Lancer's luverly idea

[Chris707]

OK, say you start with a Lanc, upgrade the wing (more like design a new one) to accomodate an NK-12 in the inboard positions as on:

http://www.aeronautics.ru/tupolev/tu95/tu-...k-12_engine.jpg

Convert the outboard nacelles into extra water tankage?

Practical? No. Cool looking? Quite possibly!

Chris

[Chris707]

I'm really shocked that no one has suggested this:



Twin-floats, NK-12 inboards, H2O tanks outboard, Viper turbojet in the tail for boost, fed through a dorsal intake...


Chris

[NARSES2]

Lanc's were used as engine test beds so the idea of underslung jets is a good one, but I do like the idea of a Lanc powered by RR Darts - now you could almost fool people that someone had done it ?

Chris

[Hobbes]

OK, say you start with a Lanc, upgrade the wing (more like design a new one) to accomodate an NK-12 in the inboard positions as on:

http://www.aeronautics.ru/tupolev/tu95/tu-...k-12_engine.jpg

Convert the outboard nacelles into extra water tankage?

Practical? No. Cool looking? Quite possibly!

Chris

You probably need only one NK-12. That might be a fun build: a B-29 or Lanc with a single NK-12 in the nose    

[Jschmus]

Okay, I went back and looked, and there was no such thing as a Lancaster water bomber.  The book (Air Freighters was the title) did have some nifty shots of the various real tankers, though, including one example of a C-97G.

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Mornin' Chaps

My contribution to the powerplant debate: Darts OR Tynes (I think the Tyne was strapped under the F-27 Friendship in the VERY early sixties) and the Airfix & Esci kits are still around. Podded J85's a la P2's and C119's would be extremely cool too.

Externally, Squaring-off the wingtips, fairing-over the turrets and putting a Lancastrian style one piece nose on the beast would just improve the Look.

As for colours - Well, I know it's a bit of a no-brainer, but yellow with bright red trim would be a great way to go, alternatively NMF with dayglo orange trim may be worth considering.

Just my two pennarth'

Ian

[The Rat]

Darts or Tynes would be nice, but what I was thinking was this; the Canadian government acts very quickly* after the war to reduce forestry losses due to fires, and comes up with the water bomber idea earlier than in our real timeline. (I'm embarrassed to say I can't remember when it was actually initiated. OLLIE, help me here!) What this means is that turboprops would be too new and untried for this purpose. We need an aircraft which can be refuelled at rather remote airfields in the bush, and jet fuel was not readily available in those days. Merlins or Griffons are the way to go.

*Yes, the Canadian government can act quickly when it wants to. Unfortunately it also screws up just as quickly.    

[Ollie]

IIRC, the first to use aircrafts to drop water was Ontario with Beavers and Otters, but it was Québec who first modified a Canso into a true water bomber.



I have an episode of FlightPath around somewhere that talks about it.

 

[Jeffry Fontaine]

This thread has been buried for quite a while and I beleive it is time for it to bring it back to the top of the pile and see what has become of the various ideas that were bantered about over a year ago.  

The reason for this was after reading a build article by Ken Duffey on the Russian Lancaster conversion he had done a few years back.  He had an image in there of the Russian Air Force Lancaster with a modified nose and it almost looked like a Halifax for a moment, I am rambling, I know but the fact of the matter is that while gazing at his work, I suddenly remember the subject of the Firebomber Lancaster and decided it was time to revive it.  

The Lancaster Float Plane idea is going to sink by the way as the floats are too small, you are going to need something about three times that size to make it sit on the water safely.  

Jet engines on the Lancaster are one way to get more performance but the use of the R/R Dart would be the better solution to the problem if the airframe could last long enough to be used for that modification.  The retention of the orginal but slightly modified power plants would be the logical approach as the spares for keeping them running would still be available in large quantities immediately after the war.  

So on that note, I leave my comments for the rest of you to ponder and respond.  

[kitnut617]

I'm really shocked that no one has suggested this:

Twin-floats, NK-12 inboards, H2O tanks outboard, Viper turbojet in the tail for boost, fed through a dorsal intake...


Chris

Now this idea I like, but the floats are way undersized.  Have a look at this model I built of a C-47 with floats.

http://airfix.com/cs/photos/military_aircr...1/original.aspx

http://airfix.com/cs/photos/military_aircr...2/original.aspx

These C-47's were equipped with Edo floats and as you can see they're almost as long as the fuselage itself.

The floats for a Lancaster would have to be similar in proportion.  Keep in mind that the step in the float should be lined-up somewhere near where the wing rear spar is.

Robert

Edit:  I've been looking into this possibility of a Lancaster Floatplane, and as I said the floats would have to be much bigger.  There is something that could be used I think and that is a Spitfire float or floats.  Now before you say 'You've just said bigger'  I mean 1/24 scale Spitfire Floats.  I measured the 1/72 scale floats and they are 4" long, times 72 equals 288", divide by 24 and you've got 12".  So this would be more the size of float for a 1/72 Lanc' B)  

[elmayerle]

For an idea on float size, check out the Piaggio P.114 on this thread over on Secret Projects.  It's basically a floatplane version of the Piaggio P.108 which is similar in size and weight to a Lancaster.

[kitnut617]

Or this link:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php...4fd0f2d052eb55c

Cheers.

[Daryl J.]

Not knowing the history of the post-war Lancasters and Avro's development of post-Lancaster aircraft, is it possible someone like the Norwegians could have used modified Lanc's in a role similar to the current P-3C?    


The firebomber idea still rings nicely in these courts.



Daryl J.

[TsrJoe]

there was a proposal for an Avro Lancaster and Avro York flying boats, drawings for the Lanc (with a hull developed by Saunders Roe) appear in the book Sea to Air, the York appearing in the old Harleyford volume on the Lancaster... might be of some interest to the above discussions?

btw. an Airfix Sunderland would fit the bill neatly as a donor hull for a 1/72 version?

re. a hypothetical floatplane version of the Lanc, im thinking as a minimum size to suit, the Edo floats as fitted to the C.47 would be ok if modelled as a Canadian built example, the UK. using a slightly different style of planing bottom to the patented Edo. style US. ones! (compare those on a model Norseman with a Swordfish for example!)

cheers, Joe    

[Gary]

With all the talk of engines and bracing and floats, I can't help but think, you all is over thinking this. One of the most effective waterbombers of late is the Il_76 (?) and all the Russians did was slug a great big steel tube (two actually) in the cargo bay and when they fly over the target, they pop open a great big door in the back and a vent in the front and the water simplly pours out like madness. That being said, remove all the guns, armour, self sealing fuel tanks and assorted heavyness not required. Use a bulged bomb bay door set, opened slightly and strip some styrene down the middle. Fair in the forward section, and a front end filler and a great big plug at the back and volia, simple. Crew, pilot, engineer/copilot and thats all she wrote.