28ZComeback Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 (edited) http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/45-eb00209842_zpsaa91cfb9.jpg Greetings all, I am attempting to add a double rocket configuration to a 1/48 Special Hobby Oxford--can anyone suggest a set of double rockets to convert the trainer to an armed anti-insurgency plane as depicted above? I cannot find an aftermarket duel rocket set but perhaps there are parts from a donor kit (Beaufighter? Mosquito? Firefly?) that someone might recommend? Many thanks in advance for any suggestions. Edited November 30, 2017 by 28ZComeback 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 1 hour ago, 28ZComeback said: http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/45-eb00209842_zpsaa91cfb9.jpg Greetings all, I am attempting to add a double rocket configuration to a 1/48 Special Hobby Oxford--can anyone suggest a set of double rockets to convert the trainer to an armed anti-insurgency plane as depicted above? I cannot find an aftermarket duel rocket set but perhaps there are parts from a donor kit (Beaufighter? Mosquito? Firefly?) that someone might recommend? Many thanks in advance for any suggestions. That's a very interesting photo! I don't think I've ever seen a twin rocket installation with the rockets staggered like that- just the one above the other as on Mosquitos and Beaufighters. I guess the bottom rocket in each tier could be mounted to either side or beneath the one above it, as the second rocket was clamped to the one above it. So, I think whatever donor kit or aftermarket set has rockets that were not mounted on rails, but on the stub fairings would work- you would just have to figure out how to "clamp" the lower rocket of the tier... onto the one above it maybe fine brass wire or orthodontist wire would work? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 It's certainly unusual and would make a great model. If nobody offers a donor set of rockets there are aftermarket ones like ours https://www.redroomodels.com/red-roo-resin-148/wwii-60lb-rockets-for-beaufighter-148/ but you may want to buy a Meteor or Beaufighter and make it without the rockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 hi all - these are just standard double staggered RPs - as found on this "obscure" post war aircraft https://modelingmadness.com/scott/korean/uk/rn/seafire17.htm https://jonbryon.com/spitfire-html/ http://www.brigandboys.org.uk/index.php/my-tour-with-84-squadron-jun-dec-1950 The latter is interesting as it shows the mk3 launcher rail with the staggered carriage cheers Jonners 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 Very interesting photo! Please note that there are also two cannons or MGs in fairings beneeth center of wing. What country are markings? Iraq? If someone would like to work on this in 1/72 I have a feeling that such set of rockets is in Spitfire XIV by Academy. I do not have it in stash so difficult to check... Cheers J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hornet133 Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 The triangular under wing markings are those of Burma (now Myanmar). The serial under the wing also starts with 'UB' which stood for 'Union of Burma' at that time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawk Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 (edited) The guns in the under-fuselage pods are .303" machine guns. There's a photo of the same aircraft (UB339) at the same time and location (Boscombe Down) but from a different angle on p.249 of Air Britain's The Oxford, Consul and Envoy File, which says that the rockets are 25lb rocket projectiles. What you see in the photographs are, I think, concrete practice heads. Believe all the suggested kit options so far have been for RPs with 60lb HE heads. Think the only 1/72 representation of the munition I see in the photos was in the old Airfix Jet Provost T.3 kit which provided 4, though not in tiered mounts. Total deliveries to Burma between 1948 and 1950 were at least 15 Oxfords (UB331-338, 341-2, 346-7, 350-2 plus others that retained their RAF serials) and 9 Consuls (UB339-40, 343-5, 348-9, UBC-1, UBC-2). Oxford UB333 had a dorsal turret with Lewis gun reminiscent of early Oxford Is. Consul UB340 was destroyed on 15/6/50 when a rocket blew up underwing during a demonstration flight. Edited November 30, 2017 by Seahawk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 (edited) It's a really fascinating pic. Thanks for sharing it. I can't help but think that the 4 FTS crews who took their Oxfords into battle at Habbaniyah in May 1941 would have appreciated the gun pods and rockets! Note the Avro Tudor lurking in the background. Perhaps the photo was taken at Farnborough? Edited December 1, 2017 by mhaselden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 (edited) 12 hours ago, Jon Kunac-Tabinor said: hi all - these are just standard double staggered RPs - as found on this "obscure" post war aircraft https://modelingmadness.com/scott/korean/uk/rn/seafire17.htm https://jonbryon.com/spitfire-html/ http://www.brigandboys.org.uk/index.php/my-tour-with-84-squadron-jun-dec-1950 The latter is interesting as it shows the mk3 launcher rail with the staggered carriage cheers Jonners Jonners- great photos and models, BTW! 28Z- I think Seahawk is correct about those rockets in the photo being concrete practice heads. I think if you can find a set of 1/48 rockets with the same mounting stubs as the ones in Jonners' photos, you could make the concrete heads out of styrene tubing or sprue. You could then carefully clip the mounting clamps from the upper rockets and remount them at an angle to the stub fairing, which would give you the staggered arrangement as seen in your photo. Does that make any sense? Pretty nasty Oxford, with the rockets and gun pods! I say go for I- a very interesting and unusual model! Mike Edited November 30, 2017 by 72modeler added text for clarity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 I think the gunpods are the same as the ones used on RAF Havards? seem to remember them from the old airfix kit. Selwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28ZComeback Posted November 30, 2017 Author Share Posted November 30, 2017 Thank you gentlemen for your thoughtful replies! I have taken note and will update you on the project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 15 hours ago, 72modeler said: Jonners- great photos and models, BTW! 28Z- I think Seahawk is correct about those rockets in the photo being concrete practice heads. I think if you can find a set of 1/48 rockets with the same mounting stubs as the ones in Jonners' photos, you could make the concrete heads out of styrene tubing or sprue. You could then carefully clip the mounting clamps from the upper rockets and remount them at an angle to the stub fairing, which would give you the staggered arrangement as seen in your photo. Does that make any sense? Pretty nasty Oxford, with the rockets and gun pods! I say go for I- a very interesting and unusual model! Mike Hi all - the Airfix Seafire 17 has the correct staggered RP parts - though you'd need to lengthen the mounting stub fairings a tad looking at the photo, and mod the heads to the flat fronted concrete ones ( not hard) If the OP wants 'em - just drop me a PM - my Seafire 17 is in the process of becoming a 15 anyway. Just to clarify - the lower rocket is not mounted at an angle ( as seem from front-on) to the upper - its just staggered forward - so the rear fins clear each other. The photo makes it look like the lower RP is angled but if you look closely you can see the heads of the lower RPs on the starboard wing "just" obscure the upper heads a tad ( if they were angled to one side you'd expect it to be the other way round), and on the port wing its pretty clear they are just vertically staggered. Note the Avro Tudor 8 jet transport in the background too - where was the pic taken - farnborough perhaps? Just found this too: https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?113516-Burmese-Airspeed-Oxford-question Jonners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnd Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 23 hours ago, JWM said: If someone would like to work on this in 1/72 I have a feeling that such set of rockets is in Spitfire XIV by Academy. You are correct. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 I never saw an Airfix-tooled Harvard with underwing gunpods. I suspect you are thinking of the Heller T-6G, but these were wider twin-gun pods anyway. I don't think that Burma would have had much use for the 25lb AP rocket heads, but the 60lb HE ones would have been more useful to them anyway. We could certainly use some of the 25lb heads for anti-shipping Mosquitos/Beaufighters, but there are plenty of the 60lb heads around. At least in 1/72nd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now