The Engines - More or Less GB : Discussion

[PR19_Kit]

Just seen the Trislaner in another topic.
It reminded me that originally it had 2 engines, IIRC.
If I get a Trislander kit and remove an engine to make a Bislander, would it be allowed in this GB or not? 

NO!

[zenrat]

Trotter:

trotter by Harold Smith, on Flickr

And a Quotter?

[Weaver]

Dornier 448 Quadrisevant:

dornier_do_428 fin by Harold Smith, on Flickr

Thus actually makes a kind of sense: it would keep prop noise well away from the passenger compartment and have better asymetric characteristics than a conventional four-engines-on-the-wings layout. Needs longer nose gear, of course.

Now imagine it with Gannet-style engine pairs: each pair of TPE-331s feed a pair of co-axial counter-rotating props: Centreline thrust and reduced cabin noise. Do it to a standard-length 228 by replacing the TPE-331s with 400-ish hp Allison C250s and you get smaller prop diameters which reduces the size of the extended undercarriage.

[PR19_Kit]

In the RW Boeing started on a project to give the B-47 with a bit more poke by swapping the six 5.200 lb thrust J-47 engines for four Allison J-71s, each rated at 10000 lbs each. Sadly the J-71 turned out to be a lemon and the new version of the B-47, to be called the B-56, never got built.

But suppose Boeing had thought a tad laterally, and noticed that the B-52, which they were building at the same time, was a very BIG aeroplane which had eight 10000 lb thrust J-57s. With some sideways thinking they could have shortened a B-52 a bit, halved the number of engines, trimmed the wing span ( ) and come up with a much more plausible B-56, and it would have been cheaper too.

I give you the Boeing B-56 Stratocastle.....

[PR19_Kit]

And yes, I have got a Monogram B-52 up in The Loft. 

[zenrat]

And yes, I have got a Monogram B-52 up in The Loft. 

Maybe, but you won't be able to bring yourself to shorten the wings...

[PR19_Kit]

And yes, I have got a Monogram B-52 up in The Loft. 

Maybe, but you won't be able to bring yourself to shorten the wings...

Wanna bet? 

Think how much extra wing lengthening scope for other Whiffs that will get me! 

[Weaver]

Of course that brings up the classic not-supposed-to-be-a-whiff-but-never-actually-happens: re-engining the B-52 with four modern high-bypass turbofans. I've lost count of the number of articles I've read about this eminently sensible idea over the years, but it always gets cancelled for some or other reason.

Off-topic, but thinking about B-52 replacements: the A330 and A340 share the same wing design, which means the A330 has an unused 13,000lb rated hardpoint on each wing. Time to dig out the old VC-10 'bomb pod' drawings maybe? You could put extra fuel tanks and black boxes in the underfloor cargo bays and still leave most of the cabin free for alternative use as a cargo/passenger type. It's not like it needs a ton of sensors or operators to chuck cruise missiles from 100 miles away...

[zenrat]

Of course that brings up the classic not-supposed-to-be-a-whiff-but-never-actually-happens: re-engining the B-52 with four modern high-bypass turbofans. I've lost count of the number of articles I've read about this eminently sensible idea over the years, but it always gets cancelled for some or other reason.

That's because they are waiting for someone here to build one in 1/72.  And then the day it's finished...

[PR19_Kit]

Off-topic, but thinking about B-52 replacements: the A330 and A340 share the same wing design, which means the A330 has an unused 13,000lb rated hardpoint on each wing. Time to dig out the old VC-10 'bomb pod' drawings maybe? You could put extra fuel tanks and black boxes in the underfloor cargo bays and still leave most of the cabin free for alternative use as a cargo/passenger type. It's not like it needs a ton of sensors or operators to chuck cruise missiles from 100 miles away...

I have 'a few' Revell A330/340 kits in The Loft, eminently suitable for such shenanigans. 

[jcf]

DHC-4 with added engines.

[jcf]

The B-56 reminds me of some of the concepts explored in the 707 development process.

[PR19_Kit]

The B-56 reminds me of some of the concepts explored in the 707 development process.

Looking back at my sketch now reminds me a LOT of the Baade 152 as well. But with a bigger fin. 

[kitnut617]

I've got this idea of putting a pair of GE90's on a re-winged B-52, got a different wing from a 767, just need a couple of 1/72 scale engines -- 

[PR19_Kit]

I give you the Boeing B-56 Stratocastle.....

On which subject, does anyone know if there's a resin engine conversion for the B-52F's J57-P-43WBs with the bulged turbo-alternator housings?