An Easy Plane Picture Quiz

[seacue]

I think that this plane will be very easy to identify.

SC

http://users.erols.com/rcarpen/q24.jpg

[Mr_Grubby]

I think it could be a SNCASO SO 30P Bretagne.

First flew 11th Dec. 1947. 45 built. Flew with Air France, Air Algerie and Air Maroc.

Clint.

[JDK]

Nah,
It's one of those 'airplanes (sic) of the future' from the 1930s pulp magazines. :D
Cheers
James K

[Bre901]

I'd say it is rather the SO-30 N "Bellatrix" prototype of the "Bretagne"

main differences are engines (Gnôme&Rhône vs P&W) and the fins

large Pdf document (1.3 MB) with a Bellatrix pic (http://www.hydroretro.net/etudegh/snecmaderniers.pdf)

The Bretagne (http://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9657&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=1145)

[seacue]

I had thought that this would be an easy quiz since the exact plane in the picture (after some modification) was flown by BOAC .... according to references.

SC

[treadigraph]

Now, I knows you'll think I's darft... but...

Not a early twin-tailed version of the Curtiss C-46 perchance?

Everything looks about right apart from the engines (a bit small?) and the tail. And I believe BOAC operated a few camoflagued examples during the war.

I have a book on the C-46 in the loft, but it's late and I'm too knackered to research it now!

[seacue]

I'll declare Treadigraph the winner, although it's the CW20T/C55. I thought that the cockpit window configuration would identify the plane as a C46 variation.

The references say that the twin tail was replaced by a single fin as a result of flight tests.

The single (modified) prototype was delivered to the US Army as the C55. I gather there was only a single C55. It was eventually delivered to BOAC in 1942 and used for something over a year. I'm pretty sure that it had a single tail fin by the time it reached BOAC.

Production models became the C46.

http://www.microworks.net/pacific/aviation/r5c_commando.htm

http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=171

SC