RAF rocket blast plates

[Christopher Brown]

Hi Guys

Has anyone got clear manual images or drawings of the blast plates fitted to Hurricanes & Swordfish when using RP-3 rockets?

Many thanks

Christopher

[Troy Smith]

Hi Guys

Has anyone got clear manual images or drawings of the blast plates fitted to Hurricanes & Swordfish when using RP-3 rockets?

Many thanks

Christopher

these should be 1/48

If you are doing a Hurricane IV then they had armored radiators, as below.

Both from 'Hawker Hurricane, classic aircraft No.4, their history and how to model them' ...long out of print! [i got mine in 1979!]

I think Firefly's and Hellcats [iIRC] used the same blast plates, I have seen good pics of those on-line before.

The Sea Hurricane of 825 sq on HMS Vindex didn't use blast plates, this was rigged up on ship.

see http://forums.diecast-aviation.eu/showthread.php?t=7582

HTH

T

[Selwyn]

Hi Guys

Has anyone got clear manual images or drawings of the blast plates fitted to Hurricanes & Swordfish when using RP-3 rockets?

Many thanks

Christopher

I don't think there were blast plates as such on the Swordfish. The underwing fabric was replaced by metal skinning to enable the Fish to carry rockets.

Selwyn

[Test Graham]

That can't be the reason in itself. The Hurricane had metal skinning, but still was believed to need blast plates. These were fitted to all the early UK attempts at rocket-carrying aircraft, up to the Hellcat. Later (1944 onwards?) aircraft were fitted with a different attachment that did not require these blastplates, but I don't think I've ever seen an explanation of why. The later installation had less drag and weight, so was an obvious improvement, but how the negative features were avoided or negated I don't know. Possibly they were just found to be less than feared. Or possibly the rails were mounted just that little bit further away from the wing.

[Edgar]

This is an image from a trials installation, but should be, at least, similar:-

[Edgar]

That can't be the reason in itself. The Hurricane had metal skinning, but still was believed to need blast plates. These were fitted to all the early UK attempts at rocket-carrying aircraft, up to the Hellcat. Later (1944 onwards?) aircraft were fitted with a different attachment that did not require these blastplates, but I don't think I've ever seen an explanation of why. The later installation had less drag and weight, so was an obvious improvement, but how the negative features were avoided or negated I don't know. Possibly they were just found to be less than feared. Or possibly the rails were mounted just that little bit further away from the wing.

I think that your last comment might be the right one; these are the fittings, with what appear to be longer extensions than on the standard Hurricane fitting, and were considered adequate, without blast plate, for the Mosquito. That Sea Hurricane looks to have similar extensions.

Edited March 15, 2012 by Edgar

[Edgar]

I don't think there were blast plates as such on the Swordfish. The underwing fabric was replaced by metal skinning to enable the Fish to carry rockets.

According to this, they did, but couldn't have been easy to see:-