Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Got something to say about the hobby of model making?
Post Reply
User avatar
beany
Fat git, glasses, goatie - Avoid!
Posts: 4306
Joined: April 6th, 2011, 11:05 am
Location: Chellaston, Derby

Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by beany »

This is a still I took from a TV documentary I was watching some time ago - I have no idea what the plane is. It appears to have exhaust pipes at both the top and the bottom of the fuselage/cowling, as well as counter rotating props (which explain the double engine?!).
Can anyone out there enlighten me please?

Image

Image

Cheers
Al.
2024 Acquired: 9 Built: 1
User avatar
gnomemeansgnome
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 5269
Joined: July 16th, 2013, 4:03 pm
Location: No Fun City

Re: Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by gnomemeansgnome »

Looks like a mutant offspring of a Fisher P-75 Eagle and a Fairey Battle. More likely, possibly an early variant of the Republic XP-69.
Ego no habeo consilium.

ICBM = Insatiable Collector and Builder of Models
User avatar
Spaceowl
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 1081
Joined: July 1st, 2011, 8:41 am
Location: Middlesbrough, Peoples' Republic of Teesside

Re: Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by Spaceowl »

I'd say Fulmar but there look like too many exhaust horns. Is it a British aircraft?
Overhead a rainbow appears...in black and white.

Current Projects:
Aircraft of VMA-542, USMC
Peru-Ecuador War 1995
THK 1939-2023
Polish Air Force 1939
User avatar
iggie
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 23360
Joined: July 31st, 2013, 11:04 am
Location: North Somercotes, Lincolnshire
Contact:

Re: Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by iggie »

It looks more like a Battle to me, and fitted with an experimental engine as Gnome suggests
Best wishes

Jim
If you can walk away from a landing, it's a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it's an outstanding landing
"Never put off till tomorrow, what you can do the day after tomorrow"
User avatar
gnomemeansgnome
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 5269
Joined: July 16th, 2013, 4:03 pm
Location: No Fun City

Re: Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by gnomemeansgnome »

Then there is what appears to be a number of USAAC Curtiss P-40s behind it, so the aircraft's nationality is a mystery as well.
Ego no habeo consilium.

ICBM = Insatiable Collector and Builder of Models
User avatar
fredk
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 6194
Joined: May 1st, 2012, 6:25 am
Location: Donaghadee, N'rn Ir'n

Re: Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by fredk »

The under cart and wing leading edge is Fairey Battle
The starter unit is RAF
Its post April 1942 but before summer of '43

Edit; Found it, 3rd image down
http://aviadejavu.ru/Site/Arts/Art6135.htm;
Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
User avatar
Gregers
Forum founder
Posts: 8182
Joined: April 10th, 2011, 6:13 pm

Re: Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by Gregers »

An easy one toanswer. It's a Fairey Battle fitted with the Fairey P24 'H' engine. It was shipped to the States for evaluation purposes.
Only know this because I was looking into a way of making the Airfix Battle into something resembling an actual aircraft.

All the best.

Greg
Ps. Just reaf the rest of the posts. I wad beaten to the answer. Greg.
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe.
The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.
Albert Einstein
User avatar
Chuck E
Established 1949
Posts: 2414
Joined: May 3rd, 2011, 8:05 pm
Location: Darlington. Home of the Railways

Re: Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by Chuck E »

The drawings for this conversion are in a 60's Airfix magazine. I wonder if I can find them?????
So many models, so little time.
User avatar
JohnRatzenberger
Why is he so confused ?
Posts: 15708
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 3:42 pm
Location: Living on a sandbar - Nags Head, NC.

Re: Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

It's the Jan 1970 issue, but looks closer to the one in the link provided by FredK above than the one in Beany's photos at the top with 4 sets of exhausts.
John Ratzenberger :???:
It's my model and I'll do what I want with it.
User avatar
beany
Fat git, glasses, goatie - Avoid!
Posts: 4306
Joined: April 6th, 2011, 11:05 am
Location: Chellaston, Derby

Re: Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by beany »

Knew I could rely on you guys - thanks very much for the responses :beer:
2024 Acquired: 9 Built: 1
User avatar
Chuck E
Established 1949
Posts: 2414
Joined: May 3rd, 2011, 8:05 pm
Location: Darlington. Home of the Railways

Re: Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by Chuck E »

Image

Image

Image
So many models, so little time.
User avatar
gnomemeansgnome
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 5269
Joined: July 16th, 2013, 4:03 pm
Location: No Fun City

Re: Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by gnomemeansgnome »

A Sabre engined Battle would be something for sure, looks more like the Firefly's tougher older brother. No offence but I always thought the Battle a waste of a good Merlin.
Ego no habeo consilium.

ICBM = Insatiable Collector and Builder of Models
User avatar
dogsbody
Onto the Clever Stuff, Now.
Posts: 133
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 12:18 am
Location: The Backside of Beyond ( Northeast Alberta, Canada )

Re: Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by dogsbody »

I've got this:

Image

Image


Chris
"What young man could possibly be bored
with a uniform to wear,
a fast aeroplane to fly,
and something to shoot at?"
User avatar
gnomemeansgnome
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 5269
Joined: July 16th, 2013, 4:03 pm
Location: No Fun City

Re: Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by gnomemeansgnome »

That's crazy looking. What year would this have been that someone thought the Battle was still a viable attack aircraft?
Ego no habeo consilium.

ICBM = Insatiable Collector and Builder of Models
User avatar
fredk
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 6194
Joined: May 1st, 2012, 6:25 am
Location: Donaghadee, N'rn Ir'n

Re: Mystery Machine - Identify the Aircraft

Post by fredk »

Spring 1939 into Summer 1941.
Different engines were tried to try and make the Battle an up-grade replacement for the Fairey Barracuda

Those latest photos are just cracker. Its just crying out for a model conversion.
Anyone for building it?

What the best scource for the contra-prop?
I used my only one on a Spitfire Whiff. I could take that one off and use it, replacing the Whiffer's with a different one.
Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
Post Reply

Return to “Small Talk”