WesWorld

Just a couple ideas getting published hither and yon.

As I'm not going to replace seaplanes with helicopters just yet, I decided to put together a reconnaissance seaplane based on the Trombe flying-boat jet fighter.

Quoted

Latécoère Huîtrier

History
In 1945, building on their recent experience from the Trombe flying-boat jet fighter, Latécoère began developing a catapult-ready turbojet-powered naval reconnaissance plane. The new aircraft, named the Huîtrier after the oystercatcher, had a degree of resemblance to the preceding Trombe, imitating its V-shaped tail form and overhead engine.

With the engine intake located above the parasol wing, the entire nose of the aircraft was used for the crew cabin. The pilot sat on the right hand side of the cabin, while the navigator-observer worked in a prone position in the greenhouse-like nose. There is a bulb on the shoulder of the port wing for a surface-search radar.

SNECMA manufactured a special version of their M-44 turbojet, the M-44/PAM (pour les applications maritimes), which used a higher percentage of corrosion-resistant materials in its construction.

General characteristics
Crew: 2 (pilot, navigator/observer)
Length: 12.1 m (39.7 ft)
Wingspan: 12.5 m (41 ft)
Height: 4.3 m (14.1 ft)
Wing area: 25.2 m²
Empty weight: 3,438 kg ( lb)
Loaded weight: 5,360 kg ( lb)
Max takeoff weight: 5,620 kg ( lb)
Powerplant: 1 × SNECMA M-44/PAM turbojet, 8.8 kN (1980 lbf) thrust

Performance
Maximum speed: 680 km/h (367 knots, 423 mph)
Range: 1850 km (1,150 miles)
Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,528 ft)
Rate of climb: 17.5 m/s (3445 ft/min)

Armament
- 1 × Hotchkiss 12.7mm machine gun in remote-control tail mounting

Since the late 1930s and early 1940s, France has converted old bombers, such as the old Bloch MB.220 or the Lioré-et-Olivier LeO.45, into radio-controlled targets for air gunnery or anti-aircraft training. The radio-controlled bombers have largely been used only in metropolitan France, since they're not economical to ship outside of the three to four airfields equipped to use them.

With an increased focus on defense against aircraft, the French military pushed for a new custom-built air gunnery target - specifically, something that is lighter and easier to transport to more varied locations around the world. Breguet-Nord responded with two proposals. The CT.5 Odo (named after a Duke of Aquitaine) is small and lightweight, capable of being transported on a single flatbed truck, along with its launching ramp. The larger CT.6 Pepin is powered by a very small turbojet engine, and can be used for simulating intercepts at higher altitudes (for instance, a simulated heavy bomber raid).

The range of both drones is limited more by its control box and antennae than by the actual range of the airframe. Both have an autopilot system (based on the previous radio-controlled converted bomber targets) that receives a pre-programmed course prior to launch, which it then executes. A control box can issue simple commands and joystick remotely, but the controller only has visual feedback.

Breguet-Nord CT.5 Odo

General characteristics
Crew: None
Length: 4.50 m
Wingspan: 3.95 m
Height: 1.02 m
Gross weight: 310 kg
Powerplant: 1 × Renault flat-four engine, 125 hp

Performance
Maximum speed: 550 km/h (297 knots / 341 mph)
Endurance: 1 hour
Service ceiling: 7,100 m
Rate of climb: 13 m/s

Notes
- First flight April 11th, 1947; operational February 1948.
- Wingtips have a Luneburg lens to increase the target's radar signature.
- Launch is via a RATO booster (four modified 138mm artillery rockets) and ramp.
- Construction is mostly of wood, with a straight parasol wing
- Wings can be detached for transport (aboard truck or ship)
- Buoyant (can be recovered from the water)



Breguet-Nord CT.6 Pepin

General characteristics
Crew: None
Length: 5.20 m
Wingspan: 3.8 m
Gross weight: 490 kg
Powerplant: 1 × SNECMA M-30 turbojet, 2.4 kN (540 lbf) thrust

Performance
Maximum speed: 720 km/h (389 knots / 447 mph)
Endurance: 1 hour
Service ceiling: 9,600 m
Rate of climb: 15 m/s

Variants
- R.6: Variant equipped with a reconnaissance camera.

