Bombers repurposed into transports/airliners

Spey_Phantom · September 30, 2019, 12:31:38 PM

looking back at my converted P-3 Orion (see L188-75 Junior Electra), i was thinking of converting more bombers into airliners, regional transports or executive aircraft.

after the war, a number of B-17's, Avro Lancasters,...were stripped of all armament and converted to civilian use.
IIRC, the Dornier Do-17 bomber was originally designed as a Lufthansa airliner or mail plane.

recently, i was thinking of repurposing the Nord Noratlas or Vickers Wellington as a passenger aircraft (Wellington would be renamed the "Welchman"). i believe other bombers could be converted aswell?

McColm · September 30, 2019, 12:52:57 PM

The Boeing B-47 would make a great airliner, I tried building a Northrop YB-49 and converting that into an airliner but I couldn't get the roof/ceiling right. I might try a B-2 Spirit instead. Where as the Rockwell B-1B is limited to how many seats are available sort of Mach 1 business jet.

PR19_Kit · September 30, 2019, 12:54:30 PM

The pax in a B-47 airliner would love to have their seat space invaded by four ginormous wheels when the captain retracted the gear I'm sure........

The Wooksta! · September 30, 2019, 01:16:07 PM

Spain and the Czechs used He 111s as transports, the former building their own.

Argentina used several Lincolns, converted in a similar manner to the Lancastrian, as transports. The Luftwaffe had at least one Ju 88 converted to carry passengers.

McColm · September 30, 2019, 02:41:08 PM

Is it just me, the B-47 resembles the Bede airliner or am I getting it confused with something else?

PR19_Kit · September 30, 2019, 02:54:31 PM

Quote from: McColm on September 30, 2019, 02:41:08 PM

Is it just me, the B-47 resembles the Bede airliner or am I getting it confused with something else?

There are similarities between the B-47 and the Baade 152, but the Baade had a high wing rather than a mid wing.

And the B-47 flew a LOT better...............

sandiego89 · September 30, 2019, 03:09:58 PM

There were proposals for a B-58 with a pod for 5 "lucky" VIP's and a full fuselage version.

I could see a B-24 (and there were transport versions)

Valiant

B-29

B-66/A-3

scooter · September 30, 2019, 03:31:07 PM

Quote from: sandiego89 on September 30, 2019, 03:09:58 PM
There were proposals for a B-58 with a pod for 5 "lucky" VIP's and a full fuselage version.

Mach 2 biz-jet?

B-25s and A/B-26 Invaders were converted into early corporate aircraft

The Wooksta! · September 30, 2019, 05:02:56 PM

And let's not forget HSA's P.1128 proposal for the Hunter...

kerick · September 30, 2019, 06:31:18 PM

Four B-17s were converted to C-108 transports but the aircraft was unsuitable for that mission.

The Rat · September 30, 2019, 09:35:20 PM

Sunderland/Sandringham, Seaford/Solent. A Whitley might be one to convert, BOAC used some for a short time. I've got an Amiot 143 that I've been thinking of turning into a civilian job.

Dizzyfugu · October 01, 2019, 12:00:24 AM

I did a B-26 airliner a while ago (for a GB, IIRC), and I have the idea of a B-66 feederliner in the back of my mind - maybe even with low wings.

Weaver · October 01, 2019, 12:42:06 AM

Would have thought the Shorts Stirling would be suitable and available, given it's enormous fuselage and relatively indifferent performance as a bomber.

Following the Lancastrian/Welshman theme, you could call it the Scotsman...

How about an alternative Boeing airliner combining a 707 fuselage (stretched?) with a B-52 wing and engines?

There were plans for airliner conversions/derivatives of all the V-bombers:

Valiant: early V1000 studies

Victor:
HP.98 (original centre-section, double-bubble fuselage)
HP.111 (wider centre-section, circular-section fuselage)
The HP.111 was actually selected by the RAF, but they were overuled by HMG and told to buy the Belfast instead for political reasons (full employment in NI).

Vulcan: wide-bodied version called the Atlantic:

scooter · October 01, 2019, 12:52:39 AM

Quote from: kerick on September 30, 2019, 06:31:18 PM
Four B-17s were converted to C-108 transports but the aircraft was unsuitable for that mission.

Sweden also converted several interred B-17s into airliners. No idea how well they worked at it.

Spey_Phantom · October 01, 2019, 02:28:16 AM

Quote from: Weaver on October 01, 2019, 12:42:06 AM
Would have thought the Shorts Stirling would be suitable and available, given it's enormous fuselage and relatively indifferent performance as a bomber.

a number of transport converted stirlings did saw service after WW2, there was only one civil operator and that was Trans-Air, here in Belgium

they operated 10 aircraft, 9 were eventually sold to the egyptian air force.

https://www.ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/oo-stirling.pdf