allardjd 1,853 Posted May 17, 2017 Report Share Posted May 17, 2017 Good info here from Wiki... Four-stroke radials have an odd number of cylinders per row, so that a consistent every-other-piston firing order can be maintained, providing smooth operation. For example, on a five-cylinder engine the firing order is 1, 3, 5, 2, 4 and back to cylinder 1. Moreover, this always leaves a one-piston gap between the piston on its combustion stroke and the piston on compression. The active stroke directly helps compress the next cylinder to fire, making the motion more uniform. If an even number of cylinders were used, an equally timed firing cycle would not be feasible.[1] The prototype radial Zoche aero-diesels (below) have an even number of cylinders, either four or eight; but this is not problematic, because they are two-stroke engines, with twice the number of power strokes as a four-stroke engine. This strongly implies that what's shown, with six cylinders, is some kind of 2-stroke engine, possibly even a "rotary engine" though from the cowl details and close fit to the fuselage it doesn't look like the latter. I kind of wonder if this isn't just a toy or a "notional model", not intended to be an accurate representation of anything in the real world. There appears to be a faired "headrest" behind the cockpit, which implies post WWI and as Brett notes, the lack of bracing struts or wires for the gear legs and between the wings further leads me to believe it's not a model of a real plane, just some toymaker's stab at the concept. Whatever you have there looks pretty old and might just be worth something. John EDIT: Looking again, I think I see pushrod tubes and rocker arm covers, strongly implying a 4-stroke engine. If so, that would be a six-cylinder, 4-stroke radial, and for the reasons given in the Wiki piece above would be pretty impractical. If it ran it all it would probably shake like the proverbial dog passing peach pits. JDA 1 Link to post Share on other sites
J G 927 Posted May 21, 2017 Report Share Posted May 21, 2017 It looks like a between the wars radial engine aircraft, civilian, I have seen it somewhere and I just cant bring it to mind. Ill get back to you. Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Coffee 2,030 Posted May 21, 2017 Report Share Posted May 21, 2017 (edited) I suspect it is a toy maker's version of his ideal of what a biplane looks like. I suspect they may have seen many pictures of planes from the racing era that the BeeGee racer comes from...the cockpit looks right up against the vertical stabilizer, a common look of that vintage. John's observations about the radial engine having the wrong number of cylinders makes me think the artist may not even have directly designed from actual pictures, but from recollections of pictures they had seen. Like, I as an artist can draw a fairly convincing representation of a blimp or zeppelin because I have drawn many of them before, but if you put one of my sketches on a forum and asked folks to ID the maker of the blimp that inspired it...it would be anyone's guess. /2 cents from an artist perspective. Edited May 21, 2017 by Captain Coffee Link to post Share on other sites
J G 927 Posted May 22, 2017 Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 It was the BeeGee that I had in mind, Back to scratching my head, but it feels like it is, as Matt says, a toy makers impression of what a racing biplane should look like. Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,316 Posted May 22, 2017 Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 Wonder what happed to the OP, hasn't been back since he first posted. Hope all is well by him. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
sixa 1 Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 Wow guys I'm impressed. I thought nobody would want to respond for that. And here it is, such a great discussion. This is very helpful what you all have written since this question was asked by my boss and I couldn't answer what plane it was. Now I know much more thanks to you. Thanks ! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
dodgy-alan 1,587 Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 Looking at that engine, it seems to have a shrouded cowling at the front, The design to me looks very similar to the Polikarpov I-15 http://www.wwiivehicles.com/soviet-union/aircraft/fighter/polikarpov-i-15-fighter/polikarpov-i-15-fighter-04.png Link to post Share on other sites
dodgy-alan 1,587 Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 https://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/turtledove/images/d/d3/SPEC-48055.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110906035114 Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 I don't think that's it - on the model the cylinders are exposed, the wings are of equal length and the wing struts are vertical. On the Polikarpov the cylinders are completely shrouded, the lower wing is much shorter than the upper and the wing struts seem to be canted outward at the top by quite a bit. John 1 Link to post Share on other sites
