I have been having a think about making a tanker for my Honduras air force, and have narrowed it down to either a Nord Atlas with auxiliary jets, or(preferably) a Canberra. I can't see it being much of a problem converting the canberra, adding wing tanks and a drogue from the tail of the plane.
Any thoughts or ideas would be welcome.
Cheers,
Chris.
Nice idea - you could put the fuel hose/drum system in the bomb bay and load up the wings with jugs.
Dare you to do it in flying pose with a customer...
Regards,
Greg
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi38.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe123%2FB777LR%2Fnike-just-do-it_thumb.jpg&hash=debba46b89031f032b2af7a698db77717aa34286)
(slaps head) Why didn't I think of that?! Excellent idea! :cheers:
I was going to suggest something along the lines that Greg has already said for the Canberra, use the Victor fuselage drogue and then some Buccaneer wing tanks plus the wingtip tanks (the big ones)
Or, fit refuelling pods under the wingtips and a big, fat, space/drag efficient fuel tank (possibly bulged) in the whole of the bomb bay. Maybe a periscope under the nose or a camera fairing under the tail so that the crew can see the receivers.
QuoteMaybe a periscope under the nose or a camera fairing under the tail so that the crew can see the receivers.
You could do that or be really cruel and stick someone in the tail lying down ;D
Regards,
Greg
Thanks for the very excellent ideas lads :thumbsup:
I think I might start gathering the bits for this one tomorrow, now...to decide on which Canberra to use :unsure:
Cheers,
Chris.
I guess your going for 1/72? The Airfix B(I).8 is probably the best option, you wouldn't need the extra wing area of the PR.9. I like the idea of an earlier style Canberra with the standard canopy, but unless you can find an older kit, the B(I).8 should do.
My thoughts? ------> :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:.
I have 4 Canberras at my disposal, one a B-57G I want to keep it as a night interdictor bird, a B-57B, a B1 MK 8/12?? its the old Novo one, and the PR9. I think the Novo one could be the best one for the job, all are in 1/72nd scale.Has anyone built the Novo Canberra?
Cheers
Chris.
There's a review on Modelling Madness:
http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/viet/wombycan.htm (http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/viet/wombycan.htm)
You know, the B-57B might work well simply for a different look as it didn't export widely compared to the EE original. It'd wind the purists up too! :thumbsup:
A few have mentioned having a fuselage mounted HUD along with wing hoses, but I don't think there would be enough clearance? It's a possibility as a spare, but you'd have two points on the wings anyway.
If you're looking for 1/72 kits of the early Canberras, there's always High Planes. They do a number of versions and they turn out very nice. I have quite a few of their kits and although the sprue gates are quite heavy, they clean up into a very accurate kit.
It's best to order from them direct, it works out much cheaper, even having it sent to the UK.
http://www.hiplanes.com/new/1_72_kits/1_72_kit_list.htm
Quote from: kitnut617 on January 09, 2010, 06:33:41 PM
If you're looking for 1/72 kits of the early Canberras, there's always High Planes. They do a number of versions and they turn out very nice. I have quite a few of their kits and although the sprue gates are quite heavy, they clean up into a very accurate kit.
It's best to order from them direct, it works out much cheaper, even having it sent to the UK.
http://www.hiplanes.com/new/1_72_kits/1_72_kit_list.htm
However, Hannants have the RAAF Mk.21 on offer at the moment for £19.55, which is cheaper than the High Planes price of $45 Aus, which works out to about £25.00:
http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=HPM7286
Hasn't some Canberra variants got wing hard points couldn't you make some of them wet and fit a Buddy-buddy pack ah-la Skyhawk/Buccaneer and an LRDT on the opposite wing. Possibly adapt the bomb bay door making it look buldged like the Buccaneer with extra fule tanks and in the description say the bombay is filled with an X capicity auxillary fuel tank?
the novo one is ok, depending on how old your example is...the older the better. Expect loads of flash if its fairley recent.
As kits go its clunkly and the plastic is sometimes rock hard. But its a perfect kit to whiff the life out of.
Quote from: DarrenP on January 10, 2010, 01:50:22 AM
Hasn't some Canberra variants got wing hard points couldn't you make some of them wet and fit a Buddy-buddy pack ah-la Skyhawk/Buccaneer and an LRDT on the opposite wing. Possibly adapt the bomb bay door making it look buldged like the Buccaneer with extra fule tanks and in the description say the bombay is filled with an X capicity auxillary fuel tank?
