Scale Model Shop

Collapse

1/24 Grumman XP-50 Skyrocket

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • Guest

    #1

    1/24 Grumman XP-50 Skyrocket

    Kicking off another scratch build which catches me thinking I'm offering proof I've lost my marbles. But anyway, it's true. While the Bearcat moves along with a reasonable amount of my time/attention, I've had time to work out the logistics of the Skyrocket project and I think it's going to work. One reason I'm kicking it off is I want to get the messy priming/sanding/primer part done while the weather is still warm and I can work in the garage safely avoiding the toxic fumes. It will slow down the Bearcat, but I will enjoy working on the two of them regardless of what plane gets finished when.

    So here's a shot of the 3D rendering of the Wright R-1820 I've come up with. It's off to Shapeways now to get printed. Fingers crossed. Much greater detail than the Bearcat engine mostly because now I have more understanding of how to model stuff in 3D.

    [ATTACH]300717[/ATTACH]


    Here's the real thing. There was just one and it perished in a crash after just a few months of life. Love to see it come back if it's just in a model form. Note that it has many ideas that were realized in the Tigercat, but the Tigercat was built from a different prototype all together a few years after this one got going. Note too that it's like the XF5F Skyrocket because well it's basically a version of that but done under an Army Air Corps contract, not a U.S. Navy one. (the XF5F was not approved by the Navy). The XP-50 project lived in the shadow of the competitor prototype , the XP-49, a super P-38 from Lockheed. The XP-49 never really never did much better than the original P-38 and it too never went anywhere.

    [ATTACH]300718[/ATTACH]
  • flyjoe180
    SMF Supporters
    • Jan 2012
    • 12400
    • Joe
    • Earth

    #2
    Looking forward to this one Jim. A very unusual looking aeroplane.

    Comment

    • yak face
      Moderator
      • Jun 2009
      • 13840
      • Tony
      • Sheffield

      #3
      Great stuff jim , another lovely grumman bird. I love the tigercat and you can clearly see the lineage in the xp50 , from the windscreen forward its virtually the same. Minicraft do a 1/48 xf5f skyrocket but i never really liked the look of it . I mean great idea - putting as small an airframe as you could onto two of the biggest engines you could find but it just didnt look right with the nose level with the wing leading edge, the xp50 looks more like an aircraft to me. Looking forward to the magic , cheers tony

      Comment

      • Guest

        #4
        I'm with you on the XP-50 being much less of a freak show and with the tricycle gear it's just a peach. The XF5F reportedly had great forward vision for sighting the carrier deck. I think the Navy had some reservations about the demands on maintaining two engines on a single plane.

        Comment

        • Jim R
          SMF Supporters
          • Apr 2018
          • 15687
          • Jim
          • Shropshire

          #5
          Hi Jim
          Always in for one of your scratch builds. The engine looks very detailed. I look forward to seeing it 'printed'.
          Jim

          Comment

          • colin m
            Moderator
            • Dec 2008
            • 8741
            • Colin
            • Stafford, UK

            #6
            This is going to be great to watch. But I have no idea where I would start a project like this.

            Comment

            • Guest

              #7
              Thanks for joining Colin. I like to start with the spine. This was what the did last night. From here I’ll add the bulkheads, insert a bunch of balsa in between the bulkheads and then sand to the bulkhead and spine skeleton edges. The engine nacelles will be the same idea.

              Comment

              • Steve Jones
                • Apr 2018
                • 6615

                #8
                Jim
                Looks like I have arrived just in time. Looking forward to watching you do your thing
                Steve

                Comment

                • Guest

                  #9
                  Engines are printed. Really happy with results. Interestingly on my weekend trip to Charleston I got to view a ton of Grumman planes at the USS Yorktown museum . Real Wright R-1820 to take notes from and I got to sit in the cockpit of an F9F Cougar (the swept wing version of the Panther).

                  [ATTACH]301396[/ATTACH]

                  [ATTACH]301397[/ATTACH]

                  Comment

                  • flyjoe180
                    SMF Supporters
                    • Jan 2012
                    • 12400
                    • Joe
                    • Earth

                    #10
                    Engine is looking fantastic Jim

                    Comment

                    • Guest

                      #11
                      "Engines are printed."

                      Can't get my head around that simple statement. I'll certainly enjoy watching.

                      Comment

                      • Guest

                        #12
                        I know. It’s funny to type that, still. 99% of my 52 years one printed strictly on paper, not in 3D space. Living the future.

                        Comment

                        • Guest

                          #13
                          How cool is that ?:surprised:

                          Comment

                          • Jim R
                            SMF Supporters
                            • Apr 2018
                            • 15687
                            • Jim
                            • Shropshire

                            #14
                            Hi Jim
                            That does look good.
                            Jim

                            Comment

                            • JR
                              • May 2015
                              • 18273

                              #15
                              Impressive work on that engine Jim :thumb2: and looks good in the printed form .
                              I shall sit a the back and enjoy .
                              John .

                              Comment

                              Working...