What protoype do you wish had seen service in WW2? (1 Viewer)

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How about Howard Hughes' "Spruce Goose"? It was supposed to be a fast transport plane. Would it have been a good aircraft if it were on time, on budget, and given more development?
 
Rather than the Spruce Goose I love the Hughes XF 11, a twin-boom recce airplane of beautiful design.
Too late for the war and too late for a prop driven aircraft to land a production contract, but was a great machine.
 
MacArther said:
Ok, baring the bad material, if it had been made with aluminum instead, what do you think it could have done?

I don't know, maybe you could drum up some info?

wmaxt
 
On a recon plane it's not too bad though. The whole point is to be fast enough not to get hit.
 
MacArther said:
Ok, baring the bad material, if it had been made with aluminum instead, what do you think it could have done?

It was supposed to be quite advanced for its day, it did suffer some stability problems like many early flying wing/ tail-less designs....
 
DerAdler said:
How effective would that be in WW2 anyhow?

It was hard to find via radar, so would be good as a nightfighter or bomber.

It very fast and carried 2x Mk108 and could carry (IIRC) an internal 1000lb bomb, also 2 seater.

It was also made mainly of wood and so easy to buid.

I think it could also glide?


Marshall_Stack:

How about Howard Hughes' "Spruce Goose"?

Couldn't get off the ground... The biggest plane that never flew. :lol:

Regarding the XP-56, what advantage does an aircraft of magnesium material offer?

Aargh, elektrolite! :shock:

I suggest you look up the He-70:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel_He_70

PlanD said:
On a recon plane it's not too bad though.

It needs to be well covered in paint, and can fail completely like carbon-fibre.

A Jaguar racer was killed when one of his wheels crumbled.


I suppose my best bomber is the Barnes Wallis high-altitude 'Mega-Wellington', 8) it looked a bit like a Ju-390.
 
Yeap and that is the great thing about this site, when the serious members here post things like that. It does not matter how knowledgable you are, you never stop learning things.
 

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