As the War dragged on into another year, it was soon realized that Britain was going to need all the jet aircraft it could get. Information from inside Germany had revealed that they were transferring technical info to the Japanese which included jet aircraft designs. After this revelation was shown to the Air Ministry, they immediately instructed the British Purchasing Commission (BPC) to approach the US Government about acquiring jet aircraft from them.  Unfortunately they soon found out that all the USA jet production of P-80's and P-84's was exclusively for the USAAF, along with all jet engine production.  Not about to give up, they then had a meeting with North American because of their previous association involving the Mustang. North American told them they had a design and a mockup of their aircraft already but repeated that their Government wasn't going to buy it. On top of that they said they couldn't even get the J35 jet engines which they had designed around.
The BPC told NAA that they really needed the aircraft and that they would fit their own engines into it if they were compatible. It was agreed that the Air Ministry would send them a copy of an engine that was ready for production for this purpose. This was the Metro-Vick F2/4 (sometimes called the Beryl) which was around the same dimensions as the J35 and produced about the same amount of thrust although it was slightly smaller in diameter and quite a bit lighter in weight.
After receiving the example engine, NAA modified the engine bay to except it and after the BPC and other dignitaries had inspected the result, and order was placed for the airframes minus engines.
The resulting aircraft was called the North American Bronco by the British and the first 20 were powered by the F2/4 made by Metro-Vick and called the Bronco F.1 and assembled in the UK. The Air Ministry had previously realized that Metro-Vick wasn't up to mass producing the engines so they had already approached Armstrong Siddeley to take over the production side, the next 50 were powered by the basically identical F2/4 made by AS and were called Bronco F.1a. These were followed by the F.2, which were F2/4's revised for better production by AS. The next version was the F.2a which had a more powerful F2/4 and then came the Bronco F.2b. This was optimized for the ground attack role.
The majority of the F.2a's and b's were assembled in a plant in Australia where it was found more economical because of the theatre they were to be operated in. The airframes being shipped straight from California across the Pacific, while the engines came from the other direction.

So the finished product here in the SEAC scheme was flown by 68 Sqn, who had converted over to the Bronco after flying Martin Baker MB6's in southern Europe.

[loupgarou]

Now that does look good, and it's in one of my favourite schemes  Must admit when I read the title and opened the subject up part of my brain was expecting a take on a Vicker's Gunbus ? 

When I saw F.2b I thought of the Bristol Fighter...

[kitnut617]

Now that does look good, and it's in one of my favourite schemes  Must admit when I read the title and opened the subject up part of my brain was expecting a take on a Vicker's Gunbus ? 

When I saw F.2b I thought of the Bristol Fighter...

Well I chose Bronco because it's associated to Mustang, the wing on the XP-86 was close to the P-51H wing. Fin and tailplane also had P-51 origins so the name needed to be something like Mustang.

[NARSES2]

Actually, when I did a google on rp pods, it just says that they were developed right after the war. I couldn't actually find an exact date though. Late 1946 would to me be "right after the war"   

Would be to me as well.

When I saw F.2b I thought of the Bristol Fighter...

And you would be right. I think I had the F.B. 5 in mind 

[ysi_maniac]

Love it !