Warbirds that never were....

[O.P.]

Why Heidi Klum? I Know that she is a very pritty lady and all, but if you make a P-67 Bat then that should be nose art of a bombshell from the time. Mrs. Monroe, or my Pick May West. She was sexy, and very convident. What makes you so keen on the P-67 anywho?

How about the origional Spitfire development the 300 seriese? If that were to have been picked up when proposed the war might have been very different.

Heidi Klum is HOT! She's pritty too. Since it would have to be a newly built plane, It never went to production, and the test model was basically unmarked, The design would still need a lot of tweaking to be safe and fly, In my mind, It's a dream plane. It never really existed in what would have been it's final form. That means the sky is the limit, you can do what you want.

The P-67 was projected to do 600+ mph. (we all know what projections are like, everbody has one, and they kinda smell like it too). It would have been armed with 37 mm cannons, or 50 cals, or a combo of both. Given the times, it probably would have been radar equiped also. If it had went to completion, I think a small chunk of aviation history could have possibly changed a much larger chunk.

It's one of the coolest looking planes ever concieved.
I messed up on the "Catwoman" suit thing. It should probably be Batgirl. Maybe we should just save the paint for an extra .1 knot. Heidi, au natural, laying on a big fluffy moon, I'll call her(the plane) Moon Girl.

Scott.....As soon as the lottery money builds the JU-87, gotta build the bat next

[Scott Rose]

The design would still need a lot of tweaking to be safe and fly,

Yeah, you'd have to fix that whole bursting into flames thing.

Scott.....As soon as the lottery money builds the JU-87, gotta build the bat next

No doubt, and I also want to build a fly-by-wire/computer controlled XP-56 Black Bullet as well.

Last edited by Scott Rose on Fri Jun 04, 2004 7:16 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[O.P.]

No doubt, and I also want to build a fly-by-wire/computer controlled XP-56 Black Bullet as well.

First time I've seen one, freaky, kind of a prop driven Komet....hey...you don't think.....

[Steve T]

Interesting discussion. Too, it almost splits into two areas: Warbirds that should have succeeded (MB5); and Warbirds that were just so cool-looking they should've progressed beyond prototype stage (XP-67 Moonbat). Course there's some overlap too. Here are some of my picks:

WWII era: MB5; Miles M20; Vought F5U; Fw187; Heinkel 100 & 280

Postwar: CF-105 Arrow; BAC TSR2; Martin P6M; F-20 Tigershark

An intriguing one-off that doesn't quite fit this discussion because it's a variation on a design that WAS hugely successful: the NAA NA-98X "Super Strafer" Mitchell. B-25H fuselage, new square-cut (laminar section??) wings, two P&W R2800s. Sort of a crossbreed of Mitchell and Invader elements. Fast, powerful and very, very mean-looking. But the sole example broke up in the air, overstressed on pullup from a fast pass over the NAA factory, and such success was being experienced with standard Mitchells that the reworked version was not proceeded with.

S.

[B-24WillowRun]

Ok so the prty girl on the nose is settled and I have looked up the XP-67 and will agree it could have been a great production, but I have big misgivings about the engines. For me I would have asked about replacing them with the P&W R-2800, the Alision or Merlin Griffon when available.

I am just not convinced the prototype's engines would have worked and they never did deliver the speed and power that was promised.

I was trying to look for other WWII McDonolled aircraft, but have had a hard time finding any websites or referances to others besides the first offering and the XP-67 and then latter to the Merger with Douglas.

[Scott Rose]

I was trying to look for other WWII McDonolled aircraft, but have had a hard time finding any websites or referances to others besides the first offering and the XP-67 and then latter to the Merger with Douglas.

One of the future goals for expansion of the site is a resource center dealing with aircraft from 1945-1964. I have often felt that this era, especially the early 50's can be often overlooked in aircraft development. If it didn't fly in Korea alot of people don't know about it. Alas, time is the eternal issue and it is on the backburner for now. But I am collecting pictures from that era for eventual use so feel free to send them in if you have them.

[O.P.]

Ok so the prty girl on the nose is settled and I have looked up the XP-67 and will agree it could have been a great production, but I have big misgivings about the engines. For me I would have asked about replacing them with the P&W R-2800, the Alision or Merlin Griffon when available.

I am just not convinced the prototype's engines would have worked and they never did deliver the speed and power that was promised.

I was trying to look for other WWII McDonolled aircraft, but have had a hard time finding any websites or referances to others besides the first offering and the XP-67 and then latter to the Merger with Douglas.

I completly agree. The engines would have to be something different. Are there Alison or Merlin variants that develop 2000+ horsepower? I would like to stick with an inline engine. The Merlins should do it.....I think the modified engines in the Reno mustangs develop that kind of hp, although they also have a kinda blowing up/burning problem also, it's probably the exotic mods in them...

The P-67 Bat was McDonnell's big entry into the military aircraft contract business. The Army loved it. The project just ran long and had a couple-ten serious problems, but it set McDonnell up for more bidding and they had a very good relationship with the military after that. They were given a jet contract during the war. I think they mostly made parts during the war. They really began to shine in 1945 and on.

[Scott Rose]

I would like to see a P-67 replica with turboprops, that would be interesting. Maybe with the scimitar like blades. Would be very menacing looking in the air or the ground.

[O.P.]

the NAA NA-98X "Super Strafer" Mitchell. B-25H fuselage, new square-cut (laminar section??) wings, two P&W R2800s. Sort of a crossbreed of Mitchell and Invader elements.

I went looking for this one, and the only picture I could find is the XB-28. It's got that kind of look though. Nice. The Super Strafer probably looked better. The page I read said it had achieved 350mph, really nice.

[O.P.]

I would like to see a P-67 replica with turboprops, that would be interesting. Maybe with the scimitar like blades. Would be very menacing looking in the air or the ground.

That would be very cool. It might be easier to build the plane using turbo props, more power less weight. There's only one drawback, only piston engines are allowed in the unlimited in Reno. Looks like we'll have to build two.

[B-24WillowRun]

Yes I think that the Merlins would work. I am trying to remember the Alison inline stats, but that is leaving me. I think though it would work. The P-38 developed 2000+ hp yes? All concidered it might not have been until 1940 or so before it got into production assuming the engine problum was changed earlie.

As for the B-25H that is the one with the 75mm cannon in the nose. Not my favorate model. The J w/solis nose was the better straffer.

[Scott Rose]

That would be very cool. It might be easier to build the plane using turbo props, more power less weight. There's only one drawback, only piston engines are allowed in the unlimited in Reno. Looks like we'll have to build two.

Heh, why not? If your going to dream... dream BIG

[Jeff]

either the CA15 or CA14a would be my choices as even though they were both built both were scrapped and I believe the CA15 was clocked at something like 520 mph across melbourne at one stage

[B-24WillowRun]

Grumman F11F that is the one I think, anywho it is the one they worked on that had the veriable geomotry wings and was simmilar the the F-111. It helped to develop the F-14.

But then the XF5F- that is just a great looking bird!

[bdk]

But then the XF5F- that is just a great looking bird!

The XF5F looks like an easy replica to buid! A couple of Lodestar nacelles, an Ercoupe tail, an F-84 canopy... Probably easier to build than a Whirlwind!