Weston C-25G Marion (formerly B-25 Mitchell)

[zenrat]

Weston C-25G Marion

Weston C-25G Marion - 9 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

As zenrat industries prospered during Southern Australia's post war boom its air transport needs grew.  The second aircraft added to the fleet was an ex-USAAF Transport Command North American CB-25G Mitchell utility transport.  While the performance of this aircraft was exactly what was required, cargo handling proved to be an issue due to the height of the fuselage above the ground and suitable cargo handling equipment not always being available on the sort of rough strips zi habitually operated from.  The solution to the problem was both obvious and radical – lower the fuselage by lifting the wings.

Weston C-25G Marion - 12 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

When they failed to find a PDRV based engineering firm willing to carry out Frederick Fredericksson's modifications (drawn up on the back of an, albeit C4, envelope) zi cast their net further afield.  Weston Fish & Farm were an Adelaide based, South Australian manufacturer of dairy delivery equipment, caravans and fishing boats (with a sideline in lawn mower repairs) who were looking to expand into the field of aviation modifications and maintenance.  Given there was a glut of surplus Mitchells on the market Weston seized the opportunity to develop a locally optimised cargo version in partnership with an end user.  zi for their part agreed to purchase the first five production aircraft when the prototype proved successful.

Weston C-25G Marion - 1 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Weston raised the position of the wing spars in the fuselage and re-engineered the wings to have a gull wing profile.  Standard main undercarriage legs were retained which put the fuselage at the ideal height for rapid manual cargo handling through the newly fitted portside loading doors.  The nose gear leg was severely shortened, a solid nose fitted and a hatch was fitted in the former dorsal turret position.

Weston C-25G Marion - 5 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

After initial test flights showed lateral instability (Fredericksson guessed this was due to the effect of lifting the propellers relative to rudders) Weston designed, built and fitted a single vertical tail to replace the original twin tails.  The span of the horizontal stabilisers was also increased at this time because "with the rudders removed it just looked wrong".  With the new tail the modified Mitchell flew as well as it had before it was taken apart and a delighted Fredericksson immediately put it to use flying for zenrat industries and signed a contract for the promised additional five aircraft.

Weston C-25G Marion - 16 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Weston designated the aircraft C-25G and christened it the Marion after the Adelaide suburb.  The first three development models were leased to South Australian users before the first five production C-25G1s were rolled out in zenrat industries livery.  In line with zenrat industries official company policy of "more power", production aircraft had exhaust driven Binford 2600 turbochargers fitted to the Twin Cyclone engines in addition to the standard two stage mechanical superchargers.

Weston C-25G Marion - 13 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Marion proved to be a popular aircraft which Weston kept producing as long as they could get Mitchells to rebuild, finally running out in 1967.  By which time they were an established manufacturer of their own designs.  Throughout this time zi purchased further Marions including three of the ultimate version, the turboprop powered C-25G9 and, if rumours are to be believed at least one equipped as a night interdiction gunship.
The original prototype gave sterling service, surviving to be restored and retired to the PDRV's aviation museum at Dadswell Bridge.  It is currently not airworthy due to engine hours but can be seen in the Fredericksson Memorial hanger where it has pride of place in the display of zenrat industries aircraft.

Weston C-25G Marion - 19 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Model.
Italeri B-25G Mitchell.
Modified wings and horizontal tails.
Scratchbuilt vertical tail.

Weston C-25G Marion - 20 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[Dizzyfugu]

That's sweet.  At first, I thought it was some sort of a wide body A-20!

[loupgarou]

Very interesting project and good build.
I think I remember, from an old issue of Flying Review, that Weston was studying a developed version with a swing tail for easier loading of bulky items. Do you know if a prototype had been built?

[zenrat]

Hmm, yes.  I see what you mean.  Not what i was thinking of.  The build prior to this was a Privateer and that was what I had in mind when I built the tail.

And thanks.

[Tophe]

Good!

[chrisonord]

Brilliant stuff  as per Fred. One  would make a good fire bomber  too
Chris

[NARSES2]

Brilliant stuff  as per Fred. One  would make a good fire bomber  too
Chris

Can't disagree with either of those statements, therefore I won't 

Mind you I could also see it being converted to carry a lifeboat in the ASR mission.

[loupgarou]

Brilliant stuff  as per Fred. One  would make a good fire bomber  too
Chris

Can't disagree with either of those statements, therefore I won't 

Mind you I could also see it being converted to carry a lifeboat in the ASR mission.

Having lowered the fuselage (or raised thew wings) I am afraid the lifeboat would scrape the  runway. 
BTW, I have read an interesting book about the develpment of aircraft lifeboat:
Daniels Stephen Brewster   Rescue from the skies   HMSO   London   1993

[PR19_Kit]

A Zenrat masterpiece, yet again. 

I love the backstory, so much scope for building more versions, from the twin tailed prototype to the later turbo-prop variants. 

[Captain Canada]

So very cool ! Crazy how different she looks. Like a miniature Liberator, but also different from that lol. Great job !

[TheChronicOne]

It's gorgeous!!! Everything about it is dead on.


"Low..... ride.......er..... " womp womp womp womp womp womp womp, womp womp womp, womp womp.   

[Rick Lowe]

Came out well, Fred 

[NARSES2]

Having lowered the fuselage (or raised thew wings) I am afraid the lifeboat would scrape the  runway. 
BTW, I have read an interesting book about the develpment of aircraft lifeboat:
Daniels Stephen Brewster   Rescue from the skies   HMSO   London   1993

Sorry I didn't explain myself properly. You could replace part of the fuselage with the lifeboat, rather than attach it to the fuselage, so the outline of the fuselage stays the same ? Have a streamlined section at the front and rear and the boat would be attached to a cross beam running between them ?

[zenrat]

Thanks folks.

It's gorgeous!!! Everything about it is dead on.


"Low..... ride.......er..... " womp womp womp womp womp womp womp, womp womp womp, womp womp.   

Damn.  I should have painted whitewalls on the tyres.   

If I build another i'll make use of jigs to ensure symmetry when modifying and attaching the wings - notice how there are no front on pics.  There's a reason for that.   

I would also (if using the Italeri kit) attach the landing lights before I painted, sand them back and polish them - fit is abysmal.

[TheChronicOne]

 

Yeah! Whitewalls and them chrome dish hubcaps. 

Hmm...