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Tupolev I-8 / AHT-13 Conversion


Tweener

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Hello all

 

While reading up on the Tupolev I-4 series and planning future builds and conversion of them, I came across the AHT-13, prototype of the I-8. The aircraft was essentially a redesigned I-4 with an imported Curtiss Conqueror engine.

The aicraft did not enter production because the USSR had no plans to import or produce the Conqueror engine and no local alternative was available. In spite of that, flight tests appear to suggest that the aircraft flew well, being the

first Soviet design to pass 300 km/h in level flight. 

 

My question is, given my interest in modelling all the variants of the I-4, from AHT-5 Prototype, to Production I-4, Mid-Production I-4Z (smaller lower wing), and Late-Production I-4bis (with lower wing removed entirely), and now, the I-8, where could I find a suitable nose and set of landing gear to graft onto the I-4 fuselage?

 

 

I-4 (AHT-5)

Tupolev I-4 (AHT-5)

 

I-8

ANT-13 2

 

Thanks, Tweener

 

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Wow, that's quite a challenge, especially taking into account that not much is known about I-8, just a couple of photos and primitive plans.

I know one guy who tried to do the conversion from I-4 using Frog Miles Magister as a donor for the nose, I don't know if it was successful or not

 

6643413.jpg

 

I-4Z, do you mean the plases that were used with "Zveno" compound system? 

 

Good luck, watching with interest

 

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10 hours ago, Pin said:

Wow, that's quite a challenge, especially taking into account that not much is known about I-8, just a couple of photos and primitive plans.

I know one guy who tried to do the conversion from I-4 using Frog Miles Magister as a donor for the nose, I don't know if it was successful or not

 

6643413.jpg

 

I-4Z, do you mean the plases that were used with "Zveno" compound system? 

 

Good luck, watching with interest

 

I was thinking the old Monogram P-6 E might work well, but I will give the Magister a look as well. Thanks for the plan comparison too, that will prove invaluable - I had not realized the difference in head rest shape or rudder yet, somehow. One thing is for sure, I want to finish at least one normal I-4 before I go too crazy. By the time I do the kit twice I should have a pretty good idea of how it works.

 

By I-4Z, I do mean the Zveno fighters. I doubt I will make the TB-1 to carry them, but who knows what the future holds. It would certainly be a fun project, and I do have my eyes on the Mikro-Mir kit.

 

Thanks, Tweener

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I would suggest to do scratch work on this fuselage. It would be better than adopt any non-related one. BTW - this is Andrej Nikolayevich Tupolev, so ANT (cyrylic "H" is "N" ) :)

Cheers

J-W

 

 

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3 hours ago, JWM said:

I would suggest to do scratch work on this fuselage. It would be better than adopt any non-related one. BTW - this is Andrej Nikolayevich Tupolev, so ANT (cyrylic "H" is "N" ) :)

Cheers

J-W

 

 

Unfortunately a conversion using other parts is really my best option having never scrapped anything similar before, and being unable to make use of a vac machine or anything of the like. My plan is to ask for measurements of the nose of the monogram and olimp P-6 kits and go from there.

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There are only two photos known of I-8, the other being

i8-1.jpg

 

And the scheme

 

i8-1.gif

 

 

The plane was powered by  Curtiss V-1570 Conqueror, so P-6 may be right choice if you want to kitbash although I would not choose this path and rather use the scheme above scaled to dimensions:

 

Wingspan 9.00m

Length 12.78m

Height 3.34m

Wing area 20.00m

 

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10 hours ago, Pin said:

There are only two photos known of I-8, the other being

i8-1.jpg

 

And the scheme

 

i8-1.gif

 

 

The plane was powered by  Curtiss V-1570 Conqueror, so P-6 may be right choice if you want to kitbash although I would not choose this path and rather use the scheme above scaled to dimensions:

 

Wingspan 9.00m

Length 12.78m

Height 3.34m

Wing area 20.00m

 

I am starting to think it may just be easier to convert a P-6 kit than an I-4 kit now that I really look it over again. Guess I will have to buy one and go from there...

 

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On 9/30/2018 at 8:12 PM, Tweener said:

By I-4Z, I do mean the Zveno fighters. I doubt I will make the TB-1 to carry them, but who knows what the future holds. It would certainly be a fun project, and I do have my eyes on the Mikro-Mir kit.

I did a Zveno-1 some years ago - using a vacform TB-1 with two Nakotnes I-4's....

 

szveno02.jpg

 

I also did an 'Aviamatka' (Zveno-6) - with FIVE fighters attached to an ICM TB-3 :-

 

Zveno_31B.jpg

 

Have fun....

 

Ken

 

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