Swampyankee
Well-Known Member
I'm open to other suggestions, even the Bell FM-1 Airacuda, although my question there would be "why? Just why?"
Between-the-war aircraft replicas
- Thread starter Swampyankee
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I hope you understand that it wasn't an entirely serious suggestion. It was just my idea of an airplane that looks like it came from a cartoon. Speaking of cartoon airplanes, Tintin's author had impeccable taste in airplanes:
http://richard.ferriere.free.fr/tintin/ilenoire/ilenoire.htm
http://richard.ferriere.free.fr/aerotintin.htm
Speaking further of airplanes and cartoons, find a high definition screen and watch The Wind Rises. How many movies have Giovanni Caproni as an important character?
How about the Wright WP-1? (Basically a Dornier whose name I forget.):
Seems like it might be an eminently practical subject, yet interesting. If I squint hard enough, I can see a Pietenpol in there, converted to a cantilever wing.
I'll see your Wright WP-1 and raise you a 1921 Waterman (Mercury) Gosling. Not cantilever, but I love the aerodynamic yet easy to build tapered square fuselage. With the side-mounted radiator, it would be perfect for something like a Suzuki auto engine conversion, and you could go around racing Flitzer biplanes for fun. ;-)
It doesn't fit your criteria of "practical", but I'm surprised nobody has attempted a Supermarine S-6B replica...
More realistically, any of the Curtiss Hawk series. The P-6E is the best known, of course, and one of the most beautiful of all time, but the Goshawk is interesting, too, and the Sparrowhawk (smaller and made to hook onto airships) is historically significant.
Dana
More realistically, any of the Curtiss Hawk series. The P-6E is the best known, of course, and one of the most beautiful of all time, but the Goshawk is interesting, too, and the Sparrowhawk (smaller and made to hook onto airships) is historically significant.
Dana
Lynn Williams (of Flitzer fame) and I had a long e-mail discussion about the possibility of a Sperry M-1 Messenger replica of couple of years back. I had the airship hookup version in the back of my mind for that one as well. The Messenger is perfect for a full-size replica as it's about the same size as an EAA Biplane.
He-51 with a direct drive 500 inch Cadillac V-8 on the nose.
Tiger Tim
Well-Known Member
Highplains
Well-Known Member
A 500 inch engine, because the 2,864 inch BMW VI was just too much? I agree the He-51 is a good looking design.
I've been looking at the He-70 for a model which used the same engine. It ran in the 1500 to 1700 rpm range with a 128 inch prop. The 70 was pretty fast, Rolls Royce used one to develop the engine for the Spitfire. One finally got an DB-600 in the nose with 1100 hp and the He-70 hit 280 mph. Not bad for a 1932 design that had a 48.6 ft span and 393 sq ft of area.
I've been looking at the He-70 for a model which used the same engine. It ran in the 1500 to 1700 rpm range with a 128 inch prop. The 70 was pretty fast, Rolls Royce used one to develop the engine for the Spitfire. One finally got an DB-600 in the nose with 1100 hp and the He-70 hit 280 mph. Not bad for a 1932 design that had a 48.6 ft span and 393 sq ft of area.
Autodidact
Well-Known Member
Curtiss XP-31:
Between the wars... comic book appearance... fantasy... how can we even be having this discussion without Porco Rosso? OK, so it's not a replica of an actual aircraft, but it would be just so wonderful for someone to do 
As far as actual replicas, the Grumman XF-5F "Skyrocket", with two of those Verner or Rotec radial engines, would peg the "cool factor" needle for me.
As far as actual replicas, the Grumman XF-5F "Skyrocket", with two of those Verner or Rotec radial engines, would peg the "cool factor" needle for me.
Swampyankee
Well-Known Member
Write-in votes are acceptable
Although the Barling Bomber may be a bit of a non-starter....http://www.aviastar.org/pictures/usa/lewis_barling.jpg
Swampyankee
Well-Known Member
The S6B didn't fill anybody's idea of practical, at any time...but it does spike the "cool" meter.
If you didn't like the Barling Bomber, that's disappointing. I assume it means you won't even think about the Caproni nine-winger in post 22, even though it's a real airplane. No fun at all.
If racing planes are cool, that opens up a large number of possibilities. And in a lot of cases, replicas can or need to be full sized, maybe even a bit larger.
For instance, Roscoe Turner's Meteor, later known as Pesco Special, later known as Miss Champion:
Cessna CR-2: ------------------------------ or GC-1:
Hall Bulldog:
Miles Atwood:
San Diego Flaggship (might be a bit of a handful in the air):
Miles Hobby (no relation to Miles Atwood, I think:
Not a racer, but how about this Miles Falcon in Spanish Civil war colors:
Cunningham Hall GA-36:
If racing planes are cool, that opens up a large number of possibilities. And in a lot of cases, replicas can or need to be full sized, maybe even a bit larger.
For instance, Roscoe Turner's Meteor, later known as Pesco Special, later known as Miss Champion:
Cessna CR-2: ------------------------------ or GC-1:
Hall Bulldog:
Miles Atwood:
San Diego Flaggship (might be a bit of a handful in the air):
Miles Hobby (no relation to Miles Atwood, I think:
Not a racer, but how about this Miles Falcon in Spanish Civil war colors:
Cunningham Hall GA-36:
Prettier version of the Flaggship, I think this might be the first version before it crashed:
Here is a reproduction of what it looked like after Steve Wittman modified it:
This version might be a safer bet, since the wings aren't tapered. Or if they are, not nearly as much as the original. I think they're longer too.
The Culver Dart, though not as unusual as these others, might still be a nice project:
Here is a reproduction of what it looked like after Steve Wittman modified it:
This version might be a safer bet, since the wings aren't tapered. Or if they are, not nearly as much as the original. I think they're longer too.
The Culver Dart, though not as unusual as these others, might still be a nice project:
A Cierva C30?
ScaleBirdsScott
Well-Known Member
I like the ideas for the Hawk, F3F, and the Sperry Messenger. All are cool.
Battler Britton
Well-Known Member
VB....you stole my favourite answer..:devious:Between the wars... comic book appearance... fantasy... how can we even be having this discussion without Porco Rosso? OK, so it's not a replica of an actual aircraft, but it would be just so wonderful for someone to do
As far as actual replicas, the Grumman XF-5F "Skyrocket", with two of those Verner or Rotec radial engines, would peg the "cool factor" needle for me.
View attachment 59114
larr
Well-Known Member
It's not on the list, but I would vote for the Polikarpov I-16 as the most significant inter-war era fighter.
The first all metal, cantilever low wing monoplane, retractable landing gear fighter.
It did make it into WWII, but so did the Peashoter.
The first all metal, cantilever low wing monoplane, retractable landing gear fighter.
It did make it into WWII, but so did the Peashoter.
Battler Britton
Well-Known Member
the I 16 was a wooden monocoque fuselage....aluminium wings with steel spar..
love this plane
love this plane
Last edited by a moderator:
Battler Britton
Well-Known Member
here is a 2/3 replica built and flowm a few years ago inNew Zeeland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nUOYwdz_oo
the making of
http://www.rotecradialengines.com/customers/VolkerHeydecke.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nUOYwdz_oo
the making of
http://www.rotecradialengines.com/customers/VolkerHeydecke.htm
