This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
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Re: Canopies, Canopies and more Canopies ...

Thu Apr 24, 2014 6:16 pm

Sure that Hellcat isn't a higher # version? You know the one with the four bladed prop. :wink:
(prop distortion looks like it has four blades in that photo)

Re: Canopies, Canopies and more Canopies ...

Fri Apr 25, 2014 11:09 am

Just wondering.....in part 5, the 6th picture is marked as a TBF-1....Why does it have no turret? might it be one converted for COD service?

Re: Canopies, Canopies and more Canopies ...

Fri Apr 25, 2014 12:25 pm

eze240 wrote:Just wondering.....in part 5, the 6th picture is marked as a TBF-1....Why does it have no turret? might it be one converted for COD service?

Correct you are again ... Here's a thread that includes a COD conversion Avenger.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=52608

Re: Canopies, Canopies and more Canopies ...

Sat Apr 26, 2014 12:16 am

yes it is a TBF-1 but as you say modified for COD service. Did they have another designation or did they leave them as TBF-1?

Re: Canopies, Canopies and more Canopies ...

Tue Jun 10, 2014 8:59 pm

Even a movie called "Canopy" ... Looks interesting and promising

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2232578/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Re: Canopies, Canopies and more Canopies ...

Wed Jun 11, 2014 10:04 am

Mark,

Excellent photos as usual!

Can't we have an equivalent one on "cockpits, cokpits and more cockpits ..." ?

Cordially,

Laurent

Re: Canopies, Canopies and more Canopies ...

Sun Mar 22, 2015 11:14 am

I found this to be interesting ...

"As an experiment to improve the rearward visibility, the USAAF fitted a standard P-47D-5-RE airframe (serial number 42-8702) with a bubble canopy taken from a Hawker Typhoon. In order to accommodate the bubble canopy, the Republic design team had to cut down the rear fuselage. This conversion was redesignated the XP-47K, and was tested in July 1943. This modification was immediately proven to be feasible, and was promptly introduced on both the Farmingdale and Evansville production lines.

Ordinarily, the USAAF would have given such a radical modification as that which produced the bubble-canopy Thunderbolt a completely new variant letter (or perhaps even a new type number). However, the USAAF chose instead to designate it simply by giving it a new production block number in the D-series. Consequently, the first batches to feature this new bubble canopy were Farmingdale's P-47D-25-RE and Evansville's P-47D-26-RA." Duggy Axis & Allied paintworks.

Image

Image

Re: Canopies, Canopies and more Canopies ...

Sun Mar 22, 2015 8:44 pm

Your photos demonstrate that the XP-47K canopy was much larger and differently shaped than the Typhoon canopy. Perhaps the idea came from the Typhoon, but not the actual canopy. It is indeed interesting that the USAAF chose not to change the variant designation. It may have made it easier to continue funding under the existing contract. Congress would never notice the difference. geek

Richard

Re: Canopies, Canopies and more Canopies ...

Sun Mar 22, 2015 9:39 pm

I'd say you are correct as the idea indeed came from the Typhoon's bubble canopy. Quite obvious the two types were different sizes etc.
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