193 replies to this topic

[LDO]

So do some people in Chat. It's somewhat off-topic, but still has everything a gearhead loves; crazy horsepower, crazier speeds, wild paint jobs, and lots of innovation in aerodynamics. Declare a start date and I'm in. Anyone else want to join in?

[Blake Rogers]

i would love to join as well !!!!

[Jim Gibbons]

I'd be interested, too. Would pre-war "box stock" racing planes be eligible, or only modified war-birds?

[LDO]

I'd be interested, too. Would pre-war "box stock" racing planes be eligible, or only modified war-birds?

I don't speak for Jairus, but here's what he said in another thread:

"I have had this idea for YEARS... and that is a build off/contest for "racing warbirds". No jets! But, any prop driven aircraft from WW2 can be built into a racing plane with cut down canopy, graphics, contra-rotating propellers, etc.
I would pick 1/48th scale because of the wide range of available and affordable subject matter and then say that the sky is the limit regarding modifications.

Some day we here on the MCM forum should do that..."

So it sounds like the goal is to modify warbirds.

Edited by LDO, 02 July 2010 - 08:25 AM.

[Jairus]

Yup, that's the plan! Modified warbirds from WW2. Any warbird will work including Japanese, German, Italian, Russian or those who protected the British Isles.
(Hawker Sea Fury is used in Reno air races but the plane came out too late to actually fight in the war. Suppose we could make same allowances for that one. )

No bigger than a twin engine (Bf 110, Mosquito, P-38 for example) and no jets!

This would be a photo contest of course and we will do a voting thing in the end. Keep the deadline short like end of summer to keep our noses to the grind stone and only three photos will be submitted to the final voting thread. Photos should be examples showing both wheels up and wheels down. I suggest we all get some practice taking pictures outside!
Votes should be based on coolest paint and most modifications not to mention logical modifications.

No prizes yet... but maybe Gregg and I can come up with something. Sound good?

Edit: No guns, bombs or weapons can show! These are to be serious sports racers only. But if you want to go crazy with the graphics and do a NASCAR graphic look... go for it!

Edited by Jairus, 02 July 2010 - 09:57 AM.

[LDO]

AWESOME! I'll start cutting today. It will be a new project, not something I already have in progress.

One guy in Chat was asking about using an F-82 Twin Mustang. First flew in May 1945 but did not enter service until after the war. Would that be allowed?

For those who may not be that into warbirds but like the idea:

Tamiya's F-51D (NOT P-51D) in the Korean War box art comes with uncuffed prop blades. Much smoother look. The prop blades are also separate pieces that get glued into the spinner. Makes it easy to do something like a natural metal/polished metal spinner and painted blades...or vice-versa.



Special Hobby's F2G "Super Corsair" comes with a resin R-4360 radial engine, in case anyone wants to show off a power plant in their Corsair or Sea Fury. One box has decals for a real race plane, but that would be a box-stock buildup.



Airfix's Seafire 46/47 is a contra-prop Griffon-powered bird. Big bumps to clear the valve covers on that monster engine plus a two-piece spinner with separate prop blades.



Looks great on the front of a P-51. Which reminds me; the Revell/Monogram P-51D is ideal for cutting up. It's inexpensive and panel lines will likely get filled in/sanded smooth. No need to cut up a Tamiya when all you need is the basic shape.

If anyone wants a 4360 for this contest, let me know. I'm not into displaying engines.

Edited by LDO, 02 July 2010 - 10:33 AM.

[LDO]

Jairus- do you have any artwork of hot rod warbirds?

Also- do you want in-progress photos?

Edited by LDO, 02 July 2010 - 11:23 AM.

[Blake Rogers]

ill take that motor lee and jairus can we do a year build with this one as well i need time to get the right plane plus i might do 3 a P38 a P51 and the DO335 mike showed us last night

Edited by moparfan426, 02 July 2010 - 11:08 AM.

[LDO]

Mopar- PM your address and I'll send the engine. You gotta have it ready by Jairus's deadline!

[LUKE'57]

Sounds like fun. Let me ring up Smokey and see if he's still got that cold fusion conversion for the Rolls Royce Merlin. And I know that ol' Ralph has got some really slick "stock" sheetmetal for a Mustang layin' around somewhere. I may even be able to hit up ol' Junior for some sponsorship money with the Midnighht Moon deal. But hey, if all else fails, I'll just cheat up a Griffon and drop it in the ol' Spit. Tally Ho, Ya'll.



