Shipbucket

Hi everybody, I'm fairly new here and I have been looking at those magnificent ship drawings for a while as the site is a pretty cool ressource for ship-illiterate people like me. I'm actually quite interested in FD scale (I'm more of an aircraft and AFV buff personnaly).
Please forgive my english too, it's getting a bit rusty.
Before using FD for some of my AU stuff, I did some aircraft in a non-standard scale. It started as some kind of homebrewn first world war fighter but ended up evolving more or less realistically over time. No shading or advanced stuff though as my MS paint skills weren't that good at the time.
Here are some bits :

Prototype


In service (armament : 1 synchronised 7.7mm machinegun)


Bomber (armament : 1 7.7mm machinegun on a pintle mount and provision for 6 25kg or 50kg(?) bombs)


Recce version (armament : 1 7.7mm machinegun on a pintle mount)


Fighter (armament : 2 synchronised 7.7mm machineguns)


Experimental interwar fighter (armament : 2 synchronised 7.5mm machineguns)


Interwar fighter in service (armament : 4 synchronised 7.5mm machineguns and provision to carry light bombs under the fuselage)


Armament is poorly defined, markings are fantasist at best and it all lacks in accuracy while some parts of the designs may not be sound.


More to come: late 30's with fighters based off of the earlier designs and also twin engined aircraft.

Those looks great, well done!!!

Performances attained with newer engines and general comfrt of the pilots implied the addition of a closed cockpit.
(armament : 4 synchronised 7.5mm machineguns and provision to carry light bombs under the fuselage)


A firther evolution was the adoption of a monoplane configuration which gave way for future designs. The plane can be considered as the first modern (30's era) aircraft in the line.
(armament : 4 synchronised 7.5mm machineguns and provision to carry light bombs under the fuselage)


While basic flight training was accomplished by using older airframes converted to twin seaters, recent developments called for a new trainer based on an upgraded airframe. The aircraft is a monoplane, with dual commands and is fitted with a single machinegun for basic aerial marksmanship training. Some versions had provision for an under-fuselage bomb rail and a closed cockpit. (the plane could also be used as a colonial or emergency fighter shall the need arise)
(armament : 1 synchronised 7.5mm machinegun)


Aeronautics made great advances throughout the thirties and it became increasingly clear that some of the older airframes had reached the peak of their potential for upgrades. Based on a drastic redesign of older monoplane airframes, the first modern all metallic construction aircraft appeared, benefitting from the advances in engine technology and in aerodynamics.
Prototype. (armament : 1 20mm gun firing through the propeller shaft and 4 7.5mm machineguns in the wings, the prototype retained the earlier pattern of pomb rails underneath the fuselage to act in a secondary role as an attack aircraft)


The aforementionned prototype was eventually adopted with a few modifications related to engine assembly and position and retained the same nose-mounted 20mm hispano gun and generally speaking the same armament.
(armament : 1 20mm gun firing through the propeller shaft and 4 7.5mm machineguns in the wings, the prototype retained the earlier pattern of pomb rails underneath the fuselage to act in a secondary role as an attack aircraft)

I love the second one!!

Nice work, very French in appearance and concept. Good work, I hope you do more of these.

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English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft

Here are several experimental projects which all involve either attempts to reduce drag and allow greater effective range and also to test various armament sets and new engines.
Early attemps at a monoplane fighter based of existing biplane designs.
(armament : 4 synchronised 7.5mm machineguns and provision to carry light bombs under the fuselage)


Experimental version fitted with heavier armament and a bulb cockpit.
(armament : 1 or 2 synchronised 13.2mm machineguns or 20mm canons and provision to carry light bombs under the fuselage)


Same as aforementioned airframe with a new more powerful engine.
(armament : 1 or 2 synchronised 13.2mm machineguns or 20mm canons and provision to carry light bombs under the fuselage)


Same as aforementioned airframe with a new more powerful engine.
(armament : 1 or 2 synchronised 13.2mm machineguns or 20mm canons and provision to carry light bombs under the fuselage)




And now, the twin engined aircraft :


The bomber and recce plane fleet in need for some replacements called for the advent of a new twin engined design.
Recce version, fitted with various sets of photographic equipment and a rear facing 7.5mm machine gun for self defence in a closed turret.


