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What If Build complete - "Bat Outta Hell"


BiggTim

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What If....at the beginning of WW2, in an effort to develop a fast, low-level recon bird, the US turned to the fastest thing we had at the time....race planes. My what if is a Gee Bee Z racer in US Army green, USAAF designation F-37Z. I added a second row to the engine, so it's now a Twin Wasp, lengthened the cowl accordingly, and stole a three bladed prop from a 109 kit, shortened of course. Knowing that the real plane had a tendency to break wings off in flight (like it did when it met it's end), I strengthened the wings with rigid supports on the top side, rather than just wires. The camera is situated right behind the fuel tank under the pilot's feet for easier access. Since the real plane was bear to get in and out of, I made the canopy a single fixed piece mounted in a shroud that hinges up and swings to the right to get the camera and pilot in and out quickly. A little aluminum undercoat and some chipping, a little post shading, and done!

 

Given that this plane was no easy thing to control with a single row of cylinders, I pity the poor ******* who ever had to fly it with two!! But I bet it would go like a Bat Outta Hell!!

 

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Looking good ! Love the idea !

 

Btw, the wings were very strong, if dependant on the wire-bracing. They were "hot" ships (even VERY hot), but extremely strong. Their demise was most of the time a result of pilot error, or dangerous modifications, like the lengthened R1/R2, where the CG was moved so far aft that the aircraft was uncontollable with a full fuel load. This mod was not approved by the Granville brathers, FWIW. Delmar Benjamin's replica has demonstrated they could be flown safely. He says however that this is not a "hands-off" machine : it must be piloted all the time.

 

And the Z was apparently lost because the oil tank cap came loose, and broke through the canopy in a high speed run, knocking-out the pilot (Lowell Bayles) unconscious. The aircraft then engaged in a manoeuvre that overloaded the airframe and crashed in a split-second.

 

Hubert

Edited by MostlyRacers
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