Try this for some links to some pictures.

http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-&p=air%20racing%20planes&type=

Edited by LUKE'57, 02 July 2010 - 11:21 AM.

[Jairus]

First off I want to say that I do not yet have Gregg's blessing on this crazy build off. I will talk to him...

Second, I am very close to banning all twin engine aircraft so please don't push it. The twin Mustang was never a serious war machine in WW2 like the P-38 and since a racing sport plane needs to be maneuverable and quick. Anything big will have a serious disadvantage in cornering around pylons. The twin Mustang was also not widely produced until AFTER the war. None of the airframes saw action in WW2 according to all records so it is technically not a WW2 Warbird.
Talk me out of it if you want to try... but I initially want to say no.

[LDO]

I'm going for a single. I'm somewhat familiar with what blasts around Reno; I have no intentions of cleaning up a B-29 or shoehorning a Griffon into a Fairey Swordfish.

I'm thinking of a flashy paint job for a lady pilot. Penelope Pyloncutter.

[Jairus]

Lee, I like it! It would be fun to keep this light hearted and have a feel of "Speed Racer" about it. Maybe create a short back story too...
I am thinking about a racer who discoverers a hidden Nazi bunker in the Black Forest containing a cache of 3 FW 190's. Maybe it was spotted by using google maps or some such and he takes a trip to see if the images noticed are really a grown over airstrip and bunker. Sort of like a Clive Cussler story via chapter 1 (my fav part).

Hey, it could happen....

Edited by Jairus, 02 July 2010 - 12:04 PM.

[Blake Rogers]

i am a big fan of Clive Cussler i have most of his books. would love to see your art work jairus on these planes

Edited by moparfan426, 02 July 2010 - 01:30 PM.

[Jairus]

Artwork? I thought we were building models.

I have never drawn or illustrated any sport planes. Did more than a few military illustrations of aircraft but this is new ground for me and a little exciting if truth be known.

[Jim Gibbons]

Well, I guess I'd be out if twin engines are banned. My only idea (and kit that would apply that I have) would be a Grumman XF5F of which there was only one prototype and it didn't see actual service. It would make a cool theoretic racer, though, even if only in comic book dreams! (NOT my model, BTW...a brilliantly scatchbuilt 1/32 version off the 'net.)

[Jairus]

Jim, I don't want to ban twin engine racers. Heck... I don't even think I should be making any rules since I have not completed a model in two years. But it is simpler to pick a period (ww2 fighters) and build a racer based on the craft that came out of that period. Your Grumman XF5F was an interesting mid 30's design but was not anywhere close to being competitive. If you want twins I would choose the P-38 as there was NOTHING close to it's power and handling.

Best and fastest fighters by the end of the war were:
P-51D (Mustang)
P-47N
FW 190D
P-38 Lightning
F4U Corsair
F8F Bearcat
Supermarine spitfire
Hawker Sea Fury

To pick anything else would be purely an artistic enterprise.

[Joe Handley]

Well, I guess I'd be out if twin engines are banned. My only idea (and kit that would apply that I have) would be a Grumman XF5F of which there was only one prototype and it didn't see actual service. It would make a cool theoretic racer, though, even if only in comic book dreams! (NOT my model, BTW...a brilliantly scatchbuilt 1/32 version off the 'net.)

Does anybody else think that plane looks like a pre-historic "Pod Racer"

[Gregg]

You have my okay for this.
If I get banned, so be it!

Can someone post a full list, with pictures, of planes that can be used?
Don't keep on quoting images if you are replying, maybe we can make one page just for this?
I am still playing with software such as WordPress, which may be a good place to practice for postings such as this.

I think it's cool
A great distraction.

[Jairus]

But daddy... that would be a LONG list!

I put up a logical list of the best planes at the end of the era. Google any one and you have tons of info. Revell and Monogram provide the cheapest kits with Hasagawa, Airfix, Italeri and Tamiya more expensive alternatives. If anyone wants to use something weird or esoteric more power to them as long as it flew and fought in the war from 1939 to 1945, driven by a piston engine/propeller.