Groundhog Thread Part Deux - P-39 Fantasy and Fetish - The Never Ending Story (Mods take no responsibility for head against wall injuries sustained)

[Peter Gunn]

you're not gonna believe this, given the forum we're on...

Bible Gateway passage: Psalm 39 - New International Version

Psalm 39 - For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David. I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked.” So I remained utterly silent, not even saying anything good. But my anguish increased; my heart...

www.biblegateway.com

Which reminds me of something amusing when, about 10 years ago, on an online game, I took the name Peter_Three_Eight after of course, our beloved twin Allison powered beauty.

When Lo, I did begin to get compliments on picking such a meaningful verse for my screen name:

1 Peter 3:8
King James Version

8 ​Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

In retrospect, I fairly like it.

 

[nuuumannn]

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

I'm not a religious man, but that's a good maxim to live by.

 

[WARSPITER]

In other words - everyone has forgotten what a a P-39 is ?

 

[fubar57]

 

[Clayton Magnet]

"Real wireless free"
So its free from being wireless?

 

[WARSPITER]

No it's just less wireless than free - is the engine in the middle though ?

 

[GregP]

As we have heard, all airplanes are a compromise and no single airplane is best at all missions.

The P-39 is a true compromise, not being the best at ANY mission. It seems to be mediocre at ALL missions and had a rearward CG after it attacks anything. So, once the heart-pounding combat is finished, you have the heart-pounding flight-back-home-without-tumbling to finish.

That is, of course, an exaggeration, but seems to fit the theme at this time.

Wonder how the P-39 would have faired had a 2-stage Merlin been installed? That actually might fit. It could have been a sparkling performer that couldn't win anything because it didn't have the range to get there to fight.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Wonder how the P-39 would have faired had a 2-stage Merlin been installed? That actually might fit. It could have been a sparkling performer that couldn't win anything because it didn't have the range to get there to fight.

 

[GrauGeist]

The P-63B was to have the Packard Merlin, but demand for the V-1650 for P-51 production killed that concept.

Even the P-63's intended Merlin prototype, XP-63A s/n 42-78015 had it's engine fitting cancelled due to a lack of an available Merlin, so it ended up with a V-1710-93 instead.

 

[pbehn]

A mid engined plane is like a mid engined car. It solves one problem elegantly but creates a lot of other problems too.

 

[GregP]

Here's a P-39 with the nose of a Westland Wyvern grafted on. Sort of a Wy-a-Cobra. Seems appropriate.

No real use for it, but man's reach should exceed his grasp, hopefully.

 

[SaparotRob]

Maybe Wye E. Cobra, Super Genius?

 

[glennasher]

Here's a P-39 with the nose of a Westland Wyvern grafted on. Sort of a Wy-a-Cobra. Seems appropriate.

View attachment 639936


No real use for it, but man's reach should exceed his grasp, hopefully.

That thing looks like a duck, a seriously malformed duck. Even Daffy would be ashamed of that thing.

 

[BiffF15]

It needed a contra prop for CG control.

 

[GregP]

I'm ashamed of it, and I posted it. Has a face that would make a train want to take a dirt road on a rainy night.

But, I like it better than this one:

If that was a girl, you'd have to tie a roast beef to her face to get the dog to play with her.

Bad Greg, bad Greg. Repeat as required for suitable shame.

Maybe it would make a good control line model?

 

[drgondog]

Here's a P-39 with the nose of a Westland Wyvern grafted on. Sort of a Wy-a-Cobra. Seems appropriate.

View attachment 639936


No real use for it, but man's reach should exceed his grasp, hopefully.

Probably need to move the wing about two feet forward - minimum

 

[Ovod]

Wonder how the P-39 would have faired had a 2-stage Merlin been installed? That actually might fit. It could have been a sparkling performer that couldn't win anything because it didn't have the range to get there to fight.

How did the range/endurance of the P-39 actually compare with the Spitfire? How did they compare in range when both were carrying a 500 lb pound bomb?

 

[pbehn]

Probably need to move the wing about two feet forward - minimum

It should be moved to a smelter.

 

[GregP]

For the Bell P-39Q, the range on internal fuel was 525 miles. That puts the combat range at something on the order of 262 miles or less before a turnaround, excluding any combat that required more than cruise fuel flow. A Spitfire II had a combat range of 248 miles. Combat range is a radius, so the P-39 and Spitfire II were very similarly short-legged.

For range when they were loaded, try Google or the POH for that. Neither one was exactly a long-range mount, but the Spitfire II didn't "tumble and roll and dig a big hole." The P-39 sometimes did.

 

[wuzak]

How did the range/endurance of the P-39 actually compare with the Spitfire? How did they compare in range when both were carrying a 500 lb pound bomb?

The Spitfire did its best fighting after it ran out of fuel. It could fly for miles, climb, roll, and turn when the critical engine was dead.

I saw it in a documentary titled Dunkirk.