The B.5 was a pathfinder variant, there was a prototype but it never went into production. This had a wet wing with tanks forward of the spar. The B(I) variants from this point on had wet wings, along with hard points. The B-57 had hardpoints, not sure about the wet wing, but it was definately doable.
Quote from: Martin H on January 10, 2010, 03:07:10 AM
the novo one is ok, depending on how old your example is...the older the better. Expect loads of flash if its fairley recent.
As kits go its clunkly and the plastic is sometimes rock hard. But its a perfect kit to whiff the life out of.
You can also pick up the Frog originals for a pittance these days. It's old and could do with a bit of detail but it's almost bang on in terms of size, shape and outline.
Slightly off-topic, the new Airfix 1/72 Canberra(I).8 has four equally spaced small rectangular cut-outs in each bottom wing half, plus two little drill holes near the inner most cut-out. For this particular kit it says to cut the inner cut-out out and the third one in from the aircraft center for the pylon connections, but was there any Canberra which had four pylons under each wing ? And what would the two little drill holes be for ?
B-57's did, but not the EE versions IIRC.
what about the drogue unit from a 1/144 vc10 fttedunder the tail?
I'd think the BI.8 would be ideal as you have the gun pack at the rear of the weapons bay that you could simply rework a bit to look like a drogue reel housing.
It has a good shape already, you'd just need to putty in the gun muzzles and rework the back end of it for the drogue opening.
If not that, then put the drogue outlet a bit further back along the fusleage aft of the weapons bay. It could be something as small as what was seen on the KA-6D Intruder with the reel assembly completely internal. This way, you could keep the streamlined shape of the Canberra (I think the fuselage is big enough that you wouldn't need bulged weapons bay doors).
I do like the idea of Buccaneer style slipper tanks that was mentioned in a previous post. I think they'd look quite fetching on a Canberra and would work very well to set your tanker apart from garden variety ones.
I think Flight Refuelling did this for real in early days. I recall a piccie of a Can, B2 or B6 maybe, with a hose pod sticking out of the rear of the bomb bay, refuelling one of the probe fitted Meteor F8s. The ground clearance on rotation must have been VERY crucial, as the Can is so low anyway.
As for the wing hardpoints, the B(I)8s had twin points, and all Cans built after that had them too, thus the PR9's capability of carrying Boz pods. But the Akrotiri strike wing locally modified their B6s to have four wing hard points, and I used that mod as an example for my MR23. You can just see the fairings for the mounts on the top of the wing in the piccie below, crossing the red/blue boundary of the roundel.
There's a thought: what's in the back of a Canberra's fuselage, behind the bomb bay? if it's full of ECM gear, then maybe a tanker could ditch that in favour of a wholly internal HDU...
For the likes of a Canberra the ability to convert it to other roles would make me go down the route of podded buddy tank with Auxillary and LRDT's
Doesn't the Revell 1/72 Tornado come with a buddy back?
Yes. Airwaves also did a 72nd one in white metal and then resin to go with the Airfix Buccaneer.
I was thinking of keeping the conversion pretty simple, but as a permanent fixture of sorts. I was think about putting the drogue and hose equipment exiting the rear of the fuselage behind the bomb bay, and putting some large fuel tanks under the wings to compliment the fuel cell in the bomb bay, If I can find them that will fit right I will use some slipper tanks, but I think some large drop tanks will be the order.
Cheers,
Chris.
the hindenberg tanks for the tornado might be an option?
Been thinking of a version of the canberra making an operational version of the T22 with blue parrot radar possibly based round the B(I)8.
How about a pair of the large Harrier GR.5/7/9 tanks --- only in 1/48 scale. I've got a pair of those I'm not using.
Quote from: PR19_Kit on January 10, 2010, 01:10:45 PM
I think Flight Refuelling did this for real in early days. I recall a piccie of a Can, B2 or B6 maybe, with a hose pod sticking out of the rear of the bomb bay, refuelling one of the probe fitted Meteor F8s. The ground clearance on rotation must have been VERY crucial, as the Can is so low anyway.
You think correct, Sir. See http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1954/1954%20-%200015.html for more; remember seeing photos somewhere an age ago - don't remember where, though. ;D ;D
Quote from: kitnut617 on January 12, 2010, 06:19:17 AM
How about a pair of the large Harrier GR.5/7/9 tanks --- only in 1/48 scale. I've got a pair of those I'm not using.
They could be just the ticket Robert. how big are they please?
