What replica would you build?

[Sir George Cayley]

Okay, lets put to one side the replica vs copy pedantic argument for the holiday season.

Lets sit back and indulge ourselves in a fantasy build-something-that's-no-longer-in-existence daydream :ok:

Now some rules:-

1) Funds are limited so no 12 engined flying boats
2) Permit to fly
3) Modern engines permitted
4) Modern materials permitted - I'm not into bamboo bombers
5) No one-off widow makers - we'll all want a go.

I'll throw a 6 to start.

The Hilson Praga. Hillson Praga, G-AEUT (http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1042922/)

Over to you - what would you like to see resurrected ?

Sir George Cayley

[barit1]

This won't take long:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Curtiss_P-6E_Hawk_USAF.jpg/800px-Curtiss_P-6E_Hawk_USAF.jpg

Since I got in a few licks on this sole remaining P-6E example 45 years ago, it's without question the ship I'd go for.
Maybe scale it down to 88% to use a more practical engine, not the 600 hp Curtiss V-12 of the original.

[Load Toad]

Westland Whirlwind - loved that 'plane since I made an Airfix model of it when I was about 10; it looks right - pity the engines were not developed further to make the reliable but the war demanded otherwise.

[Dan Winterland]

Heinkel 162. With a modern engine, it should be safe option. Eric Brown the Royal Navy test pilot who flew nearly all the captured German types at the end of WW2 reckoned it was the nicest handling aircraft he had ever flown.

[18-Wheeler]

SR-71
(Hey I really like them!)

[Fris B. Fairing]

Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-15

[India Four Two]

SR-71

Re-read SGC's rules. I don't think you would get a Permit to Fly for that and then there's obtaining the JP-7 fuel and the dedicated fleet of KC-135 tankers to go with it. :)

For me, after many flights of fantasy, it always comes back to the Avro 504. The aircraft that both my grandfathers learned to fly in the RNAS during WWI.

In keeping with the rules, I'll forgo the "common" 504K and build the now extinct 504J. It was in a J that my maternal grandfather had a flight that is recorded in his log book as "forced landing", but his photo album showed a sad-looking aircraft in a ditch by a hedge, labelled "My Crash".

The label was to distinguish it from many other crashed Avros and Maurice Farmans labelled with the pilot's name and all too often "(killed)".

Nearly half his class from RNC Woolwich were killed during training.

[henry crun]

The subject of very slow flight has always interested me, so my replica will be the Handley Page Gugnunc. http://www.liming.org/ch801/slatplane01.jpg

[Airclues]

Team Merlin - Projects - Imperial 42 - Page 1 (http://www.team-merlin.com/Projects_imperial_42_1.html)

Would have been nice, but has gone very quiet.

Dave

[treadigraph]

Saunders Roe Princess... nah, kidding!

There's something very appealing about the inter-war silver doped RAF biplanes and the continued re-emergence of Hawker aircraft of that era (I think a Fury might be close to airworthy) is a wonder. So something to complement them...

Depending on the availability of a suitable engine (I want a reproduction, not a replica), I'd go for something like a Siskin, Gamecock or Bulldog.

If a really big lottery win comes in, I'll be knocking on Skysport's door!

[Dr Jekyll]

Supermarine Spiteful.

Perhaps somebody can find some Attacker wings somewhere.


Short Stirling.

Even static only would be good.

[Whispering Giant]

Bristol Beaufighter !!

[NATOPotato]

DH Mosquito

[Sir George Cayley]

Great suggestions guys - keep 'em coming. :D

Saw the Gugnunc at Wroughton many years ago; wonder if it's still around? The word gugnunc was part of a children's secret password in the inter war years but I can't remember the response.

Some suggestions need pictures - the Spiteful and the Streak for instance.

Sir George Cayley

[RegDep]

For Comper Streak comper streak | comper | gipsy major | 1934 | 0377 | Flight Archive (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1934/1934%20-%200377.html)

For Spiteful there are many around, e.g. Supermarine Spiteful - fighter (http://www.aviastar.org/air/england/supermarine_spiteful.php)

[Load Toad]

Oh I think the BBMF deserves a Defiant, a Shorts Stirling, a Halifax and Wellington.

Mosquito & Beaufighter - actually would have been my second & third choices.


