GregP
Major
I think the Allison engine, R-2000's, or R-2600's would have been good. A slight reductin in armament along the lines Drgondog suggested would not hurt in a large formnation, but might prove fatal for a straggler. Then again, stragglers were pretty much a target anyway.
Some armor plating along the nose to protect the flight crew froma head on pass might also help. Of course, if you take away weight and then add it back on, would there be enough gasoline left for the mission given the new engines? It would take some figuring.
I'm thinking a strecthed version of the B-26 Maraduer with four R-2800's might have been a good possibility. Longer would give more bomb bay space and the 4 engines would certainly not be more complex than the B-17's and B-24's already were. I've wondered why nobody ever pursured even a prototype of it for a long time. It would look something like the Japanese Nakajima G8N-1 Renzan, which was not produced serially. They only made 4 after the 3 prototypes.
The Renzan was also fast at 358 mph, with a supposed 242 mph cruise speed. Not saying the 4-engine B-26 would have been the same, but would have been a faster airplane than were either the B-17 or B-24, and with the R-8000's, would almost certainly have hauled more payload. The Douglas A-26 could haul a normal load of 4,000 pounds internally plus another 2,000 pounds externally with only two R-2800's.
Some armor plating along the nose to protect the flight crew froma head on pass might also help. Of course, if you take away weight and then add it back on, would there be enough gasoline left for the mission given the new engines? It would take some figuring.
I'm thinking a strecthed version of the B-26 Maraduer with four R-2800's might have been a good possibility. Longer would give more bomb bay space and the 4 engines would certainly not be more complex than the B-17's and B-24's already were. I've wondered why nobody ever pursured even a prototype of it for a long time. It would look something like the Japanese Nakajima G8N-1 Renzan, which was not produced serially. They only made 4 after the 3 prototypes.
The Renzan was also fast at 358 mph, with a supposed 242 mph cruise speed. Not saying the 4-engine B-26 would have been the same, but would have been a faster airplane than were either the B-17 or B-24, and with the R-8000's, would almost certainly have hauled more payload. The Douglas A-26 could haul a normal load of 4,000 pounds internally plus another 2,000 pounds externally with only two R-2800's.
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