F4F-4EVA
By "Da Frog"
Italeri, 1:72
When at last things returned to close to normal and countries once again looked to things other than survival rather than redesigning aircraft from scratch, designers fell back on tried and true designs making adaptations to allow for the available technology. The F4F (originally designed for the USN around 1940) was chosen due to its ability to land on small carriers and because extensive technical information and airframes were available for study by the Aeronautical Redevelopment Task Force (ARTF).
The original radial engine was reengineered using modern materials and burning methanol (can be brewed up from rice, cane sugar, etc.) with nitrous injection to give a maximum combat power of 3000 hp for short periods. A butterfly tail was added in place on the original unit to reduce weight and drag.
Modern electrical and power-assisted controls were also added to increase
se
maneuverability at high speed. Due to a lack of conventional weapons
or means of manufacturing ammunition something known as the ominous cannon
was fitted. The ominous cannon is a kind of rail gun and has a normal
sized (25mm) barrel surrounded by an outer jacket that contains the necessary
cooling for superconducting magnets. The ominous cannon can achieve a
high firing rate and can fire various types of ammunition (though nothing
electrical the magnetic fields fry it) one disadvantage of the ominous
cannon is that ammunition as well as a large battery must be carried.
The battery is mounted in the fuselage and can be slid out onto the wing
for service and replacement.
Text and photos Copyright © 2002 Da Frog
Page created August 31 2002.