Not that I'm stuck in WII GB aircraft much.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

dH Hornet. Another one 'Winkle' Brown had a liking for.

[Agaricus bisporus]

Shagbat.

I honestly think the last thing anyone needs to be reminded of was the quintessentially useless Defiant though.

[Load Toad]

It wasn't useless. It had a good record over Dunkirk but it was found out. The theory of having a gun turret fighter was wrong once it was 'found out'. But it did some work as a night fighter - I think it is on record as having more kills than the P-61 Blackwidow dedicated night fighter (but I have not researched that claim; yet).
Potentially it might have had use in the BoB if it had been employed to await bombers returning from their missons but with little escorting fighter cover left if any.
And it was a death trap for gunners unfortunately if shot down.

[John Farley]

A Horsa

Then use it as the means of a national spot landing competition (where you stop not where you touch) from 2000ft in the overhead.

[603DX]

Westland Whirlwind - loved that 'plane since I made an Airfix model of it when I was about 10; it looks right - pity the engines were not developed further to make the reliable but the war demanded otherwise.


I would agree with this, and hence recommend the Westland Welkin high altitude fighter, with its Merlins instead of Peregrines. I am an admirer of the sheer brilliant versatility of Edward Petter as the designer of extremely useful and interesting aircraft (Lysander, Whirlwind/Welkin, Canberra, Gnat, Lightning, etc), and the Welkin was a very specialised machine built to meet a threat from high altitude Luftwaffe bombing which never materialised.

Westland Welkin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westland_Welkin)

[Planemike]

Maybe pushing the boundaries of the rules a little: but how about a deH 86 ????

A formation comprising deH 84 Dragon, deH 86 Express, deH 89 Dragon Rapide and deH90 Dragonfly would be stunning and certainly make the troops at the Moth Rally sit up and take notice!!!

Do you think we can have it ready for August ?!!!

Planemike

[Herod]

Agree with Airclues. HP42. Finest airline job ever. Second, a proper Short "C" flying boat (only 4 engines, so it qualifies). Second-best airline job ever.

[Mechta]

This is a great idea for a thread!

De Havilland Albatross - scale it down a bit, make it from composite.

http://www.johnjohn.co.uk/compare-tigermothflights/photos/DH91_Albatross_2.jpg

Others would be Santos Dumont Demoiselle (scaled up to fit me), English Electric Wren, De Havilland Hummingbird, and scaled down - Hawker Fury biplane, P38 Lightning , Dornier Do335, single seat Hamilcar glider.

If we are going to do the Lympne Trials, how about the 1922 Itford gliding competition as well? Any of these could be fun: de havilland | airdisco | 1922 | 0607 | Flight Archive (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1922/1922%20-%200607.html)

[cambioso]

What about a Travel-Air type R Mystery Ship.........................

[Mechta]

bral, You're right!:D

Of wooden construction, it introduced the ply-balsa-ply sandwich fuselage structure later used so successfully for the Mosquito

from: de Havilland DH91 Albatros (http://www.pilotfriend.com/photo_albums/timeline/between/de%20Havilland%20DH91%20Albatros.htm)

Now which Itford glider are you going to build? :)

[Lightning Mate]

Since I live on the coast and have flown some movers:

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu82/Lightning_29/Supermarine_S_6B_ExCC.jpg

[Proplinerman]

Vickers Vanguard, or even better, when I win the lottery, I would launch "Vanguard to the sky" to get G-APEP out of Brooklands and flying again. Somehow tho, I don't think "Vanguard to the sky" would quite achieve the same interest etc that "Vulcan to the sky" did.

[treadigraph]

What about a Travel-Air type R Mystery Ship

What happened to Pancho Barnes' Mystery Ship which was supposedly on rebuild in the UK?

[Agaricus bisporus]

Just imagine that beauty without the encumbrance of floats! Oh Lord!

ps. Defiant. One of the worst aircraft in the forefront of those best forgotten, surely? An unmitigated disaster despite any minor "successes" as a "night fighter". Night fighter! Defiant? Sorry. Only remembered as a flying coffin afaik. Binnit.

