"World's Fastest Fireball" - the Ryan FR-4

[TheRealMrEd]

This is a model of the Ryan FR-4, converted from the 1/72 scale MPM kit of the Ryan FR-1. The conversion consists of removing the wing leading edge intakes, and replacing them with NACA ducts on the sides of the nose, the adding a scale 4 inches to the tailpipe.

These modifications led to the FR-4 being 100 mph faster than the FR-1, and for a time, I believe this aircraft held the world's speed record, but I am not certain -- added info would be appreciated!

The build thread can be seen over on BritModeler :"World's Fastest Fireball" - The Ryan FR-4

Without further ado, the pics:

Hope you enjoy it because unless someone else decides to get with it, you'll probably never see another!

TheRealMrEd
(To distinguish from all those OTHER Ed's out there!)

 

[fubar57]

Very nice. Tis(Twas(?)) a goofy looking aircraft that I've always liked. Never knew of this conversion

 

[Airframes]

Nice one !

 

[pbehn]

Who names a plane "fireball"?

 

[michaelmaltby]

 

[Wurger]

 

[Graeme]

Nice model and interesting subject Ed!

These modifications led to the FR-4 being 100 mph faster than the FR-1, and for a time, I believe this aircraft held the world's speed record, but I am not certain -- added info would be appreciated!

I can't find a lot on the RF-4 - where did you find that "100 mph faster" figure?

 

[Gnomey]

Good work!

 

[michaelmaltby]

Robert Olds in his book "Fighter Pilot" describes mixing up with a flight of Navy Fireballs when he was attached to an F-80 squadron in Florida. It was prearranged by the brass but the F-80s got the jump on Navy, IIRC, and when the dust-up was over the feeling among the Air Force pilots was that the Fireball was nothing to worry about. Until reading this I had never known that the Fireball got into service, however limited.

 

[SANCER]

Interesting version and history of this Fireball
Saludos Mr. Ed

 

[TheRealMrEd]

Hi Graeme,

100 MPH speed increase of FR-4 over FR-1 mentioned here:

Tails Through Time: The Ryan FR-1 Fireball and F2R Dark Shark: An Evolutionary Dead-End
http://www.tailsthroughtime.com/2016/03/the-ryan-fr-1-fireball-and-f2r-dark.html
and here:

Historic Aircraft | U.S. Naval Institute
https://www.usni.org/magazines/navalhistory/2009-04/historic-aircraft
and in the Mini In Action, Squadron Signal Mini #5 "FR-1 Fireball" by Ernest McDowell.

BTW, "United States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962" by Paul R Matt, published by Aero Publishers in 1962, which is a standard classic reference got the data on the FR-4 wrong.

 

[chuter]

Hi Graeme,

100 MPH speed increase of FR-4 over FR-1 mentioned here:

Tails Through Time: The Ryan FR-1 Fireball and F2R Dark Shark: An Evolutionary Dead-End
and here:

Historic Aircraft | U.S. Naval Institute
and in the Mini In Action, Squadron Signal Mini #5 "FR-1 Fireball" by Ernest McDowell.

BTW, "United States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962" by Paul R Matt, published by Aero Publishers in 1962, which is a standard classic reference got the data on the FR-4 wrong.

Nice. The FR-4 (3600lbs) did have more than twice the jet thrust of the FR-1 (1600lbs), though. Speaking of getting it wrong the "Tails Through Time" site incorrectly states the SB2C Helldiver used the 1820 when it actually used the 2600. Same brand, however - lol.