Recent content by Zmauky

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    Me 209 (1943) - what's the verdict?

    Well, after reading a couple of books on the subject of history of Me 109 (some from our members), this hobby aviation lover has to ask why the development of the Me 155 was not hurried and adopted for production. I am referring to the earlier program, which is actually the Me 109 with new wings...
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    German heavy bombers

    That's a nice topic and this is what iff section - Not exactly a modeling part but... a couple of months ago I sketched Out Do 117. The story begins with a Monogram model of Dornier in 1/72 which is no longer comparable with ICM or Airfix (and it's not exactly accurate). And so... POD is that...
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    Best of the pre-war rest: Czechoslovakians, Poles, Romanians or Yugoslavs?

    By the oil cooler, and the horizontal tail, and the fabric outer part of the fuselage, definitely a Yak, I would say a local conversion of the Yak-9. Admittedly, the rest of the planes in the picture also look like Yaks, but they are first version of the post-war S-49A. The plane that is about...
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    BF-100 with radial engines (like BMW 801)?

    Not on the Bf 110, but if memory serves there were projects for the Me 410/BMW 801. Most of the reason is that (at least at the beginning of the war 1939-42 ) they did not have sufficiently strong (and large) radial engines. Both BMW 132 and Bramo 323 only approached 1000 hp in the latest...
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    Can we make a faster better performing Wildcat in 1942?

    Busy Sunday, so I didn't get to participate... actually, a short remark should have been about the design philosophy and sheer size. As the Bearcat is designed for the smallest airframe for the R-2800 and range, I think a wiff Wildcat with R-1820 and 4x12.7 and enough range (read fuel weight)...
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    Can we make a faster better performing Wildcat in 1942?

    Just a tiny digression. The F8F is almost long as F4F, has a wing span smaller by a good meter (and a smaller wing area). It certainly looks smaller. It has approximately 25% larger Wing loading but also a much heavier engine (and almost twice the Max takeoff weight). Bottom line - as if Wildcat...
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    Better German naval strategy 1930-1945?

    Very good, I like it. PBB/Panzerschiffe is a hair-raising thing for the RN, because they understood Zenker's intentions ie disruption of trade routes. (which was shown at the beginning of the war). It is much easier to reduce Germany to one of the signatories of international agreements than to...
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    Other countries' Dauntless?

    And this includes Bulgarian DAR 10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DAR_10 Unfortunately or fortunately, the Bulgarian VVS took the German Ju 87, so the production did not proceed. With 950 hp, 410 km/h and 500 kg of bombs, it is right up there with the SBD.
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    Better German naval strategy 1930-1945?

    I think that the intention of the Dutch was to strengthen the defense of the DEI so that the problem was transferred to the Japanese (who solved similar problem -British KGV and Repulse- quite successfully). A more nervous RN means a freer hand for Italy in the Mediterranean. The Kriegsmarine...
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    Better German naval strategy 1930-1945?

    A radical solution to the "problem" of S&G being undergunned and not getting involved in changing turrets (and everything else that goes with it) is to sell them to the Dutch. Historically, in 1940, a contract was concluded on the transfer of technology for the battlecrusier (S&G), with a...
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    Mass produced HS-123s

    The difference is that the newer construction carries more and faster and ... better. Given that the Ha 137 was a prototype, we will never be sure about that, but... (this is for the Ha 137B - Jumo 210 variant) with approx. 30% less power, it carries 2x more machine guns/cannons and the same...
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    Mass produced HS-123s

    The idea of a lightweight CAS aircraft is quite ok, but maybe not like the outdated Hs 123, but like more modern the Blohm & Voss Ha 137. We have a prototype with optional 2x MG/FF or 4x7.9mm (and the same bombload on slightly less powerful IE earlier Hornet / BMW 132) Interestingly, Richthofen...
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    What does the IJN look like if war delayed six months?

    Actually, that's what I wanted to say. Without going into details, the wisest game for Japan would be to ignore the USA ( and both Yamamoto and PH) and occupy DEI (with or without a war with the UK). FDR probably would not have succeeded in persuading congress to vote for war over the colonial...
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    What does the IJN look like if war delayed six months?

    Probably the only way to delay Pearl Harbor is for Japan to have access to oil. I am almost certain that Japan would not make a "Molotov - Ribbentrop" variant of the agreement with the USSR so that the oil from DEI and Southeast Asia remains only option. Now this is where things get...
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    Unofficial Bf 109-x GB: 1/72 Bf 109H-1

    The best thing is that (at least for now) nobody can't say that you are wrong.😉 One fine day, I hope to finish my 109H as well. Of course, when I find time to finally draw and print the nose for the variant with the DB 628 engine. Otherwise, there is a slightly newer version of the AZ model...
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