Chris.
Hmm! now I see then together they might be a bit big ---
Quote from: kitnut617 on January 12, 2010, 03:43:39 PM
Hmm! now I see then together they might be a bit big ---
Hmm?
They are a wee bit aren't they, thanks anyway Robert for being such a helpful gent. :cheers:
Chris.
Okay, playing devil's advocate here; doesn't someone on this forum do a conversion for a Caberra transport with a larger fuselage? That'd be ideal for a Canberra tanker. Using the "stock" Canberra, I'd be tempted to suggest using the B-57's rotating bomb bay so that the HDU could be safely stored during takeoff and landing. I wonder if that'd permit a bit of a bulged door like the RAF Bucc's had?
Quote from: elmayerle on January 12, 2010, 10:06:54 PM
Okay, playing devil's advocate here; doesn't someone on this forum do a conversion for a Caberra transport with a larger fusealge? That'd be ideal for a Canberra tanker. Using the "stock" Canberra, I'd be tempted to suggest using the B-57's rotating bomb bay so that the HDU could be safely stored during takeoff and landing. I wonder if that'd permit a bit of a bulged door like the RAF Bucc's had?
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That would be interesting,a pregnant Canberra tanker :wacko:
Chris.
Quote from: elmayerle on January 12, 2010, 10:06:54 PM
Okay, playing devil's advocate here; doesn't someone on this forum do a conversion for a Caberra transport with a larger fusealge? That'd be ideal for a Canberra tanker.
you mean this one Evan?
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The conversion was from TSRjoe. He run off about half a dozen that I know of.
Now that is very cool :ph34r:
One of those would make an excellent dedicated tanker with the windows blanked off.
Nice one :thumbsup:
Chris.
Quote from: Martin H on January 17, 2010, 08:47:06 AM
Quote from: elmayerle on January 12, 2010, 10:06:54 PM
Okay, playing devil's advocate here; doesn't someone on this forum do a conversion for a Caberra transport with a larger fusealge? That'd be ideal for a Canberra tanker.
you mean this one Evan?
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi2.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy22%2Fmartinhiggs%2Fcranberry.jpg&hash=bc9e320b3e539ff2ccea75a6a4102e2a07ab6cf0)
The conversion was from TSRjoe. He run off about half a dozen that I know of.
Precisely!! Though you might need a might more powerful engines for the tanker version.
Quote from: elmayerle on January 17, 2010, 08:23:13 PM
Precisely!! Though you might need a might more powerful engines for the tanker version.
How about the Avon RA24s from the PR9? There's at least three kits with them around now, the old Matchbox, Xtrakit and now Airfix.
Thought i'd be nice and share my plans for a canberra tanker, BUT no stealing!
Quote from: Black Knight on January 21, 2010, 02:17:07 PM
Thought i'd be nice and share my plans for a canberra tanker, BUT no stealing!
I hope you have a titanium skid plate on there somewhere, that belly bulge will be VERY close to the ground!
Nice use of My Canberra maritime strike!!!! some crediting would be nice!!!!
Quote from: PR19_Kit on January 21, 2010, 04:15:31 PM
Quote from: Black Knight on January 21, 2010, 02:17:07 PM
Thought i'd be nice and share my plans for a canberra tanker, BUT no stealing!
I hope you have a titanium skid plate on there somewhere, that belly bulge will be VERY close to the ground!
Would agree with that canberra was a bit close to ground
Quote from: DarrenP on January 21, 2010, 10:13:40 PM
Quote from: PR19_Kit on January 21, 2010, 04:15:31 PM
Quote from: Black Knight on January 21, 2010, 02:17:07 PM
Thought i'd be nice and share my plans for a canberra tanker, BUT no stealing!
I hope you have a titanium skid plate on there somewhere, that belly bulge will be VERY close to the ground!
Would agree with that canberra was a bit close to ground
Sorry Darren i knew i forgot to mention you last night :banghead:
NP ment to add a ;D to that. But looks good!
Well the project is GO :o
Today arrived some tanker pods and drogues from the man himself Pyro Manic. The pods are ok on their original pylons so I will put one on either wing with a large fuel tank, and the extra drogue will be on the rear lower fuselage. I ws going to just have it refuel 2 aircraft but....may as well make it serve 3.
Cheers,
Chris.
Bring on the pics fella !! :D
Check out canberra B2's WH734 & WK143 used by flight refueling ltd Hose drum units were fitted in the bombays.