Aircraft Mock-Ups

[proton45]

Cool stuff...thanks

 

[Capt. Vick]

HCH (Model 86) - USN VERTREP (vertical replenishment) 2pCH, ship-to-ship and -shore crane planned for two 3750hp Allison XT56-A-2 turboshafts. Project cancelled 1/18/59 at mock-up stage, but 3 s/ns as XHCH-1 [138654/138656] were assigned.

All pictures and text from aerofiles.com

HRH - USN heavy assault, turboprop-driven helicopter project; project cancelled after mock-up stage, but s/ns [133736/133738] assigned.

 

[vikingBerserker]

That last one looks really cool!

 

[Capt. Vick]

That's what I thought!

 

[nuuumannn]

The Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster was an experimental bomber aircraft, designed for a high top speed. The unconventional approach was to mount the two engines within the fuselage driving a pair of contra-rotating propellers mounted at the tail, leaving the wing and fuselage clean and free of drag-inducing protrusions.

What was real remarkable about it was what it could achieve. It could carry up to 8,000lbs of bombs internally. It was as fast as the Mosquito B.XVI but carried twice its bombload over the same distances and it had four .50s in two remotely operated turrets - and this was with Allison V-1710s. The XB-43 jet variant was the first US built jet bomber (not the B-45 Tornado as is often stated). Unique and significant aircraft often overlooked.

 

[Gnomey]

Good stuff!

 

[Njaco]

Hope this fits for the thread...

A P-40 decoy.

 

[Capt. Vick]

Works for me. Where is it from? Any idea?

 

[Njaco]

I think its 1939 Hawaii

 

[Capt. Vick]

Cool. I would have thought Philippines.

 

[Capt. Vick]

KELLET XR-10

 

[vikingBerserker]

That's one I have never seen.

 

[Njaco]

Some more different mock-ups.
.

 

[Wurger]

 

[swampyankee]

Messerschmitt Me 329

View attachment 240641
Hard to believe they were even considering a plane like this in '44/'45, don't you think?

No. Take a look at the B-35, P-56, or even earlier: there were several tail-less aircraft built before 1920. Jack Northrop probably did more to demonstrate practical tail-less aircraft, but the idea existed before he was really active in aviation.

I have gotten to wonder around a mock-up, in this case the BAe.146 (in Hatfield -- a beautiful, surprisingly clean facility). I was one of the Lycoming engineers who got to visit the UK, specifically when BAe was doing the CAA-mandated cruise-condition icing tests, which were at the NGTE. At the same time, also at Pyestock, Rolls was doing some studies on one of the intershaft bearings on the RB.211. Fun was had by all.

 

[stona]

Many of those earliest tail less aircraft were built by Westland Aircraft who went on to build such marvels as the Lysander
Cheers
Steve

 

[Capt. Vick]

Not that they were considering a tail - less airplane per say, but that they were considering anything that that couldn't be fielded with the absolute minimum of testing that late in the war. Despite the speeches it must have been clear to many that the war was coming to an end. ..and they were losing.

 

[swampyankee]

Not that they were considering a tail - less airplane per say, but that they were considering anything that that couldn't be fielded with the absolute minimum of testing that late in the war. Despite the speeches it must have been clear to many that the war was coming to an end. ..and they were losing.

They were in the process of having the tar beaten out of them. "Desperation" was the watchword.

 

[Capt. Vick]

"Self Delusion" was the actual situation

 

[stona]

A tail less aeroplane and a delta wing (with or without a vertical fin) are not the same thing at all. In this context those early tail less aeroplanes are a red herring.
Cheers
Steve