A6M5a Canopy Is Incorrect

[F/O Buzzbe]

Hola,

Tried the Luzon arena (very nice) in a A6M5a and mixed it up with an N1K. Noticed as I looped over that the canopy has a frame at the 12 o'clock position. That frame placement is incorrect and restricts the view horribly.

Regards,



------------------
F/O Buzzbe
416 RCAF "The Lynx"
"Ready for the Leap"
416rcaf.org

[funked]

Nope.
 http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/Forum9/HTML/000495.html

[This message has been edited by funked (edited 09-30-2000).]

[StSanta]

Heh. Muahahahahah.

Gettum funked.  



------------------
StSanta
JG54 "Grünherz"

[F/O Buzzbe]

The Model 52 that I was in was rebuilt in Manitoba quite a few years before Steve Hinton (who I've flown with) and Jim Maloney (deceased) got the Planes of Fame one running. It did not have that frame and it did come out of the jungle on Luzon. My guess is that some early aircraft A6M2 had the top frame (although I have pictures of both). If you remember correctly alot of early pilots flew with the canopy back (after having my vision blocked in the sim I know why). It is possible, as is often the case, pieces get moved around, during field modifications, replacements, the picture is of a variant.

I saw the NASM aircraft at the Paul E. Garber facility before it went on display and I don't remember it having the top frame, however I also had long since run out of film (I could have take a thousand pictures at the storage facility) and I could be mistaken.

Dowty-Rotol had got us in, we had brought a PR-19 five bladed prop for evaluation, down off a Spit we had in Hamilton. That was traded to Sweden for a couple of jets, that we traded for something else that eludes me.

In a nutshell I wouldn't have your buddies stroke you to much about being the god of detail :-)

It's a shame they chose to model the variant that has a visibilty disadvantage. Guess I'll fly the N1K like everybody else does in the sim.

Regards,

------------------
F/O Buzzbe
416 RCAF "The Lynx"
"Ready for the Leap"
416rcaf.org

[This message has been edited by F/O Buzzbe (edited 09-30-2000).]

[funked]

Both the A6M2 and the A6M5 of the NASM have the vertical brace.  
The Planes of Fame A6M5 has the brace.  The CAF A6M3 has the brace.  
The A6M5 in the Mitsubishi factory has the brace.  
The A6M7 in the San Diego Aerospace museum has the brace.  

I've got wartime photos (both US and Japanese sources) of about a dozen different A6M2, A6M3, A6M5 that all show the brace.

I'm sure there might have been some built without the brace, but you think there would be a photo of one somewhere...

I'm not the god of detail BTW.  Citabria and Nath are the gods of detail.   I just have a lot of Zeke pictures.  

[This message has been edited by funked (edited 09-30-2000).]

[StSanta]

<Pads funked on the back>

And they whine about that li'l bar - check the 190's _

------------------
StSanta
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"

[F/O Buzzbe]

The NASM Zero was not on display when I visited, it was in storage at the Paul E. Garber Facility. Maybe with the canopy open I just missed it. I can't see the frame on the photo you posted cause of the glare, my books don't have a good angle on it either. Of course this means if I want to fly the Zero I'm now gonna have to try to use padlock.

I've seen a 190 and that did have it. If you have a spare 500k you can purchase one here.
 http://www.flugwerk.com/

I think the Manitoba Zero went to a private collector in Japan, did the Planes of Fame one go to Japan aswell? I seem to recall hearing that someplace.

Regards,



------------------
F/O Buzzbe
416 RCAF "The Lynx"
"Ready for the Leap"
416rcaf.org

[Hamish]

Suggested compromise/fix:

If pilots flew with the canopy open, why not add the ability to open the canopy?  

Add it to all planes to be fair, but, also add the inceased drag affect (if any, not sure if it would even be noticeable)It seems to me that it would interfere with the air flowing smoothley over the fuselage.

I do think it would be neat to be able to open the canopy  


Hamish

[funked]

Buzzbe:  I have some other photos of the NASM A6M5 that I will try to scan.  There is a good assortment of Zeke photos here:  http://www.j-aircraft.com/walk/walkarou.htm

Hamish:  That is a neat idea.  I know that Soviet pilots flew with canopies open quite often in combat.  If HTC could estimate the drag increase it would be a neat feature.

[Hans]

For those of you who didn't bother to follow that other link to another discussion on this very topic.

 

[GrinBird]

The Open-Canopy-Feature could be usefull during landing and under taximaneuvers on runway when you look for the gasolin pump.
Because of the long nose sticking up in the air WW2 pilots had to open canopy and lean out under those maneuvers. Would be cool indeed. Should have some effect on sounds too.

------------------
GrinBird

[Torque]

FOBuzzbe was there a minidocu done on the guy that built it? Either W5 or Live it up?

[Snoopi]

 

Originally posted by F/O Buzzbe:
The Model 52 that I was in was rebuilt in Manitoba quite a few years before Steve Hinton (who I've flown with) and Jim Maloney (deceased) got the Planes of Fame one running. It did not have that frame and it did come out of the jungle on Luzon.

Buzzbe:    

I'm from Manitoba and know the plane you are talking about. (It would be 1 of 2 Zekes)
Bob Diemert from Carmen, Manitoba restored a zeke when I was a kid. (among other warbirds)
I was actually there when the gear collapsed on the first landing after restoration at his "Friendship Field".
He also recovered a 2nd zeke that he sold to in the 1980's.

See this old post of mine in regards to this
2nd zeke that became a NEW one.

 http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/Forum1/HTML/003748.html


Regards

[This message has been edited by Snoopi (edited 10-01-2000).]

[F/O Buzzbe]

I was heavily involved back then in restoring aircraft. And Bob's Zero was the one I was talking about.

I think the CBC did something on him related to a homebuilt military aircraft he put together when we were buying the CF-18's (I was working for Leigh Instruments then, partnered with Mac Air in the States as part of the procurement team).

His concept was along the Russian model, quantity over quality. Not sure if his plane ever got airborne, it was dead ugly (anybody got a picture of it?).

On a side note, my nephew played for Cal Murphy for three years in Winnipeg "Go Bombers", before moving on to the Green Riders for four years (Ryan Carey).

Visit here: http://www.warplane.com/

Regards,


------------------
F/O Buzzbe
416 RCAF "The Lynx"
"Ready for the Leap"
416rcaf.org

[F/O Buzzbe]

Great idea, I'll put a fan ontop of my monitor and get some goggles :-). Did Navy pilots all land with the canopy back?

I'll have to get some of my video's out and check. I always loved the jungle camo's the Japanese used on aircraft, any plans to have skins available like the Mechwarrior series?

Regards,

 

Originally posted by Hamish:
Suggested compromise/fix:

If pilots flew with the canopy open, why not add the ability to open the canopy?  

Add it to all planes to be fair, but, also add the inceased drag affect (if any, not sure if it would even be noticeable)It seems to me that it would interfere with the air flowing smoothley over the fuselage.

I do think it would be neat to be able to open the canopy  


Hamish

------------------
F/O Buzzbe
416 RCAF "The Lynx"
"Ready for the Leap"
416rcaf.org