USN/USMC Flying Fish

[frank2056]

I think I'm done with this one.

The kit torpedoes were far too long for a Mark 14, so I chopped 34mm from each (poorly) and glued the pieces back. If you squint, they look like a MK. 14, especially under a wing:



Here's a fuzzy front view. Both the pilot and torpedo man/bombardier have sights - but they're invisible in all the pictures:



You can almost see the pilot's sight (front seat). Also shown is the advanced horizon indicator. It would take an aircraft engineer to describe the technical workings of the apparatus, and I'm not one. I just printed the decals and put some clear glue behind the holes.
2510 is the year/month I finished the build and TB72 is Torpedo-Bomber 72, just to show some connection to the Caproni B.72 :



I'm not clear as to how the crew gets to their stations. I assume a ladder from the rear? I split the two long flaps at the rear into two, before I added the winglets.



The backstory is that the USN was looking for a fast alternative/adjunct to the new PT boats being produced. In operation, they would act as fast scouts, finding and attacking enemy vessels and indicating targets for the slower PT boats and destroyers. They could fly in ground effect mode, and could launch their two torpedoes either from the air (from less than 100 feet altitude) or from the surface.

Tests in the waters near the Channel Islands (off the coast of California) revealed problems with the Flying Fish concept. While on the surface, the prototype showed severe chine/hull slap at high speeds, even in relatively calm waters. This made it difficult to release the torpedoes accurately. Flying in ground effect, a few feet off the water resolved the problem, but flying greatly reduced the range of the craft. Combinations of surface and flying approaches to targets were tried, but none were satisfactory, especially compared to the PT boats which were slower but better armed and more maneuverable.

The handful of prototypes were used to patrol the entrance routes to the Panama Canal, both in the Pacific and Caribbean oceans and faded into obscurity after the war.

I like the colors - they remind me of some of the covers from the Sci Fi pulps of the era.

[Captain Canada]

What ? I can't believe I've missed out on this thing......wow....Love it ! The whole idea. The cockpits and gunner positions look incredible. The colour scheme is perfect for a prototype of that era. Nice little story to it as well. I'd like to see a follow up mk.II variant, a couple refinements to make her work.

[kerick]

If you told people that really existed they would believe you! Great job all around.

[Old Wombat]

Yeah, I like this one! Great colour scheme!   

"Implausibly plausible", is how I'd describe it - especially as the Italians apparently looked at, albeit briefly, designing/developing them. 


From our friend Drachinifel:

[Rick Lowe]

Came out well! 

[Dizzyfugu]

Colorful! And a great piece of work. 

[zenrat]

Very good indeed.      

ISTR that cruising with WIG (wing in ground effect) was considerably more fuel efficient than "normal" flying.  Might it also be more fuel efficient than dragging a pair of floats through the water?

Speaking of floats, I have taken to adding weight to the front of the floats when I build floatplanes.

[buzzbomb]

Yes this is very nicely done

[NARSES2]

I like the colors - they remind me of some of the covers from the Sci Fi pulps of the era.

Very much so. She, has to be a she  , looks gorgeous   

[HarryPhishnuts]

That is a great build. I almost expect that to be in an Indiana Jones movie or something. Beautiful.   

[frank2056]

Thanks, guys - it was a surprisingly enjoyable build - from the CAD work and printing to the Mikro-Mir parts going together as intended (and well).

Very good indeed.     

ISTR that cruising with WIG (wing in ground effect) was considerably more fuel efficient than "normal" flying.  Might it also be more fuel efficient than dragging a pair of floats through the water?

Speaking of floats, I have taken to adding weight to the front of the floats when I build floatplanes.

WIG planes can be pretty efficient, but once out of ground effect, they're not great. The floats on this one would have added drag as well.
I noticed this model rocked back on the floats - I thought the engines would have been heavy enough. It could have used some weight in the floats.

[The Rat]

2 words: in credible!   

[jcf]

The blue would make it a command aircraft. 

[frank2056]

Commander of a two or three ship "fleet!"

I thought about making a 37mm gun to replace the two Mark 14 torpedoes, but it would have been a race to discover the least effective anti-shipping weapon.