Tactical bomber version, fitted with a relatively small but long bomb bay, special medium and low altitude bomb aiming devices, a forward and a rear facing 7.5mm machine gun for self defence.


Level bomber version, fitted with a smaller bomb bay, more rudimentary aiming devices, additional armor, a MG mount in an open armoured "bathhub" and a smaller nose section for the bomber crew including or not an MG mount.


Heavy fighter version fitter with a turreted rear facing MG mount, 2 nose mounted 20mm canons along with 4 7.5mm or 2 13.2mm machineguns and an additional 4 7.5mm machine guns in the wings. The bomb bay door have been slightly uparmoured and are used to house additional fuel tanks and could eventually allow the plane to be used as a field expedient ground attack aircraft although it's bomb payload would be limited by the space taken in the remnant of the bomb bay by various equipment including potentially oxygen tanks for pressurisation.

War didn't stop the engineers to continue their work. Undercover, in occupied France, design teams worked on some more projects based of earlier designs to rearm a liberated France.
Fighter aircraft project. Benefitting from recent technological and industrial developments in the Free World in a pattern that could be easily implemented in surviving factories. It is based off of pre-war designs.
(armament : 2 synchronised 7.5mm machineguns, 1 nose mounted 30mm canon, 4 wing mounted 7.5mm machineguns and provision to carry several light bombs, one medium bomb or a fuel tank under the fuselage)


Inspired by existing designs of the different belligerents and taking into account the lessons from the operationnal use of twin engined heavy fighters and level bombers, engineers devised attack aircraft which could be used in dive-bombing, ground strafing, pathfinding and recce roles. Such aircraft were to be armed with twin 30mm canon in the nose and 8 7.5 or higher caliber machinguns in the wings and in the nose. The rear gunner concept was dropped altogether in order to gain weight in this airframe that counted mostly on speed to fend off potential enemies and allow for the second crew member to serve efficiently as a radio operator and navigator.

This exemple uses some aerodynamics refinments and engine improvement





The immediate post-war era gave way to a new generation of engineers. Although the french industry was on its knees and recovering from the 5 years of occupation, design teams quickly went back into activity using the previous work as a base for even more improved airframes.


Another twin engined aircraft was created from earlier work. It used aerodynamical solutions in rupture with those precedently used in the designs of this aircraft line. The ergonomy of the cockpit was also improved. Most of the gun armament was dropped in favor of only two nos mounted 30mm guns (while provision for additional nose guns had been kept). Its bomb bay had been removed altogether to give more room for fuel and onboard electronics. Armament was to be carried on hardpoints between the fuselage and the engine nacelles.


The improvements gave way to a radar equipped-version to be used as a night fighter and test bench for such systems. It retained the same armament.


The qualities of the platform led engineers to believe that it was fit to make a light attack aircraft. In the dwindling empire, french troops called for more close air support in counter insurgency operations. The type was thus uparmored, retrieved its wing mounted machine guns and gained 6 hardpoints under the wings (with the wingtip ones only allowing for light charges). The cockpit arrangement has been slightly retouched to allow for a better field of view. It was armed with 2 30mm nose mounted canons, 4 .50 machine guns and retained provison for gun camera, photo recce equipment and more guns in the nose.



These years were marked by the advent of jet engines. Several experimental airframes were tested. They mostly used decommissioned older aircraft as a base to test out jet engine performances and service. These designs, shall they prove successful where to be inducted in service. Using many components from older airframes, these were felt to be an economical way to let the Armée de l'air enter in the jet era.

A mixed-propulsion vehicle was tested but the formula had severe drawbacks and the already limited autonomy of those fighters was worsened by the additional weight of the jet engine, its fuel consumption and the drag caused by the propeller. The whole assembly wasn't structurally sound at high speed. It was severely underpowered.
It was meant to be armed with a 30mm gun and 4 7.5 or higher caliber machine guns.


