FD Scale Aircraft 15

[Hood]

I don't think there was any particular reason for the steep slope on the windscreen, it was how Blackburn designed it, in fact for the 1930s its probably not a bad windscreen and canopy design.

Had the Skua been used as a dive-bomber instead of dual role as a fighters, I think its reputation would have been better. The Roc was a flawed concept and the airframe and engine just wasn't up to lugging a turret around.

[erik_t]

IIRC, Eric Brown noted the steep vertical windscreen (which, of course, was fairly well streamlined in plan view) was to ensure good visibility in rain. That this feature did not appear in the carrier aircraft of other nations, or survive into later British practice, would suggest that the concern was somewhat overblown.

[Cascadia]

Just as a reminder, Radome has already done the Blackburn Roc.

[Bordkanone 75]

Skua looks neat overall! I wouldn’t mind for a redraw of the Roc.

[reytuerto]

Thanks, Bk75! I was ending a pair off drawings: a sympathetic little aircraft in his uglyness and a magnificent and elegant torpedo-bomber. As Radome´s drawing can´t be retrieved from the archive, I think that I can have my attempt for the ugly (ugly without paliatives!) Roc.

Not only ugly, it was an ineffective figther (well, the turret fighter concept was not a successful idea). It was described as a "constant hindrance" by an officer in the Orkney Islands. With only one confirmed victory, it was soon removed from first line service. Cheers.

[Cascadia]

If Radome's 'Roc' is no longer accesable, I post it here from my personal archive for comparison.


But I think reytuerto' looks better.

[reytuerto]

Good afternoon, gentlemen! Thanks, Cascadia! Your feedback is very important!

One of the most aesthetically refined aircraft of WWII, the torpedo-bomber Aichi B7A Grace.


Designed around the Homare radial engine, it was bigger than the current japanese torpedo-bomber (Jill) and dive bomber (Judy), but was as fast and agile than a fighter like the Zero. It was an aerodynamically clean and neat aircraft, able to hit with a Type 91 torpedo at long range. Unfortunatelly, the only aircraft carriers with elevetors big enough were sunk before the Grace was cleared for operational service, so the 100 or so built were used from land bases. Cheers.

[Bordkanone 75]

Nice work! One of the most aesthetic Japanese torpedo bombers of the war. Do you intend to do the Tenzan (Jill) torpedo bomber?

[reytuerto]

Hi, BK75! Yes, Grace was a beautiful aircraft (the other japanese champion in aesthetics is the equally neat Dinah) very neat and refined, fast and nimble. Unfortunatelly I don´t know almost anything about its war record, do you know if the Aichi was able to absorb more battle damage than the Kate?
No, please feel free to draw the Jill! I am sure that your drawing will be outstanding!

[Bordkanone 75]

Hi, BK75! Yes, Grace was a beautiful aircraft (the other japanese champion in aesthetics is the equally neat Dinah) very neat and refined, fast and nimble. Unfortunatelly I don´t know almost anything about its war record, do you know if the Aichi was able to absorb more battle damage than the Kate?
No, please feel free to draw the Jill! I am sure that your drawing will be outstanding!

The Ryusei included some form of armor, glass protection, and self-sealing tanks in the wings and inside the aircraft, allowing it to take heavier punishment than the B5N2. So it would stand a chance, while the Kate would be shot down in less than 30 seconds.