RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

Agreed.

The clue about "first straight-winged jet aircraft to achieve controlled supersonic flight" is straight from the CF-100 Wikipedia article. I don't see how it could be anything else.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

VERY nice: CF100 Clunk is correct.

Sorry about the late reply. :( MajorTomski, please carry on with your question as per the normal practice.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

Ok folks please name for me a warbird that

1. Multi Engined
2. Single Tailed
3. Pre war design
4. on co stared in a TV show.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

Sure; although it may not be the answer you want. The B-17. Thanks; Ernie P.


Twelve O'Clock High or 12 O'Clock High is an American drama series set in World War II. This TV series originally broadcasted on ABC-TV for two-and-one-half TV seasons from September 18, 1964, through January 13, 1967; was based on the motion picture Twelve O'Clock High (1949).

The first two seasons were filmed in black-and-white. This was done mostly to allow the inclusion of actual World War II combat footage supplied by the U.S. Air Force and the library of 20th Century Fox movies. The inclusion of combat footage was often obvious, as it was often quite degraded. Limited usable combat footage often resulted in the same shot being reused in multiple episodes. For the third season, the TV series was filmed in color, but this season only ran for 17 episodes, with the series being canceled in mid-season. Some of the combat footage used for the third season seemed to be in black-and-white footage tinted blue. Film footage from the 1940s was also used for take-offs and landings since the one B-17 that the show had access to could only taxi. In order to simulate different aircraft, it was frequently repainted.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

I was trying to recall another TV show and airplane that would qualify (there couldn't have been many), and only came up with one other; "Sky King" and the Cessna AT-17. Thanks; Ernie P.


Sky King is a 1940s and 1950s American radio and television adventure series. The title character is Arizona rancher and aircraft pilot Schuyler (or Skyler) "Sky" King. The series was likely based on a true-life person, Jack Cones, the Flying Constable of Twentynine Palms during the 1930s.

Although it had strong cowboy show elements, King always captured criminals and even spies and found lost hikers using his plane.

King's personal plane was called the Songbird. Though he changed from one plane to another over the course of the series, the later plane was not given a number (i.e., Songbird II), but was simply known as Songbird.

He and his niece, Penny (and sometimes Clipper, his nephew) lived on the Flying Crown Ranch, near the (fictitious) town of Grover, Arizona. Penny and Clipper were also pilots, though still relatively inexperienced and looking to their uncle for guidance and mentoring. Penny was an accomplished air racer and rated multi-engine pilot, who Sky trusted to fly the Songbird.

The musical score was largely the work of Herschel Burke Gilbert.

The Cessna AT-17 Bobcat was a twin-engined advanced trainer aircraft designed and made in the United States, and used during World War II to bridge the gap between single-engine trainers and twin-engine combat aircraft. The AT-17 was powered by two Jacobs R-755-9 radial piston engines. The commercial version was the Model T-50, from which the AT-17 was developed.

The AT-17 was a military version of the commercial Cessna T-50 light transport. The Cessna Airplane Company first produced the wood and tubular steel, fabric-covered T-50 in 1939 for the civilian market, as a lightweight and low cost twin for personal use where larger aircraft such as the Beech 18 would be too expensive. A low-wing cantilever monoplane, it featured retractable main landing gear and wing trailing-edge flaps, both electrically actuated. The wing structure was built up of laminated spruce spar beams with spruce and plywood ribs. The fixed tailwheel is non-steerable and full-swivelling. The prototype T-50 made its maiden flight on 26 March 1939.
In 1940, the United States Army Air Corps ordered them under the designation AT-8 as multi-engine advanced trainers.

At the beginning of the television series, Sky flew a Cessna T-50 twin-engine "Bamboo Bomber." The plane, a World War II surplus UC-78B, was owned by legendary Hollywood pilot Paul Mantz and flown by employees of his Paul Mantz Aerial Services for filming of the flying sequences. At least two other T-50s are known to have been used for on-ground and in-the-cockpit scenes.