[chiglet]

A "Shagbat" [built the Merit 1/48 one in the mid '60s]
Tiffie, or Tempest11, Dh88, or my WW2 fave, Bf110G :ok:

[PEI_3721]

MB 5

Martin-Baker MB 5 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin-Baker_MB_5)
Martin Baker - Martin-Baker MB5 (http://www.martin-baker.com/Sub-Navigation/History/Martn-Baker-MB5.aspx)

Anyone know where this replica is … Reno; has it flown yet?
File:Martin-Baker M.B.5 replica.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Martin-Baker_M.B.5_replica.jpg)

[Mechta]

http://johnmarlinsmb5replica.mysite.com/index.html

Looks like it was put up for sale three years ago. With a Mustang wing and a RR Griffon engine in Reno it was probably broken for parts. Would have been good to see it fly...

Martin Baker MB-5 Rep for sale.... - Key Publishing Ltd Aviation Forums (http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=69564)

[vintagemember]

Armstrong Whitworth Argosy! Welded up from steel tube, three gash Leonides engines and no paperwork!

YouTube - Armstrong Whitworth Argosy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jku2AE91LHU)

[Mechta]

bral, Given that it took the duration record for the Itford Hill competition at 201 minutes, the Maneyrol's Peyret must be a good choice. It hardly looks the ultimate soaring machine though. Its a pretty sad state of affairs that that's almost twice my best in an Astir!
http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/Jac50/vol_bas_558.jpg

There's some good stuff about the full-size and a large flying model of it including a three view here (I hope your French is good): RETROPLANE.net :: Voir le sujet - Le Peyret Alérion et Alexis Maneyrol (http://www.retroplane.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2336)

[safetypee]

JF, a glider and a competition; a great idea, but what would tow the Horsa … a WWII bomber replica or a Grizzly ?
What would the towing requirements be for a Horsa?

[Mechta]

http://www.pointvista.com/WW2GliderPilots/Glider%20Assembly/GliderTow.jpg

[pigboat]

In honour of the first person to understand the principles and forces of flight, one of these would be appropriate.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c2/Cayley_Glider_Replica_Flown_By_Derek_Piggott_2.jpg

[John Farley]

Not too much of a tug needed perhaps if it was empty.

If we had the comp the top three could do a final shot at an unknown field in the dark. I think the Glider Pilot Regiment were a totally underrated bunch.

[Rory57]

Cierva Autogiro, as used by the RAF in WW2
or, more ambitiously (and noisier), the Fairey Rotodyne.

[Load Toad]

Fairy Rotodyne is a good call I read that they were on the way to solving the noise issues when it got binned - for some reason that sticks in my head as a Thunderbirds type vehicle; futuristic.

[larssnowpharter]

Another vote for the Hornet.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t295/larssnowpharter/hornet-1.jpg

An aircraft that would be on many people's list as one of the Top 10 most beautiful aircraft of all time.

[RedhillPhil]

Beaufighter for me please and, as I've been a very good boy this year and not bothered the widow next door once could I have a Hampden too?

[PPRuNeUser0139]

More (http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/1999/may/07/guardianobituaries) on those WWII glider pilots..:D:ok:

[Double Zero]

Agaricus,

My vote goes to the Shagbat too;

as for 'most useless',

how about the Airspeed Fleet Shadower, and its' rivals for that Ministry Requirement ?!

I remember reading that the Test Pilot who'd done so much teeth-grinding work on the thing turned up at an airfield one day to find it being used to fan the flames on the fire dump! He ( very possibly Ron Clear ) was overall fairly philosphical to see all his work was being put to such use...

[ZH875]

Avro 707C. Built as a little run-around.
http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/collections/aircraft/aircraft_images/main_images/707c.jpg

[barit1]

I once was captivated by a talk by a Canadian pilot who piloted a Waco CG-4A in tow behind a C-47 - from Canada to the UK! It was a trial affair, evaluating the expedited delivery of gliders before D-Day, and not repeated. Among other things, there was no heat in the glider, so human limitations were a big issue.

[Lightning Mate]

Among other things, there was no heat in the glider, so human limitations were a big issue.

Blimey mate - I bet they were.

.....pioneers.....:D

[VX275]

The trans-atlantic Waco had the name Voo-Doo on its nose and it carried cargo. If anyone is interested there's a piece of the tow rope it used on display at Middle Wallop.

Now back to the thread's topic.

