Gunships - Inspiration.

[PR19_Kit]

25 pounders fit quite nicely in a Bev, but arranged along the loading bay rather than across it. 

[kerick]

I read a story a while ago about how in WW2 the US was trying to air resupply some unit while the Germans had set up lots of AA guns in a wood line along the drop zone. C-47s were getting hammered so they resorted to using bombers with all the guns that could firing to the side the Germans were on while dropping supplies out the bomb bays. Less supplies per aircraft but at least they could defend themselves. I would have thought actually bombing the Germans would have been more effective but hey, I wasn't there. Anyway, what about a four engine bomber as a gunship with more MGs and maybe 20mm guns? Crazy as anything else!

[AeroplaneDriver]

I read a story a while ago about how in WW2 the US was trying to air resupply some unit while the Germans had set up lots of AA guns in a wood line along the drop zone. C-47s were getting hammered so they resorted to using bombers with all the guns that could firing to the side the Germans were on while dropping supplies out the bomb bays. Less supplies per aircraft but at least they could defend themselves. I would have thought actually bombing the Germans would have been more effective but hey, I wasn't there. Anyway, what about a four engine bomber as a gunship with more MGs and maybe 20mm guns? Crazy as anything else!

Seems a B-24 with the high wing would be the platform of choice.  Say 8 x .50 cals along the fuselage sides to encourage the other side to keep their heads down...

[Nick]

I read a story a while ago about how in WW2 the US was trying to air resupply some unit while the Germans had set up lots of AA guns in a wood line along the drop zone. C-47s were getting hammered so they resorted to using bombers with all the guns that could firing to the side the Germans were on while dropping supplies out the bomb bays. Less supplies per aircraft but at least they could defend themselves. I would have thought actually bombing the Germans would have been more effective but hey, I wasn't there. Anyway, what about a four engine bomber as a gunship with more MGs and maybe 20mm guns? Crazy as anything else!

Seems a B-24 with the high wing would be the platform of choice.  Say 8 x .50 cals along the fuselage sides to encourage the other side to keep their heads down...

How many turrets could you get under a Lancaster or Liberator, using the bomb bay?
Or a Fire Hedgehog setup like the Soviets used on their Tu-2? https://www.warhistoryonline.com/featured/innovative-flawed-fire-hedgehog.html

[Rheged]

Will you keep the masts?

According to Bill Gunston's book "Back to the Drawing Board",   the Rohrbach RII  (a predecessor of the Beardmore Inverness flying boat)  was equipped with masts and sails as a means of returning to land after an emergency landing!!

[NARSES2]

Bevs didn't fly with the rear doors open, they'd have been like MONSTER air brakes. 

They just took the doors right off, leaving a 10 ft square hole in the back of the fuselage, simples. 

Firing a pair of 24 pounders out the rear would double the speed of a Beverley!

I'm just wondering what the recoil would do ??

[zenrat]

Will you keep the masts?

According to Bill Gunston's book "Back to the Drawing Board",   the Rohrbach RII  (a predecessor of the Beardmore Inverness flying boat)  was equipped with masts and sails as a means of returning to land after an emergency landing!!

Yes. We discussed the subject when I built this...
Метательное Копье MeКo 7c 19a by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=44463.90

Jon, you are no fun.