The best-known Songbird was a twin-engine Cessna 310B. The airplane used was the second production 310B (N5348A), which was provided by Cessna at no cost to the producers and piloted by Cessna's national sales manager for the 310, Bill Fergusson. Fergusson got the job after the motion picture pilot already selected was deemed unqualified to land the airplane at some of the off-airport sites required. Some months after a library of stock footage had been compiled, additional sequences were filmed using a different airplane. The original 310B was eventually destroyed in a 1962 crash at Delano, California, that killed its owner-pilot. Cockpit sequences were filmed using the static test fuselage, also provided by Cessna.
A byproduct of the use of the Cessna 310 as Sky King's Songbird was the name becoming attached to the 310 series. Cessna has never given the 310 a type name (though most Cessnas are given such names, e.g., the Cessna 180 "Skywagon"), but because of their use in Sky King, 310s have become known as "Songbirds" within the aviation community.

A unique introduction featured the triangular Nabisco logo flying across the screen, accompanied by the sound of the Songbird flying past. Nabisco included plastic figures of characters from the show and the Songbird in packages of Wheat Honeys and Rice Honeys breakfast cereals.

Though set in Arizona, the series was filmed in the high desert of California. The ranch house used for exterior shots of the Flying Crown Ranch is an actual home in Apple Valley, California, although it has been extensively remodeled since its use as headquarters of the "Flying Crown Ranch." Other locations were shot in and around Apple Valley and the nearby San Bernardino Mountains, George Air Force Base and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. Interior filming was done at the General Service studio.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

Very Good Ernie P.!

I ran into Mike McMurtry an avid scale plastic model builder yesterday. He's in the process of reseaching what happened to each of the 2800 Cessna T-50 AT-17s ever built.

Sky King was the show

OK Sir entertain our Sunday

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

Thank you, Sir. I'll have something spruced up and ready tonight. I still can only think of two TV shows that featured twin engined, single tail military aircraft. Thanks; Ernie P.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

Here we go, warbird fans. Thanks; Ernie P.


What prototype warbird do I describe?


Clues:

(1) It was intended that this new aircraft would replace an existing model aircraft, of similar design.

(2) The new aircraft was to be of essentially the same layout, but with new engines.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

Here we go, warbird fans. Thanks; Ernie P.


What prototype warbird do I describe?


Clues:

(1) It was intended that this new aircraft would replace an existing model aircraft, of similar design.

(2) The new aircraft was to be of essentially the same layout, but with new engines.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

I don't know what's causing these double posts, but it's been going on a while now. And speaking of difficulty accessing RCU.... Well, here's another clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


What prototype warbird do I describe?


Clues:

(1) It was intended that this new aircraft would replace an existing model aircraft, of similar design.

(2) The new aircraft was to be of essentially the same layout, but with new engines.

(3) Many of the design features of the original aircraft were carried over into this design.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

And a couple more. Thanks; Ernie P.


What prototype warbird do I describe?


Clues:

(1) It was intended that this new aircraft would replace an existing model aircraft, of similar design.

(2) The new aircraft was to be of essentially the same layout, but with new engines.

(3) Many of the design features of the original aircraft were carried over into this design.

(4) Each engine was designed to be 24 cylinders.

(5) A decision was made to substitute a 12 cylinder inverted “vee” engine.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

Wild guess: Junkers Ju 388

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

Not such a wild guess, perttime; but not correct. This may help. Thanks; Ernie P.


What prototype warbird do I describe?


Clues:

(1) It was intended that this new aircraft would replace an existing model aircraft, of similar design.

(2) The new aircraft was to be of essentially the same layout, but with new engines.

(3) Many of the design features of the original aircraft were carried over into this design.

(4) Each engine was designed to be 24 cylinders.

(5) A decision was made to substitute a 12 cylinder inverted “vee” engine.

(6) The first prototype crashed upon landing, due to a landing gear problem.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

HE-177?

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

No, Sir; but a good try. Please try again. Perhaps the below will help. Thanks; Ernie P.


What prototype warbird do I describe?


Clues:

(1) It was intended that this new aircraft would replace an existing model aircraft, of similar design.

(2) The new aircraft was to be of essentially the same layout, but with new engines.

(3) Many of the design features of the original aircraft were carried over into this design.

(4) Each engine was designed to be 24 cylinders.

(5) A decision was made to substitute a 12 cylinder inverted “vee” engine.

(6) The first prototype crashed upon landing, due to a landing gear problem.

