Twin-Whirlwind & Catalina…

[Tophe]

And more classical: the Double-Whirlwind T-5

Edit: another Twin-Whirlwind (T-6) is at http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index...=0&#entry177877

[Tophe]

from http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index...showtopic=12856  :

My favourite is your XP-55...
I have one box of this MPM kit, I consider making a twin-plane with a P-51B...

Add P-51B to XP-55, join them into 1 plane instead of 2, that makes, uh...
(51+55)x1/2=53
P-53 ! P-53A as immediately mass produced...
Balance? What is the meaning of "balance"?

[B777LR]

Add P-51B to XP-55, join them into 1 plane instead of 2, that makes, uh...
(51+55)x1/2=53

Its name will be figured out like this:
51+55=106! P-109! Later F-106!

[Tophe]

You are right, the final P-106 (then F-106) was better than the preliminary P-53A (the central wing improves solidity).

You may ask: why haven't you twinned the P-53A into a P-53Z=P-106? The answer is simple: that would have made 4 tails (2 front+2aft) and it was well known that General Tophson, USAF, was refusing such heresy, not ordering.

[Tophe]

Why was the P-38 a twin-boomer and the Mosquito was not? (apart of the turbo/cooling legend...)
I explain: the first project of P-38 was not a twin-engine with nose wheel: in 1936 the engines were not powerful enough and 3 engines were required; to keep a free nose for devices and visibility, a nose engine was excluded so it was rear; BUT pusher engines seemed too difficult to cool down and all 3 engines had to be tractor. A Mosquito-like layout was considered, with a 3rd engine on top of the fin, but rejected as too fragile. So a rear low tractor engine was selected, with twin-booms to have a free space there. The weight was supported by tail wheels...
This would have been a funny look, alas with the power increase, 2 engines became enough and the third one was cancelled... but the twin-boom layout remained...

[B777LR]

Seen that Fw-190Z yet?

[Tophe]

Uh?
The Fw190Z model I've seen  is at http://modelingmadness.com/others/features...x/baker190x.htm

EDIT: (Discovered late) I've seen the new one, Fw 380, at http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index...showtopic=13042
Great too! And different!

[Tophe]

At http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index...showtopic=13042 is the main link for all the Fw 380 pictures of Mechworker, with the 3 Fw 190Z /Ta 152Z drawings by B777LR.
[I direct to them here cause my own site comes here and I try not to multiply the links there...]

[B777LR]

MORE! All are french antishipping fighters:
3 mirage III-Z
1 Mirage IV-Z
1 Mirage F-1Z
1 Super Etendart Z
1 Ouragan Z
1 Mirage 2000Z
1 Mirage 4000Z











 

[Tophe]

Nice collection. Unfortunately, that's not at all the right topic for them: there's a topic about twin-Mirage, special...
see http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index...?showtopic=8523
please post it there...
(here was intended fot 1939-45 only, I still have not the answer to "How to change the title/subtitle?")

[Tophe]

From http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index...showtopic=13027 :

do a P-38 with the cockpit moved forwards and a Boulton-Paul Defiant-type turret behind it!

Here she is, as a first try :

[B777LR]

Now thats cool!

[Mechworker]

I love the P-38Tur!!!

Amazing!

I'm going to have to get me a P-38 somewhere...

Also, I'm amazed that the Fw-380 went over as well as it did!

Glad you all liked it!

[Tophe]

With his (secret) time machine, Willy Messerschmitt came in 2006, hoping to bring back ideas that could save his factories 1945. First of all, he visited  the public Whatif modeller site, willing to see how we "improve" his own designs. Rafael's topic http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index...showtopic=13206 inspired him much, and he came back with the Yak 480 project. Alas (for his side, fortunately for the Allies), this was refused as "science fiction"  by the officials. So he simply adapted his Bf 109Z into a Rafaschmitt Bf 109R (1945, with Me 209 tailplanes and Bf 109G engines), and passed to colleagues Rafael's idea of a Bubble-canopy He 162, leading to the Rafakel He 162ZB:

[B777LR]

Nice story!