Another version stripped of its piston engine was tested, gaining weight and reducing drag. It retained the same armament as the preceding version. This airframe was only seen as a stop gap. It was front heavy and even considered dangerous.



Taking into account the lessons learned from the first experiments in the domain of jet engined aircraft, a twin engined airframe was developped. It showed great flight qualities and was a leap forward from the earlier attempts. The type was to be armed with 2 20mm canons and retained a machine gun armament. Itwas considered too heavy and implied low top speed and high landing speed. The fuselage comprised enough room to allow for large-sized internal fuel tanks and thus a decent autonomy. It was eventually inducted as an attack aircraft armed additionally with rockets and possibly medium bombs. A tandem-seat version was also fielded for jet-flight accustomance and type specific transformation training.


Advances in engine construction allow to test out a more ambitious project of jet-engined fighter. It was single-engined. While it wasn't ironed out aerodynamically, it allow engineers to take a leap forward once more. The prototype was left unarmed


The same prototype has been reused as a test bench for the systems to be included in further works such as radars, weapon systems along with various bits of avionics and to monitor the additional workload on the pilots such systems involved. It was retrofitted with a maximum 4 20mm guns to test the impact of the guns on the air intake and to test newer gunnery sights.

Looking quit great over there!

The early twin engined jet fighter served well into the 60's and for some variants up to the mid-seventies. First used as a gun-only interceptor, it was progressively retrofitted with a more modern avionics suite and succeded in accomplishing a variety of different missions.


The trainer version was one of the most succesful variants. After being used as a basic jet trainer in the early jet age, it was mostly used as an advanced trainer for bomber and attack aircraft crew when superseded by the Fouga Magister in the basic training role. The exemple shown retains all its gun armament.


Attempts to fit it with decent radars for air combat proved fruitless at first. The version shown, never inducted in french service, proved front-heavy and the radar equipment was at the time too complicated to use in a single seat aircraft.


The latest combat version was fitted with a basic radar and featured two reinforced hardpoints under each wing and a wet hardpoint under the fuselage. It lost 2 .50 machineguns but retained a pair of 30mm and a pair of .50, the latter being generally removed for weight gain and ease of maintenance. It is shown here armed with rocket pods and Infrared-seeker missiles.


The first successful single engined design of the line was deemed too "rough on the edges" and while it remained at the state of prototype, it was a proof of concept for things to come. Using the same powerplant, although largely upgraded, this aircraft can be considered as more advanced than most of its contemporaries. While considered ugly, it shown relatively good flight characteristics and had greatly advanced avionics and weapon systems for its time. It was slightly too heavy and arrived too late to partake in the NATO Light Weight Strike Fighter. The main armament of this plane consisted in 4 20mm canons. Its potential as a main strike fighter in french inventory wasn't deemed sufficient as thus the type hasn't been built in great numbers. Some versions were equipped with and upgraded engine fitted with an afterburner system.


A drastic improvement in matter of aerodynamics and a deep upgrade of its powerplant and onbard electronics was needed to keep the aircraft competitive. This upgrade resulted in a new airframe which became along with Dassault aircraft the backbone of the french airforce. It was fitted with a new afterburner engine.
It's armed with two 30mm guns, and is fitted with 7 hardpoints including one centerline wet hardpoint for a multiple bomb rail or large capacity fuel tank. It is seen here armed with 2 IR seeker missiles, 2 rocket pods and 2 250kg bombs.


A twin seater version was created for pilot transformation and some were specially equipped as deep penetration attack aircraft.


A recce variant also saw service in the french air force. It's characterized by its long slender nose and the lack of any radar.



Even more to come

Your tail is way too huge - not only will people be laughing at anybody flying it but you're adding a lot of unnecessary drag too (well, not a lot per se, but, yeah). And though not a problem with a plane like this, but you're adding too much lateral stability - i.e., you're not going to be turning real great in a dogfight. Reduce it down a little - hell, a lot.