Other modeller's attitudes to Whiffing

[The Rat]

A reaction I got on the facebook page "FROG Model Kits", when I posted my Irish Air Corps Gloster Javelin.
Some people just don't get it.     

by Dave Bailey, on Flickr

[PR19_Kit]

That's very true, some people just DON'T get it. 

I wonder if they ever read novels?

[zenrat]

A reaction I got on the facebook page "FROG Model Kits", when I posted my Irish Air Corps Gloster Javelin.
Some people just don't get it.     

by Dave Bailey, on Flickr

Dick.

[Old Wombat]

Total arse-wipe but ...

He does pose a good question though: What if the A-10 did attack the trenches in WW1?  

Which then begs the question: On whose side?

[jcf]

The real question about the "A-10" is would it have rotary engines, water-cooled radials ala Salmson,
inline or V-engines? Pusher props or tractor? Perhaps a Gallaudet type propeller arrangement? Would
the engines be in pods or buried in the fuselage driving the outboard mounted propellers via chains
or driveshaft? 

Electrified Gatlings were installed on some USN battlewagons in the late 19th century, would they try
it on an aircraft? Maybe driven by an air-motor using an engine driven compressor?

So many questions. 

[zenrat]

I can picture in my head what a 1917 A-10 would look like.
Same proportions but biplane (it should resemble a Warthog if you squint).  Stick and string construction.  Pusher engines in pods.  Pedal cranked Gatling operated by a gunner seated in front of the pilot.
Two bombardiers behind the pilot throwing bombs overboard by hand.

In fact, I have some Matchbox Heyfords which could be rearranged into something close to my vision.  This bears thinking about.

[The Wooksta!]

The Junkers aircraft could be considered the first forerunner  of the A10, given it was armoured and carried a fair few guns.

[Rheged]

In fact, I have some Matchbox Heyfords which could be rearranged into something close to my vision.  This bears thinking about.

OOOH yes please!!

[jcf]

The biggest issue with a Gatling type is the feed mechanism. This page shows the usual types, but aside from the
Accles drum he doesn't discuss the problems with all of them:
https://www.forgottenweapons.com/gatling-gun-feeding-mechanisms/

Electrified Gatling from the November 1890 Scientific American

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In 1893 Gatling received a patent for an electric revolving cannon with an integral motor with a potential
rate of fire of 3,000 rpunds per minute. It featured a jacket that could be water filled to keep the barrels
cool.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US502185A/en

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/f2/2d/19/b983371dd34fed/US502185.pdf

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[killnoizer]

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 I discovered the nazi A10 today .

[frank2056]

The WWI A-10 could have dual Coanda engines If a Gatling doesn't work out, maybe a COW gun that works, or a QF 1-pounder.

[killnoizer]

This is a Coanda design for the Russian Zar .... YES YES YES 


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[Joe C-P]

This is a Coanda design for the Russian Zar .... YES YES YES 

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That would dry your hair in a jiffy!

How heavy was that electrified Gatling? 
Would one armor the cockpit, since the aircraft will be flying well into ground fire range?

[jcf]

The Coanda engine never worked and you can see from his various patents that there was no way it was ever going to work.

For various reasons, mostly involved with period materials and the limits put on structural design, mounting engines ala the A-10 is a non-starter for a plausible what-if. Buried engines driving strut mounted propellers via chains or shafts is a more likely configuration.

[jcf]

The electrified gatling shown in the Scientific American article is a Model 1883*, ten barrels, .45/70 cal.
The barrels are covered with a bronze shroud, weight of gun alone (w/o Accles Feed drum or electric
drive) is 260 lbs.

The Model 1893 returned to the open frame design and, in the same caliber, weighed 200lbs. The
models 1895, 1900 and 1903 were essentially the same but in .30 Krag and then .30-06 calibers.
None of these were electrified. 

The lightest Gatlings were the so-called Police or Bulldog guns, these were short-barreled shrouded
guns that weighed 74 lbs.

The Accles Gun was also used by the US Navy and US Army, it was basically a copy of the Gatling
with some improvements, it also had shrouded barrels, but the shroud was aluminum.

As to the weight of the gun in the 1893 patent, no clue but I assume it was probably well over
300 lbs., at a minimum.

*A model 1883 was used in the post-WWII experiments that led to the Vulcan. A regular V-belt
was connected between an electric motor and a pulley installed on the gun crankshaft. It was a
very simple conversion and during tests it reached over 5,800 rounds per minute.