(7) After repairs, testing indicated the new aircraft was not sufficiently better than the original to justify interupting the production lines.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

XB-38

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

ME110/410?

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

Some very well thought out answers, but nothing close as of yet. This may help. Thanks; Ernie P.


What prototype warbird do I describe?


Clues:

(1) It was intended that this new aircraft would replace an existing model aircraft, of similar design.

(2) The new aircraft was to be of essentially the same layout, but with new engines.

(3) Many of the design features of the original aircraft were carried over into this design.

(4) Each engine was designed to be 24 cylinders.

(5) A decision was made to substitute a 12 cylinder inverted “vee” engine.

(6) The first prototype crashed upon landing, due to a landing gear problem.

(7) After repairs, testing indicated the new aircraft was not sufficiently better than the original to justify interupting the production lines.

(8) Another factor was the uncertain future of the substitute 12 cylinder engine.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

FW-300?

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

Sorry, but no. Perhaps this will help. THanks; Ernie P.


What prototype warbird do I describe?


Clues:

(1) It was intended that this new aircraft would replace an existing model aircraft, of similar design.

(2) The new aircraft was to be of essentially the same layout, but with new engines.

(3) Many of the design features of the original aircraft were carried over into this design.

(4) Each engine was designed to be 24 cylinders.

(5) A decision was made to substitute a 12 cylinder inverted “vee” engine.

(6) The first prototype crashed upon landing, due to a landing gear problem.

(7) After repairs, testing indicated the new aircraft was not sufficiently better than the original to justify interupting the production lines.

(8) Another factor was the uncertain future of the substitute 12 cylinder engine.

(9) The original engine was never built, as the company developing it decided to concentrate on radial engines.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

A late morning clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


What prototype warbird do I describe?


Clues:

(1) It was intended that this new aircraft would replace an existing model aircraft, of similar design.

(2) The new aircraft was to be of essentially the same layout, but with new engines.

(3) Many of the design features of the original aircraft were carried over into this design.

(4) Each engine was designed to be 24 cylinders.

(5) A decision was made to substitute a 12 cylinder inverted “vee” engine.

(6) The first prototype crashed upon landing, due to a landing gear problem.

(7) After repairs, testing indicated the new aircraft was not sufficiently better than the original to justify interupting the production lines.

(8) Another factor was the uncertain future of the substitute 12 cylinder engine.

(9) The original engine was never built, as the company developing it decided to concentrate on radial engines.

(10) Only a handful of the replacement engines were built.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

Lockheed XP-49?

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!! Well done, Sir; and you are up to ask the next question. Thanks; Ernie P.


What prototype warbird do I describe?


Clues:

(1) It was intended that this new aircraft would replace an existing model aircraft, of similar design.

(2) The new aircraft was to be of essentially the same layout, but with new engines.

(3) Many of the design features of the original aircraft were carried over into this design.

(4) Each engine was designed to be 24 cylinders.

(5) A decision was made to substitute a 12 cylinder inverted “vee” engine.

(6) The first prototype crashed upon landing, due to a landing gear problem.

(7) After repairs, testing indicated the new aircraft was not sufficiently better than the original to justify interupting the production lines.

(8) Another factor was the uncertain future of the substitute 12 cylinder engine.

(9) The original engine was never built, as the company developing it decided to concentrate on radial engines.

(10) Only a handful of the replacement engines were built.

(11) The original engine was to have produced 1,800 – 2,200 horsepower. This figure was later increased as intended engine size was increased. It might well have produced a very fast and powerful aircraft.

(12) The “replacement” engine produced only 1,300 horsepower.

(13) Only one “original” engine was produced; and only 23 of the “replacement” engines.

(14) Armament was to be two cannon and four machine guns.


Answer: The Lockheed XP-49

The Lockheed XP-49 (company Model 522) was an advancement on the P-38 Lightning for a fighter in response to U.S. Army Air Corps proposal 39-775. Intended to use the new twenty-four cylinder Pratt & Whitney X-1800 engine, this proposal, which was for an aircraft substantially similar to the P-38, was assigned the designation XP-49, while the competing Grumman Model G-46 was awarded second place and designated XP-50.

