Alternative reality.

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Alternative reality.

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 11, 2004 6:17 AM

I really couldn't think of a better subject title but the best example is the speculative alternate history represented by all those "1946 luftwaffe" models.
A few facts: in 1940 one of the Miles trainer designs was earmarked as a utility fighter for when all the Spitfires and Hurricanes were destroyed. The Lancaster B2 was designed with Bristol Hurcules engines in anticipation of a shortage of Merlins. So how about a speculative Hurcules engined Hurricane. This isn't a model I am likely to build (though I do keep considering building a Sea Harrier with an arrestor hook, just to see who notices) but I would like to know if anyone else has any CREDIBLE examples in mind.

Reply
Edit

leemitcheltree

Member since
January 2003
From: Washington State

Posted by leemitcheltree on Sunday, January 11, 2004 7:17 AM

Snibble,
I'd love to see a Beaufighter with Merlins, Griffons, or airframe A19-2 that the Aussies fitted with Wright Cyclones - that would be cool.
Cheers
LeeTree

Cheers, LeeTree
Remember, Safety Fast!!!

Reply

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 11, 2004 9:12 AM

Beaufighter II, Merlins.

Reply
Edit

chopperfan

Member since
November 2003
From: Oklahoma

Posted by chopperfan on Sunday, January 11, 2004 9:16 AM

P-61 Blackwidow with Allison turbo-props.

Randie Cowboy [C):-)]

Randie [C):-)]Agape Models

Without them? The men on the ground would have to work a lot harder. You can help. Please keep 'em flying! http://www.airtanker.com/

Reply

BlackWolf3945

Member since
December 2002
From: Pominville, NY

Posted by BlackWolf3945 on Sunday, January 11, 2004 11:51 AM

My brand of 'what if' modeling usually doesn't go the way of alternate powerplants or armament or the like. I tend to go the more usual route of machines which were either on the verge of entering service or seeing combat at war's end. I kinda enjoy guessing what some of these aircraft (or targets tanks and other targets military vehicles) might have looked like and what would have transpired had the war not ended when it did, both in the ETO/MTO and the PTO.

As an example, I'd like to build a P-80 in a number of scheme/marking combinations, especially something similar to some of the schemes used by the 56th FG. For the PTO I'd like to build an F7F with some nose art (rare on Navy birds, less so on Marine aircraft) and a few kill markings. Perhaps a nightfighter; I LOVE black airplanes.

Anyhoo, in both cases such a thing would be plausible, especially if the war had lasted longer in either hemisphere, as examples of both of these aircraft were either in theatre (P-80) or on their way (F7F) during the latter stages of the war.

Fade to Black...

Steve O. Reno Check Out My Photo Sets on Flickr

Reply

upnorth

Member since
December 2002
From: Canada / Czech Republic

Posted by upnorth on Sunday, January 11, 2004 1:37 PM

I'd be inclined to see what a late war P-38 would look like if the RAF had taken them.

I'm seeing Griffon engines with either five blade or contrarotating props on each and four 20 mm tank busting guns in the nose.

I'd probably put it in 6 Sqn. markings, love the flying can opener emblem!

Reply

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 13, 2004 10:05 PM

I put a P-51B on floats. Chopped the lower fuselage(cut the scoop out) and reshaped this to sit more forward but, dump at about the same location. It was thinner and tucked more closely two the fuselage. It was a Navy acft and ordered in response to Japanese float fighters and stationed in the Aleutians. The Navy felt that the Alaskan Theatre was just to much an Army/Army Air Force show and they needed a presence without sparing a carrier. I painted it tricolor camo and the star and bar has the red surround making it early to mid "43".

Reply
Edit

ChrisJH666

Member since
January 2004
From: Brisbane Australia

Posted by ChrisJH666 on Saturday, February 14, 2004 1:44 AM

I seem to recall from years ago someone made a kit for the Merlin engined Mk 2 Beaufighter, or perhaps it was a conversion kit. I also recall a conversion kit for the Hercules engined Mk 2 Lanc. I really must keep up with these things better!! How about modelling one of the Merlin engined P40F's?

