Can You name this Plane?

[Leigh]

K this is what I've been working on for the Latin America o Rama build. Initially I wasn't that excited about the build idea perse but I had enjoyed myself so much on the last group build that I wanted to participate. So not finding myself too inspired by the subject matter I decided to go through the stash and build something I never really wanted and would have probably given away. I wasn't going to give up a "good" kit for this so the victim was the old Monogram, toy like T-28 Trojan. Mucking around with it I just wondered what that P-47 engine and cowling sitting in the parts drawer would look like on the front, instead of that ugly bulldog looking stock engine. Well it fit absolutely perfectly on three sides even the panel lines matched up and that's when the AMS set in, and what we have so far is this...

[Leigh]

I wanted to share this with you because I always enjoy watching other peoples work progress, and because a little more than a year ago I had never built anything that wasn't straight out of the box. So as a thank you I'd like to share some of the skills and ideas i've picked up here.
This is what we started with, as I said it fit perfectly on three sides but there was a big old step on the bottom that needed some kind of fixing.....

[Leigh]

A ton of laminated styrene strips later, we've got boxed in wheel wells, and changed the front end to match. Added some brass tube for "hot Rod" exhausts

[Leigh]

Well if I'm going to all that effort I better tart up the cockpit too. The odd thing about monogram kits are that the tubs aren't too bad. Scratch built some ejector seats (don't even know if a plane like this would have ejector seats?) , these are works of pure fiction or at least my imagination, side panels, tanks, radar screens etc. It's about 3/4 of the way done here, gotta add some hoses and other clutter..............

[Leigh]

My seats, the one rear kit seat and god knows what the pilot is sitting on?

[Leigh]

The premise is, that after the use of the Trojan in Vietnam and the subsequent successes of the Skyraider, North American realised that the piston engine attack plane was not dead. The loiter time afforded by these planes made them perfect for COIN missions and jungle warfare. With the addition of a much more powerful engine on the already proven T-38 frame to allow for massive armaments loads. This plane was specifically developed for export to friendly governments in dealing with their own socialist uprisings.

Don't have a name or a number for it though. I was thinking of calling it the Spartan but that seems a little contradictory. And it needs a number. Should I give it a T designation or A or T/A and I don't know what numbers are available. Doing a Google for T-41 isn't much help.

Also what kind of engine is in it?

[Leigh]

Also got a Vac- Formed canopy for it which is basically designed to be in the open position, but I'm thinking that a three part open canopy spoil that muscle car look it has right now. So far just mocking it up with the kit canopy which hasn't  even been futured yet the cockpit is real visible.

The more I look at it the more I'm seeing a twin seat Bearcat.

Markings and Scheme will be revealed later.

And I'm having so much fun with this that I've got two other entries in the pipeline, so much for my initial lack of enthusiasm, funny how these things happen. Thanks Guys.

[RotorheadTX]

Wow! That's a really s**t-hot piece of work you've got going there!!
Thanks for sharing the in-progress pics, those are always good to learn new tricks from.
I look forward to seeing the finished product!

Regards,
Tony

[John Howling Mouse]

Holy #@*&!!!!!

When you first described it to me I thought it was intriguing but THIS----this is freakin' outstanding!!!!  Sorry I didn't get back to you with better advice but, clearly, you didn't need any help.  That fwd step looks just fine, now!  

The lines already look great and very believable.  This is going to have such a visual impact when it's all painted up, too.  I might have missed it in your posts (too excited to read just yet) but how are you painting it up?  White with red flash like my T-51 Sentinel trainer or something else?

And those are SCRATCHBUILT seats?!?!  "You must be joking!" (Bond to "Q").   B)

EXCITING-----please do keep the pics coming!  Another one of those "Wish I'D thought of that" concepts coming to life right before us.

     

[Eddie M.]

Very cutting edge! Are you going to add guns? Weapons? How's the prop clearance looking? You've done some great work and given me some good ideas, although my model collection can't stand too many more good ideas. ^_^ Ny first name suggestion is Hellion. B)
 Eddie

[nev]

Leigh, if these piccies were posted anonymously and the question was asked "who is building this model?", my answer would instantly be, without hesitation, JHM.

I can pay you no higher compliment than that.  Its Baz-tastic!  


Now go paint it in faded, peeling jungle camo with loads of rockets & stuff dangling from the wings, cos that thing kicks donkey!    

[dragon]

AT-____ GAVILAN
AT-____ RELAMPAGO (Thunderbolt)
AT-____ CAZADOR (Hunter.  Also in parts of Latin America, Jungle Warfare soldiers are called CAZADORES.  They are considered part of the Special Forces of their nation's military.)

AT-____ CHUPACABRA

[Leigh]

Very cutting edge! Are you going to add guns? Weapons? How's the prop clearance looking?

Good point, I've not even checked the clearance yet, hope I haven't spent all this time building a very elaborate soil tiller. Guns yes, other stuff I hope so but being mostly a 1/72nd guy not much 1/48 loads in the spares box except for sidewinders. Why does every kit come with a zillion sidewinders? I swear one day I'm gonna build a model of St. Pauls cathedral out of spare 1/72 sidewinders.

Barry thanks for the kind words about the seats, amazing what you can do with bits of styrene angle, H beams and rod.

Thanks everyone for all the other kind words. It's because of you guys that I have the balls to attempt this stuff the bar is set way high around here. And the more I try the more I realise it's really not that hard, time consuming yes but you can pretty much fix anything with evergreen styrene and laquer thinner. I'm still one of those guys who hand files and shapes so i'll be coughing white dust for weeks.

Hellion is a possibility my dictionary says it means troublemaker, rolls off the tongue better than " Conservative domino theory paranoia red commie fuzzy bunny  annihalator"

T/A-31 Nixon?

[cthulhu77]

LOL...great name for a great plane!!!
          greg

[Ollie]

Good show Leigh!