RAF Centenary GB - Discussion thread

[jcf]

[PR19_Kit]

Here's the initial components for my RAF 100 GB build.

There's two more parts still to come, and yes, there are TWO Rotodynes there, one without a tail................ 

[NARSES2]

For some reason I always find the idea of dropping bombs tail first counter intuitive ?

[tigercat]

aha the rare Manx Rotodyne. looks like youll have plenty left over for the next GB too

[PR19_Kit]

For some reason I always find the idea of dropping bombs tail first counter intuitive ?

I agree 100%. But the Luftwaffe didn't, viz. the He-111, which did exactly that. 

aha the rare Manx Rotodyne. looks like youll have plenty left over for the next GB too

Yes, not quite sure what happened to that tail, perhaps I donated it to someone more needy than me? The same kit has TWO rotors in it too, very weird............

[kitnut617]

For some reason I always find the idea of dropping bombs tail first counter intuitive ?

I agree 100%. But the Luftwaffe didn't, viz. the He-111, which did exactly that. 

Quite a few tears ago, a B-17 and a CASA 2.111 (Spanish He 111) visited Calgary. I took the tour through both of them (for a grand sum of C$10) and was surprised when I had to crawl over the 111's bomb bay to get to the cockpit from the rear of the fuselage (there's no other way other than climb the under-nose ladder when it's on the ground). The top of the bomb bay was all open and made up of a mass of square holes where the bombs would be hung.  It wasn't very easy to do and I can't imagine doing it if the aircraft is bucking and diving around during a fighter attack.

[Dizzyfugu]

...and then imagine a freezing cold environment and wearing a thick, so-called "Kanaljacke" - a thick jacket made from sheep skin (incl. wool!) and matching trousers. I have a replica of such a jacket, and it is clumsy, to say the least!

[tigercat]

just looked on evil bay Airfix Rotodynes are going for silly money  £40-80

[PR19_Kit]

just looked on evil bay Airfix Rotodynes are going for silly money  £40-80

Craziness Rules OK. 

It's not THAT good a kit even, the Revell one, albeit in a 'fit the box' scale, is much better detailed.

The Airfix 'dyne is just unique in 1/72 scale.

[TallEng]

[/quote]

Yes, not quite sure what happened to that tail, perhaps I donated it to someone more needy than me? The same kit has TWO rotors in it too, very weird............
[/quote]

Presumably to build some sort of British kaman HH-43 huskie/kaman k-max synchropter type thing?

Regards
Keith

[PR19_Kit]

Presumably to build some sort of British kaman HH-43 huskie/kaman k-max synchropter type thing?

Hmm, now there's an idea. 

A double sized Huskie with Rotodyne type rotors would be a very practical device, even if it did take up oodles of shelf space.........

[Mossie]

Not a huge stretch either, Kaman would have been the US prime contractor for the Rotodyne.  You might get a Harrier II situation, improvements on the design being sold back to Britain.

Found a few bits of info on Secret Projects that seem to relate to Kaman studies on the Rotodyne.

The first one is an artists concept, note the fuselage fairings for the undercarriage, ducted fans & roof mounted intakes (similar to the K-140 below), otherwise it's clearly a Rotodyne.
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1084.0.html



Kaman K-140.  Heavier than Rotodyne Z (all up weight for the Z was around 50,000lb), there are some differences in details such as the intakes on the roof (for tip jet gas exchangers?), slightly longer nose, different wing, tail & ramp arrangement.  Difficult to tell but overall dimensions seem slightly larger.
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,731.msg5794.html#msg5794



Kaman K-141.  Similar to K-140, but with a conventional shaft driven rotor & long boom with twin tail rotors on a V-Tail.  I suspect it was a comparison to the K-140 using understood technology?

[nighthunter]

Anyone interested in doing a RAF A-10 with anti-flash white?

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-lethal-10-warthog-nuclear-bomber-13736

[Steel Penguin]

that's a slightly worrying thought  though I suppose you could load SRAMS   

[PR19_Kit]

that's a slightly worrying thought  though I suppose you could load SRAMS   

Specially for the crew!