Ordered in October 1939 and approved on January 8, 1940, the X-1800-powered XP-49 would feature a pressurized cockpit and armament of two 20 mm (.79 in) cannon and four 0.5 in (12.7 mm) machine guns. However, after two months into the contract a decision was made to substitute the Continental XI-1430-1 (or IV-1430) twelve cylinder liquid-cooled inverted vee engines for the X-1800. The XP-49, 40-3055, first flew on 11 November 1942. A crash landing on 1 January 1943 [1] occurred when the port landing gear failed to lock down due to a combined hydraulic and electric failure, and the XP-49 flew again on 16 February 1943 after repairs were made. The preliminary flight data showed that performance of the XP-49 was not sufficiently better than the production P-38, and with a questionable future for the XI-1430 engine, to warrant disruption of the production line to introduce the new model aircraft. Consideration of quantity production was therefore abandoned.

The aircraft was flown to Wright Field, and after various problems further work on the XP-49 was halted.
The X-1800 was a watercooled 24-cylinder H-block of 2,240 in3 displacement;[1] this was later expanded to 2,600 in3 displacement. It was intended to be used in the Vultee XP-54, Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender, Northrop XP-56, and Lockheed XP-49. Projected performance was to be 1,800 to 2,200 hp (1350-1640 kW), with a turbocharger to secure high-altitude performance. The designation came from the intended power rating rather than the more usual cubic inch engine displacement figure.

The target date for series production was 1942. In 1940, however, performance on the test bench did not continue to improve, demonstrating a need for considerable additional development effort. Pratt & Whitney subsequently ended development of the X-1800 in October 1940, with only one built, to concentrate on radial engines.

The I-1430 featured cylinders with "hemispherical" combustion chambers and two sodium cooled exhaust valves. Although it retained the separate cylinders, the change to a V-layout allowed the individual cylinder heads to be cast as a single piece. Mounted at either end, a Y-shaped plate provided stiffness, while containing the camshaft drives. Continental built the first I-1430 engine in 1938 and successfully tested it in 1939. At the time it was an extremely competitive design, offering at least 1,300 hp (970 kW) from a 23 liter displacement; the contemporary Rolls-Royce Merlin offered about 1,000 hp (700 kW) from 27 l displacement, while the Daimler-Benz DB 601 offered slightly more power at 1,100 hp (820 kW), but was much larger, at 33 l displacement.

Had the I-1430 been able to enter production then, it would have been a "winner", but for reasons that are not well recorded historically, the Hyper engine took a long time to mature. It was not until 1943 that the 1,600 hp (1,190 kW) IV-1430 was tested extensively in the Lockheed XP-49, a modified version of the P-38 Lightning. It was also to be used in the production version of the Bell XP-76, which was canceled before production began. In 1944 it was also tested in the McDonnell XP-67.

Interest in the design had largely disappeared by then; piston engines with the same power or greater ratings were widely available, the Merlin for example had improved tremendously and was offering at least 1,500 hp (1,120 kW), and the military and aircraft builders were already starting to focus on jet engines.

Only twenty-three I-1430 series engines were delivered, later redesignated the XI-1430 to indicate the purely experimental use.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

Thanks!

OK, I need to find an odd one: You guys are tough!

1. It was supposed to be an "anti-airship" design.

2. It was intended to carry a two-pounder recoilless gun, but a Lewis gun was fitted instead.

3. The tailplane was attached by 4 booms, and was as large as the top wing.

RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
 

How about the Blackburn A.D. Scout? Thanks; Ernie P.


Blackburn A.D. Scout

Harris Booth Air Department of the Admiralty (or A.D.) designed this distinctly odd anti-airship fighter for naval use. Although of conventional wood and fabric construction, unlike what was becoming standard practice, the fuselage nacelle was attached to the top wing rather than the bottom. This gave the pilot/gunner an excellent all-round view but contributed nothing to stability.

The Scout (unofficially called the Sparrow) was intended to carry a Davis two-pounder recoilless gun, but wiser heads prevailed, figuring that, recoilless or not, the structure wasn't up to such a weapon. An ordinary Lewis gun was fitted instead. The ability of a single man to fly the aircraft, load, fire and reload these heavy guns was always doubtful. When RNAS pilots got their hands on the Scout they found it was overweight with extremely poor handling. The Admiralty accepted it, but got rid of it as unsatisfactory within a month.