Low Level to Moscow: B.126T & the Handley Page HP-99

[Overkiller]

Hi folks,

just a bit of early progress on my latest scratch bash undertaking, the Handley Page HP-99.

The HP-99 was submitted to the MOS in 1952 against specification B.126T for a low altitude bomber to operate alongside the V-bombers.

B.126T (OR.314) required a 10,000lb bombload, range 2,500 miles at an average flight altitude of 500ft @ 0.85 Mach with a 10 minute burst at 0.95 in the target area.

Four firms tendered:

Avro = Avro Type 721

Bristol = Bristol 186

Handley Page = HP-99

Shorts = Shorts P.D.9

Ultimately B.126T foundered on the fact that engine and navigation technology had yet to progress to the point of allowing a practical low altitude bomber, all the submissions were virtually flying fuel tanks, often taking off near empty of fuel and needing air refueling shortly after take off. As for the navigation no TFR or any such gizmology, navigation was to be by dead reckoning and moving map displays (fun at night or in bad weather!)

The obligatory three view:

Span=70ft 6in

Liength = 104ft 4in

Wing Area = 1100 sq ft

AUW = 260,000lb

Powerplant = 4 x Rolls Royce Avons

Donor kits are:

B-52 (engine pods)

Matchbox Victor (wing and fuselage)

KC-135 tailplane for fin

B-58 fuel tank for stand off bomb

Various bits and pieces to be raided as required

A shed load of plasticard and milliput...

Now a bit of the limited progress made this weekend:

Removed the nosewheel bay from the Victor fuselage, I now need to skin the interior to form a new floor and fill the area between this new floor and the old bulged forebody with Milliput before taking a ruddy great file to it to reshape it.

Wings from Victor need to be cut up to make the new wings, picture shows were I need to cut the wings and reposition to get the crescent wing.

I have stretched the engine pods using conduit tube, will fill with Milliput and sand to shape as well as adding undercart bays in the lower section of the engine pods.

Much to do and early days yet, will mainly work on this at the weekends. Thanks go to Geoff Baker (Geoff_ for helping me source the necessary kits to do this and for helping me figure out how to do this.

Duncan

Edited August 18, 2008 by Overkiller

[Howard of Effingham]

ATTA-BOY!

can lend you a pair of B-66 engines for this one OK?

PM me if you need them.....

trevor

[martin_sam_2000]

Very interesting build.

I will be watching this oe with interest!!!

Sean

[ReccePhreak]

Any further progress on this?

[GreenDragon]

Duncan finished it in 2009, it's been at several shows I think. Here's the build thread from what if modeller (think you need to be a member to see pics though). http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,21242.60.html

He's done some more great scratch builds over there too.

Paul Harrison