In the queue: 1/48 Beech Staggerwing (RAAF), P38 (RAAF), Vultee Vengeance (RAAF), Spitfire Vb (Malta), Spitfire VIII x2 (RAAF), P39 x2 (RAAF), Martin Baltimore (Malta?), Martin Maryland (Malta), Typhoon NF1b, Hellcat x2 (FAA)

Chris

Reply

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 14, 2004 4:32 AM

The Miles would be the M20. Mostly made of wood, fixed u/c with spats, & four 20mm cannon. Oh, & a bubble canopy, very far sighted for it's time. In the event we had enough Hurricanes & Spitfires.
That Mustang on floats, how about a D model with a Griffon & contra props?
Speaking of which, it really is time we had a decent injection moulded Martin Baker MB5, Now there's a prop fighter for you. (On second thoughts I think I read that one is to become available soon).
Somewhere in the USA, there's a guy building a replica MB5 to fly, based on a Mustang wing I think.
The Hercules Lancaster was the B11, (thats a roman 2, not eleven) I think there's a 1/72 kit of it somewhere.
Pete

Reply
Edit

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 14, 2004 7:19 AM

I like dressing my aircraft up in CSA markings, sorta "what-if" style, I'd suppose.
I also sometimes take older/obsolete airplanes, and redesign 'em to look more modern, and more powerful(currently, I'm redesigning a Mistubishi G4M1 "betty" in 1/144th scale into a modern EW craft for the CSA.).

Reply
Edit

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 14, 2004 9:29 AM

The Wright Flyer with a turbofan on the top of the top wing, like in that TV commercial a few months ago. I thought that was pretty imaginative.

OR........ How about a C-130 with wing-top-mounted turbofans? And retractable floats?

A 747 with scramjets?

Reply
Edit

gregers

Member since
February 2003
From: UK

Posted by gregers on Saturday, February 14, 2004 3:21 PM

loads of cool ideas here. one kit that i am on with at the moment is the XP67, i am doing it as a night fighter with contraprops and a radar pod on the wing. all gloss black with red wing walk lines and codes.
i will post an in progress pic here shortly

Greg

Why torture yourself when life will do it for you?

Reply

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 12:25 PM

Tankbusting P38 with contraprops! Turbine P61! I may need a lie down. The 1946 allied aircraft thing is interesting, I'm always seeing things written down about what effect this or that German aircraft might have made, But I'm seeing P80's & F7's too, and F8's, Vampires, and Sea Furies and I think the answer is; "Not much".

Reply
Edit

Keyworth

Member since
January 2003
From: NE Georgia

Posted by Keyworth on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 1:55 PM

F7F Tigercat with turbojets and Sidewinders!

"There's no problem that can't be solved with a suitable application of high explosives"

Reply

Texgunner

Member since
February 2003
From: Cameron, Texas

Posted by Texgunner on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 3:49 PM

I'm in the process of converting Hasegawa's Kyushu J7W1 Shinden to the turbojet-powered version that was the original focus of the design. I'll post a photo of the work in progress soon. It's fun to build a plane that never existed(off the drawing board at least) yet still keep it true to the period.
TenchiMuyo81: I plan to build the Italeri 1/48 Mirage F-1 into a modern-day Confederate States Airforce anti-shipping fighter(with Exocet). It's just an exercise in "what if" history I guess, supposing that the CSA had survived into the present. I feel sure that the French would've been happy to sell them aircraft. I'm thinking about some sort of camo scheme based on operations over the Gulf of Mexico. I bought the kit last summer but haven't started yet. Gary

"All you mugs need to get busy building, and post pics!"

Reply

KJ200

Member since
July 2003
From: Bicester, England

Posted by KJ200 on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 6:44 AM

How about a Heinkel Hirth jet powered He219?

If memory serves me the Uhu was designed with a conversion jet power at a later date in mind.

Karl

Currently on the bench: AZ Models 1/72 Mig 17PF

Reply

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 12:02 PM

This will make all the "prop" fans (no pun) happy. Build models on the idea of :
"What If the jet engine was never invented?"

Reply
Edit

upnorth

Member since
December 2002
From: Canada / Czech Republic

Posted by upnorth on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 7:22 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by ngc7293`

This will make all the "prop" fans (no pun) happy. Build models on the idea of :
"What If the jet engine was never invented?"

No problem, I always thought the Arado Blitz would look just as good with a set of turbo charged piston engines as it did with the jets. Big Smile [:D]

Reply

triumf

Member since
August 2003

Posted by triumf on Thursday, February 19, 2004 4:58 PM

How `bout a spitfire with hercules engine. Snicker

life begins at 200 On the bench: RAF Ventura Tomcat 1\32 for my son

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Reply

upnorth

Member since
December 2002
From: Canada / Czech Republic

Posted by upnorth on Thursday, February 19, 2004 6:57 PM

OUCH!!! Thats just ugly to think about. :-)

How about a Heinkel Grief with a bomb bay modified to take an unmanned ME-163 Komet up as sort of a rocket driven Mistel idea. Take the seat and instruments out of the Komet's cockpit and replace them with a warhead.

Can you imagine that being put against allied ships in the the Atlantic, English Channel and North Sea?