Notes
- First flight December 10th, 1946; operational May 1948.
- Wingtips have a Luneburg lens to increase the target's radar signature.
- Launch is via a RATO booster (two modified 200mm artillery rockets) and ramp.
- Construction is mixed wood and aluminium, with a straight wing and a v-tail.
- Buoyant (can be recovered from the water).
- Can be broken down into two truckloads

Some nice ideas there.

I guess the navigator-observer in the Latécoère Huîtrier will have a comfy ride lying prone!
I assume he has some kind of rearward periscope sight system to aim the real barbette?

Quoted from "Hood"

Some nice ideas there.

Thanks. I'm still working through a few more ideas. There's a twin-rotor troop carrying helicopter that I need to work up specifications for, but I haven't done any of that yet.

I think I'm also going to declare the Dassault Ouragan II 'in production' by the end of February.

Quoted from "Hood"

I guess the navigator-observer in the Latécoère Huîtrier will have a comfy ride lying prone!
I assume he has some kind of rearward periscope sight system to aim the real barbette?

Mmm... probably. To be perfectly honest I didn't actually think through that aspect of the design. :P

It's probably not radar-aimed, though, since the French system for doing that is only large enough for use on the French heavy bombers (the Consolidated Privateers and Dominators).

Not sure if I've mentioned Jean Christophe Carbonel's French Secret Projects Vol.1: Post-War Fighters which came out last year?
You might find that interesting, certainly lots about French projects that I've never seen in English print before.
The accompanying Vol 2 on Bombers, Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Transports and Helicopters has just come out too. A really nice set.

Quoted from "Hood"

Not sure if I've mentioned Jean Christophe Carbonel's French Secret Projects Vol.1: Post-War Fighters which came out last year?
You might find that interesting, certainly lots about French projects that I've never seen in English print before.
The accompanying Vol 2 on Bombers, Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Transports and Helicopters has just come out too. A really nice set.

No, I don't think I recall hearing about this. I've found photos of various different projects which made it to metal, but information is pretty scarce; there doesn't seem to be a lot of interest for things outside the mainstream US / USSR projects...

In any case, another project that's just coming into production this year.

Quoted

Sikorsky S-19 / SFG SH.40 Tourbillon
OTL Sikorsky "H-19 Chickasaw"

General Characteristics
Crew: two (pilot, copilot)
Capacity: ten troops or eight stretchers
Length: 12.91 m (42 ft 4 in)
Rotor diameter: 16.16 m (53 ft)
Height: 4.07 m (13 ft 4 in)
Disc area: 205 m2 (2206 sq ft)
Empty weight: 2,177 kg (4,795 lb)
Loaded weight: 3,409 kg (7,500 lb)
Powerplant:
-- Sikorsky S-19: 1 × Shvetsov ASh-21 radial engine, (522 kW / 700HP)
-- SFG SH.40 Tourbillon: 1 × Gnome et Rhône 14M radial (522kW / 700HP)

Performance
Maximum speed: 163 kph (101 mph, 88 knots)
Cruise speed: 137 kph (85 mph. 74 knots)
Range: 725 km (450 mi, 391 nmi)
Service ceiling: 3,200 m (10,500 ft)

Notes
Designed in Russia by the Sikorsky Design Bureau, with some design input from SFG (in France). In OTL, this is the Sikorsky "H-19 Chickasaw", but since Sikorsky didn't leave Russia in Wesworld, this is primarily a Russian design, designated the S-19. SFG essentially operates as a subsidiary of Sikorsky OKB, license-building helicopters for Western Europe.

The Tourbillon differs from the Russian design by using a Gnome et Rhône radial engine.

Looks good.
I'd forgotten how old the S-55 is!