dodgy-alan 1,587 Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 46 minutes ago, allardjd said: I don't think that's it - on the model the cylinders are exposed, the wings are of equal length and the wing struts are vertical. On the Polikarpov the cylinders are completely shrouded, the lower wing is much shorter than the upper and the wing struts seem to be canted outward at the top by quite a bit. John The I-15 seems to have several variations, so it's possible was based loosely on one, however, it could well be just a generic "Biplane" possibly made for a presentation piece etc. It is very crude by any standards. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
J G 927 Posted May 24, 2017 Report Share Posted May 24, 2017 I am fairly sure that it is only a toy, not modelled on a specific aircraft. It is reminiscent of some of the caricature aircraft that Alan has made. Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,498 Posted August 12, 2017 Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 Bump! This one may have featured previously, any ideas? Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,316 Posted August 12, 2017 Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 Looks like the F-82 Twin Mustang, more info here. Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,498 Posted August 13, 2017 Report Share Posted August 13, 2017 Yey well done Brett! Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,316 Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 This is a beauty and imitation is the best form of flattery, can you guess the original? Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Godden 945 Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 Wedell-Williams Model 22 Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,316 Posted September 13, 2017 Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 Right you are Andrew. The original was built by aircraft racer Jimmy Wedell and was built specifically to compete in the 1930 All-American Flying Derby from Buffalo to Detroit although it was never finished in time. Their were two aircraft but the were both destroyed by the 1930's and the aircraft pictured above is a only a gorgeous replica. More here for the full story and the unedited image. Over to you Andrew..... Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Godden 945 Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 The thread has been quiet for a while, probably because finding an aircraft which will present even a slight challenge to devotees here is getting more and more difficult. So, let's try this one! Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted December 11, 2017 Report Share Posted December 11, 2017 I'm going to go with the Bacon Super T-6. But you're right, it was a pretty tough one. John EDIT: Only one built. It didn't exactly sell like the hotcakes that normally go with bacon. EDIT EDIT: It looked enough like a Yak-18 that I spent a fair amount of time disproving that it was some little-know variant of that. It's not. John Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Godden 945 Posted December 11, 2017 Report Share Posted December 11, 2017 Well that killed any thoughts of it being even remotely hard, John. Well done. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted December 11, 2017 Report Share Posted December 11, 2017 Thanks, Andrew. Will post one tomorrow. It's time to start slaving on five more airport diagrams tonight. John Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted December 11, 2017 Report Share Posted December 11, 2017 Here's the next one. I think the only way to give some of the experts here a challenge is to only give them bits and pieces. Having said that I think this one is pretty easy and probably won't last 15 minutes, unless they get into the "I know but I'm leaving it for someone else" mode. This blocked out image shows some of the most recognizable features of this AC. John Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Godden 945 Posted December 11, 2017 Report Share Posted December 11, 2017 Grumman A-6 Intruder variant. The speed brakes and position of the refueling probe are the dead give away. The tail hook merely confirmed it being a carrier borne variant of an aircraft. Link to post Share on other sites
Holdit 106 Posted December 11, 2017 Report Share Posted December 11, 2017 1 hour ago, Andrew Godden said: Grumman A-6 Intruder variant. The speed brakes and position of the refueling probe are the dead give away. The tail hook merely confirmed it being a carrier borne variant of an aircraft. Agree. EA-6B Prowler I'd say. Link to post Share on other sites
allardjd 1,853 Posted December 11, 2017 Report Share Posted December 11, 2017 31 minutes ago, Holdit said: Agree. EA-6B Prowler I'd say. No, it's the standard attack bomber version of the A-6. Andrew's got it. I didn't think this one would be very hard. It's a well-known aircraft produced in large numbers and has some distinctive features, which I tried to include. It also has a nose only a mother could love (or maybe a radar technician) but I couldn't figure out how to include that without it being a dead giveaway. Another interesting feature of the Intruder is that the ailerons only deflect upward, permitting full-span flaps. Nice work, Andrew. Link to post Share on other sites
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