Evil_Merlin

My Feedback: (13)

How about Dutch Kindelberger

P-51
A-36
F-82
FJ-1 Fury

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

No correct answers thus far. And, I think you guys must be 'way overthinking this one. When some one gets it, the rest of you are going to say "Oh; of course!". Thanks; Ernie P.


Background: Aircraft designers tend to re-use successful designs as long as the resultant aircraft perform well. This question is about a designer who did exactly that, and the great warbirds he produced.

Question: What four warplanes do I describe?
Note: To be fair to all participants, all four warplanes must be included in the same answer. Answers which include less than four named aircraft will be ignored.

Clues:

(1) The four are consecutive designs by the same aircraft factory.

(2) Three of the four are well known aircraft; the other perhaps not so well known, except to enthusiasts.

(3) Three shared the same fuselage.

(4) Three shared the same wing design.

(5) One is among the most recognizable designs in history.

(6) One is the most successful design of its time.

uncljoe

My Feedback: (8)

just a SWAG...
Clarence "kelly" Johnson Lockheed's Hudson.Ventura,Harpoon,& Lexington
Semper Fi

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

No, sorry. This should help. Thanks; Ernie P.


Background: Aircraft designers tend to re-use successful designs as long as the resultant aircraft perform well. This question is about a designer who did exactly that, and the great warbirds he produced.

Question: What four warplanes do I describe?
Note: To be fair to all participants, all four warplanes must be included in the same answer. Answers which include less than four named aircraft will be ignored.

Clues:

(1) The four are consecutive designs by the same aircraft factory.

(2) Three of the four are well known aircraft; the other perhaps not so well known, except to enthusiasts.

(3) Three shared the same fuselage.

(4) Three shared the same wing design.

(5) One is among the most recognizable designs in history.

(6) One is the most successful design of its time.

(7) Three performed well with below par engines, because they were light.

SimonCraig1

Last post of the year! again if I am right, I'll throw the question open...

Nieuport 10, 11, 17 and 24.

All the best for 2011!

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Wow! That's not the right answer, but maybe it should have been. No... the four aircraft I describe are actually much more different, one to another, than the Nieuports; although the shared many things. But again, a great answer. And you forgot the Nieuport 28. <g> And you have all tomorrow to come up with THE answer. (-: Thanks; Ernie P.



Background: Aircraft designers tend to re-use successful designs as long as the resultant aircraft perform well. This question is about a designer who did exactly that, and the great warbirds he produced.

Question: What four warplanes do I describe?
Note: To be fair to all participants, all four warplanes must be included in the same answer. Answers which include less than four named aircraft will be ignored.

Clues:
(1) The four are consecutive designs by the same aircraft factory.

(2) Three of the four are well known aircraft; the other perhaps not so well known, except to enthusiasts.

(3) Three shared the same fuselage.

(4) Three shared the same wing design.

(5) One is among the most recognizable designs in history.

(6) One is the most successful design of its time.

(7) Three performed well with below par engines, because they were light.

(8) One was relatively heavy, but had a great engine.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Last clue for the evening. Thanks; Ernie P.


Background: Aircraft designers tend to re-use successful designs as long as the resultant aircraft perform well. This question is about a designer who did exactly that, and the great warbirds he produced.

Question: What four warplanes do I describe?
Note: To be fair to all participants, all four warplanes must be included in the same answer. Answers which include less than four named aircraft will be ignored.

Clues:
(1) The four are consecutive designs by the same aircraft factory.

(2) Three of the four are well known aircraft; the other perhaps not so well known, except to enthusiasts.

(3) Three shared the same fuselage.

(4) Three shared the same wing design.

(5) One is among the most recognizable designs in history.

(6) One is the most successful design of its time.

(7) Three performed well with below par engines, because they were light.

(8) One was relatively heavy, but had a great engine.

(9) Three were rotary engined.

uncljoe

My Feedback: (8)

Last guess
Grumman's FF1
F2F
F3F
G 32
semper fi

tenacious101010

My Feedback: (97)

P-40 one of them?

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

No one is getting closer. One hint: I said "rotary", not "radial". This should be a lot simpler than you guys are making it out to be. Thanks; Ernie P.


Background: Aircraft designers tend to re-use successful designs as long as the resultant aircraft perform well. This question is about a designer who did exactly that, and the great warbirds he produced.

Question: What four warplanes do I describe?
Note: To be fair to all participants, all four warplanes must be included in the same answer. Answers which include less than four named aircraft will be ignored.