Horsa, Shagbat (Supermarine Walrus if anyone's confused) and Rotodyne would all get my support but the two I'd most like to have are the Gotha G IV (I've always wanted to be the baddie at an airshow) and the Hamilcar Mk X which as a motor glider gets over the need to build the Halifax tug but you can still take your car with you when you fly.

[Mechta]

Gotha G IV:ok:

The Vimy replica was amazing to see in the air. A Gotha or any of the German multi engine first world war bombers would be a sight to behold.

Of slightly more manageable proportins, the Roland CII Walfisch would be nice to see in the air.

[Sir George Cayley]

Pigboat Dear chap,

Thanks for the reference to my glider. I was too modest to mention it myself, though examples have been built since.

I wonder how it would perform with a Rotax up front and someone with a bit more enthusiasm than my footman at the helm?

Sir George Cayley

[pigboat]

I think it would perform admirably Sir George, with or without more enthusiasm on the part of the footman. The laws of aerodynamics and gravity remain the same. ;)

[Brian Abraham]

Sir George with his interest in things of steam might delight in this

The Besler Steam Powered Airplane (1933) (http://www.flixxy.com/besler-steam-airplane.htm)

[SomeGuyOnTheDeck]

Beardmore inflexible? beardmore inflexible | rolls-royce condor | 1928 | 0253 | Flight Archive (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1928/1928%20-%200253.html)

Only kidding. If I was actually having to fly it myself, the dear old Shagbat would probably be safer than a D.H. Hornet, and maybe a little more practical too, provided I wasn't in a hurry.

Then again, one could go for uniqueness instead, and build a replica Blohm & Voss BV 141: Blohm & Voss BV 141 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blohm_%26_Voss_BV_141).

[sablatnic]

How about the Napier-Heston Racer?

[blue up]

Treadigraph (post No. 10)
If you can't wait for a Hawker Fury, how about an Isaacs Fury?

Phwoooooaar!


http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/GImages/G-CCKV001.jpg

[aroa]

Having totally restored 3 Austers I badly need a change.... so I flip my dream machines hat into the ring.

Howard DG 3A "Pete" Racer.
Percival "Mew Gull"
Nitikin NV1

And from warbirds... La 5FN or La 7

[Sir George Cayley]

3 Austers eh? Just showing off to divert attention from another subject? ;)

Anyway, wots an LA-7? I used to fly a Luton Minor which was an LA-4 (I think) so is it a souped up version?

SGC

[VX275]

The mention of the Luton Minor has reminded me that following an article in the Aeroplane Monthly magazine I had a desire to build a Luton Buzzard.

[aroa]

Good little Pommie planes, Austers, those that dont know, bag em.
So they are worth saving... and flying.

The three listed are all 30s racers, altho the Nitty was a one off, Soviet sport plane.

La 7 WW2 fighter. Russian development from LaG 3 to Lavochkin 5,(mostly wood) 7 and 9(metal)

What one can afford to build will depend on the bank balance.

Already replicas built of the other 2 racers... I'd stump for the Nitty

[innuendo]

This is the fuselage of Fokker D8 under construction by a local gent.
The engine is to the left. He has built a fair bit of some of the other components, mostly from scratch. He has the full plans for it and the tail section is well along. The wheel hubs he turned on a lathe and the spokes he got from some source in California. He is a pretty talented individual. This photo is a year or so old so I am not sure where he is now with the project.

The photo may look a bit odd as I removed him from the image just to respect his privacy. Pretty impressive though.
http://jetset.zenfolio.com/img/s3/v25/p930857574-3.jpg

[Cool banana]

Would have love to see an Empire Short C Class flying.
It's a shame that most of the plans where distroyed some time ago.

[sandiego89]

Not totally extinct, but none flying, so I would like to see a full scale flying Stuka.
Also another vote for Hornet/Sea Hornet

[kluge]

The Heinkel 162 was mentioned earlier. That would be pretty unique.

Wittman Buttercup would be my other one.

[noelf]

Hi there,

For your info, there is a Bristol BoxKite replica being constructed at RAAF Base Pt Cook. It is almost complete and is expected to be flying by at least May 2011.

For more info' on this Project, refer to the Web site address Boxkite2014.org (http://boxkite2014.org)

Regards,
noelf