Reply

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 19, 2004 8:46 PM

The Soviets had an unmanned MiG-17 that they would have used for anti-shipping (M-17 drone). Anyway, I thinsomebody should make a model of the Convair B-58C proposal. Either that, or a TWIN XP-72!!! F-82, but better!!! (Besides, it's a pair of "Super-Jugs" heeheehee). Big Smile [:D]

Reply
Edit

Buddho

Member since
March 2003
From: Newport News VA

Posted by Buddho on Thursday, February 19, 2004 8:51 PM

Interesting topics on here...I'm sure this has been posted before...but it is
a great site for "what ifs."

http://www.luft46.com/

Dan

Reply

philp

Member since
December 2002
From: USA

Posted by philp on Friday, February 20, 2004 8:54 PM

Don't know that this qualifies. Found out from a contact in Israel whose dad was a mechanic during the war in '47. Said that when they got the C-199's the last 3 crates that were sent contained C-92's (Check built Me-262). They got a few extra engines, etc but had lots of problems with them including one of the first ones landing too fast and being written off. The only pilot to score a kill in one was a British flyer who had flown captured birds during WWII. Anyway, due to Israel's notorius secrecy, this info hasn't been officially released even today. Since I love Israeli aircraft I had to make one. Done with the Pro Modeler kit in 1/72. Still need to add the red and white stripes to the rudder. What do you all think?

Phil Peterson IPMS #8739 Join the Map http://www.frappr.com/finescalemodeler

Reply

philp

Member since
December 2002
From: USA

Posted by philp on Friday, February 20, 2004 8:58 PM

If you want to see some great what-if models, go to this website.
http://www.whatifmodelers.com/

Phil Peterson IPMS #8739 Join the Map http://www.frappr.com/finescalemodeler

Reply

upnorth

Member since
December 2002
From: Canada / Czech Republic

Posted by upnorth on Saturday, February 21, 2004 12:59 PM

I like the Isreali 262 there, philp. Some great stuff on that what if modeling site too.

I'm almost done a 1/72 ME-163 Komet in Italian markings in the North African theatre of operations. Its really more of a prototype built just to see how it would look done up that way, Perhaps one day I'll do such a project with a 1/48 or 1/32 scale kit of the Komet.

I've also got a 1/48 Buccaneer S.2 on the go thats going to be getting Canadian markings when its done.

I just wish I still had my navalized Gloster Javelin and German F-8 Crusader in my collection (two of the worst losses my collection ever took)

I still want to do an F-111K one day, thats the proposed RAF Aardvark that never came to be. I've got a bunch of drawings so far, but owing to the British regulations of incorporating a certain percentage of domestic product into foreign bought military hardware, this will definitely be an extensive and lengthy project once I get it started, whenever that will be.

Reply

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 21, 2004 2:34 PM

I've posted these before (maybe not here, can't remember ATM) but since we're in the what-if mode today:

Chris
--------------------------------------------------
http://www.dataviewbooks.com

Reply
Edit

philp

Member since
December 2002
From: USA

Posted by philp on Sunday, February 22, 2004 2:47 AM

Love that Mistal... Want to come up with a sci-fi version...X-wing over an old Falcon, nah, need some different ideas there.
One of my favorites of all time was a Cutlass done up in Royal Navy markings. Plane just looked like it belonged in those colors.
My Israeli C-92 came about because I was tired of all of the Luft '46 stuff, even injection molded kits. How about a good new mold of an F-102 and f-106? Anyway, had the kit and just didn't want to try some late war camo (although that metalic version with the seams looks interesting as well as a US version).

Phil Peterson IPMS #8739 Join the Map http://www.frappr.com/finescalemodeler

Reply

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 22, 2004 7:26 AM

A navalised catapult and hook EFA Typhoon was being seriously considered not so long ago. I'd like to see that in the same scheme as a late 70s Royal Navy F4.

Reply
Edit

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 9:36 PM

Today's what-if doodlings:

EF-89 ANG electronic agressor mid-1970s vintage

Marine EF-89K (ex F3T-1Q)jammer Southeast Asia 1965

Chris
---------------------------------------------
www.dataviewbooks.com

Reply
Edit

roadkill_275

Member since
September 2003
From: North East Texas

Posted by roadkill_275 on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 10:18 PM

I know this probably doesn't count as 1946 but I did the Monogram MiG 29 as an USAF fighter and I also did the Monogram Mil 24 as an US Army machine. They didn't come out as well as I wanted so I'll probably do them again.

Kevin M. Bodkins "Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup" American By Birth, Southern By the Grace of God! www.milavia.com Christian Modelers For McCain

Reply

THE MAGAZINE

CONTACT US

RECENT ARTICLES

POPULAR TOPICS

RECENT REVIEWS

POPULAR TOPICS

RECENT REVIEWS

POPULAR TOPICS

RECENT VIDEOS

POPULAR TOPICS

RECENT THREADS

CATEGORIES

NEW PRODUCTS

OUR STORE

CURRENT ISSUE

SEARCH FINESCALE.COM