Clues:

(1) The four are consecutive designs by the same aircraft factory.

(2) Three of the four are well known aircraft; the other perhaps not so well known, except to enthusiasts.

(3) Three shared the same fuselage.

(4) Three shared the same wing design.

(5) One is among the most recognizable designs in history.

(6) One is the most successful design of its time.

(7) Three performed well with below par engines, because they were light.

(8) One was relatively heavy, but had a great engine.

(9) Three were rotary engined.

(10) One had an inline engine.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Just a reminder that SimonCraig1 was thinking along the right lines. Thanks; Ernie P.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Next clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Background: Aircraft designers tend to re-use successful designs as long as the resultant aircraft perform well. This question is about a designer who did exactly that, and the great warbirds he produced.

Question: What four warplanes do I describe?
Note: To be fair to all participants, all four warplanes must be included in the same answer. Answers which include less than four named aircraft will be ignored.

Clues:

(1) The four are consecutive designs by the same aircraft factory.

(2) Three of the four are well known aircraft; the other perhaps not so well known, except to enthusiasts.

(3) Three shared the same fuselage.

(4) Three shared the same wing design.

(5) One is among the most recognizable designs in history.

(6) One is the most successful design of its time.

(7) Three performed well with below par engines, because they were light.

(8) One was relatively heavy, but had a great engine.

(9) Three were rotary engined.

(10) One had an inline engine.

(11) One was a backup; in case the next one didn’t work out.

psb667

wrong answer

SimonCraig1

Couldn't resist one more go....

Fokker DRI, DVI, DVII and EV/DRIII

Happy new year everyone!

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Yes! Well, close enough. I don't know what a "DRIII" is, but the EV was renamed the D-8 or D-VIII; which is what I wanted. All you have to do is look at the four airplanes to see the evolution. The three rotary planes all used a 110 HP rotary engine; and they all weighed around 850 - 900 pounds. The D-7 weighed almost 1,600 pounds, but used the 160 HP Mercedes engine. You're up, Sir. Thanks; Ernie P.


Background: Aircraft designers tend to re-use successful designs as long as the resultant aircraft perform well. This question is about a designer who did exactly that, and the great warbirds he produced.

Question: What four warplanes do I describe?
Note: To be fair to all participants, all four warplanes must be included in the same answer. Answers which include less than four named aircraft will be ignored.

Clues:

(1) The four are consecutive designs by the same aircraft factory.
Fokker DR-1, D-6, D-7 and D-8.
(2) Three of the four are well known aircraft; the other perhaps not so well known, except to enthusiasts.
The D-6 isn't so well known as the others.
(3) Three shared the same fuselage.
The DR-1, D-6 and D-8.
(4) Three shared the same wing design.
The D-6, D-7 and D-8.
(5) One is among the most recognizable designs in history.
The Red Barons Triplane.
(6) One is the most successful design of its time.
The D-7.
(7) Three performed well with below par engines, because they were light.
The DR-1, D-6 and D-8.
(8) One was relatively heavy, but had a great engine.
The D-7.
(9) Three were rotary engined.
The DR-1, D-6 and D-8.
(10) One had an inline engine.
The D-7.
(11) One was a backup; in case the next one didn’t work out.
The D-6; in case the D-7 didn't work out.
(12) They all served in the same war.
WWI.
(13) One scored the last victory in one war; and the first victory of the next.
The D-8 scored the last victory of WWI and the first of the Russo-Polish War.
(14) Three were flown by notable aces.
Voss, Udet and Lowenhardt.
(15) One was flown by the best.
Richthofen.
(16) One was a monoplane; two were biplanes; and one was…

Fokker Dr-1, D-6, D-7 and D-8. Dr-1, D-6 and D-8 shared same fuselage. D-6, D-7 and D-8 shared same wing.

a65l

My Feedback: (17)

Gotta disagree, I think the D8 wing design was different, the D6 and D7 were fabric covered trusses, the D8 was a plywood skinned semi monocoque, but they were all internally braced.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Well, we can disagree slightly on that one. That's okay. The D-7 wing was also (but only partially) plywood skinned. I think the basic design (stolen, perhaps from Junkers) evolution is pretty clear. The D-8 didn't share the wrap around ailerons either; but all three were definitely the new and innovative thicker wing design which pointed to the future way wings would be built.

To me, the amazing thing was the performance Fokker could get using the puny 110 HP engines. Thanks; Ernie P.

ARUP

Interesting! The Fokker D I thru DV were developed from the Eindekker. The D-I had an inline engine. Most had wing warping and some had versions of aileron and wing warp. Mssr.A. Fokker definitely designed and built aircraft on a 'continuum'.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Okay; it looks as though SimonCraig1 is out of touch. (He did indicate previously he would throw the next question to the floor if he was correct) I'm calling time on him and opening the floor to anyone who would like to ask the first question of 2011. If no one posts in the next three or four hours, I'll post a new one myself. Any takers? Thanks; Ernie P.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Yes, he did. And so did a lot of others. No matter how much we all claim to love a chance to sit down with "a clean sheet of paper"; we all seem to be more comfortable improving upon a proven design or plan. Just human nature, I guess. Thanks; Ernie P.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Okay; looks like no one wants to take the lead. I asked the last question of 2010, I guess I can ask the first question of 2011. Hopefully, some one will step up quickly. Thanks; Ernie P.


Background: This has always been kind of an interesting aircraft to me.


Question: What seminal prototype aircraft do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It was, essentially, the front half of a production fighter; although…

(2) … it was originally intended to be a testbed for a civilian airliner.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Another clue for this morning. Thanks; Ernie P.



Background: This has always been kind of an interesting aircraft to me.

Question: What seminal prototype aircraft do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It was, essentially, the front half of a production fighter; although…

(2) … it was originally intended to be a testbed for a civilian airliner.

(3) All three prototypes were destroyed in crashes, and all three resulted in the death of the pilot.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

And another clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


Background: This has always been kind of an interesting aircraft to me.

Question: What seminal prototype aircraft do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It was, essentially, the front half of a production fighter; although…

(2) … it was originally intended to be a testbed for a civilian airliner.

(3) All three prototypes were destroyed in crashes, and all three resulted in the death of the pilot.

(4) One of the pilots was the son of the company owner and chief designer.

DeferredDefect

Dehavilland DH-108?

It utilised the forward section of a Vampire and a new wing section for testing a tailess configuration for the Dehavilland Comet.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

That's the plane; and you are up, Sir. A really interesting aircraft; and very influential in its time. Thanks; Ernie P.


Background: This has always been kind of an interesting aircraft to me.

Question: What seminal prototype aircraft do I describe?

Clues:

(1) It was, essentially, the front half of a production fighter; although…

(2) … it was originally intended to be a testbed for a civilian airliner.

(3) All three prototypes were destroyed in crashes, and all three resulted in the death of the pilot.

(4) One of the pilots was the son of the company owner and chief designer.

(5) The first to crash had set an unofficial speed record; and was preparing to attempt an official run.

(6) The plane bore a close resembelance to a German WWII aircraft.

(7) Not the first jet aircraft to exceed the speed of sound, but probably the second.

(8) A few years after the first crash, the third aircraft set a new closed course speed record.

(8) Established three important “firsts” for British aircraft.

Answer: de Haviland DH108

De Havilland Chief Test Pilot Geoffrey de Havilland Jr., son of de Havilland company owner-designer Geoffrey de Havilland, died in test crash.

In 1949, VW120 put on an aerial display at Farnborough and scored third place in the Society of British Aircraft Constructors Challenge Trophy Air Race before being turned over to the Ministry of Supply and test flown at RAE Farnborough. It was destroyed on 15 February 1950 in a fatal crash near Brickhill, Buckinghamshire, killing its test pilot, Squadron Leader Stuart Muller-Rowland. Accident investigation pointed to a faulty oxygen system that incapacitated the pilot.

Finally, on 1 May 1950 during low-speed sideslip and stall tests the first prototype, TG283, was lost in a crash at Hartley Wintney killing the pilot Sqn Ldr George E.C. Genders AFC DFM, when, after abandoning the aircraft at low altitude in an inverted spin, his parachute failed to open in time. In all, 480 flights had been made by the three Swallows.

DH108 Research Aircraft
The Vampire fuselage was incorporated into the DH108 swept-wing research aircraft. This aircraft had wings swept at 43 to 45 degrees, a swept fin (vertical stabilizer) and no tail (horizontal stabilizer). It was the first British swept-wing aircraft and first flew on 15. May 1946
It was actually built to investigate the nature of swept wings. Among other things, it was intended to provide data for the Comet jet airliner and the DH110.
Three were built