4 ms·

160 hp seems a little disappointing considering the original merlin-powered variant had 1,490 hp. i realize this thing is a lot lighter, but would’ve been reall

by kart23 2y ago

160 hp seems a little disappointing considering the original merlin-powered variant had 1,490 hp. i realize this thing is a lot lighter, but would’ve been really cool to see a turboprop or more power.

walrus01 2y ago
Modern example of a PT6 turboprop powered aircraft that is a cropduster adapted into a tactical light attack platform: https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/air-tractor-at-802u-surveillance-and-light-attack-aircraft/ https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/air-tractor-at-... Undoubtedly in the many millions of dollars per unit purchase price category, so a whole other thing than something that's cheaper than a Cirrus SR22.
- HideousKojima 2y ago
  There's also the Brazilian made Super Tucano, one of my personal favorites (and would be my pick for an A-10 replacement if I had to choose): https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embraer_EMB_314_Super_Tucano https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embraer_EMB_314_Super_Tucano
- doodlebugging 2y ago
  OT. A former neighbor has been a pilot for Air Tractor for decades ferrying planes from their factory in Olney, Texas to buyers all over the world. He's flown every type of plane that they've built over the years. Air Tractor has always had an excellent product.
  - walrus01 2y ago
    Now I'm trying to imagine what a peculiar sight it must be to see an Air Tractor show up at the airport in Iqaluit, Nunavut on one of the stages of a multi-hop ferry flight via Greenland to Europe.
gibsonf1 2y ago
Exactly my thought, at a minimum, it should match the speed of the original.
- jjtheblunt 2y ago
  Just in case a carbon fiber messerschmidt becomes available!
throwanem 2y ago
I had a brother-in-law once who owned a Toyota Supra for about a week, until he put it upside-down in the ditch opposite his folks' house trying to head home on a rainy night. Stone sober, not that kind of family - "too much car for me," he said, after he'd sold it on again at a loss incurred by the repairs. No idea why that old story came to mind just now. He wasn't hurt, if anyone's wondering. Of course, it was a pretty shallow ditch.
DrNosferatu 2y ago
My thoughts exactly!
TylerE 2y ago
Power costs a ton. Like more than you can imagine. A Metlij just at cruise power, not even max, will drink 60-70 gallons per hour. Avgas is $7/gal, and also not even high enough octane for a Merlin. You’d be at $500/hr just in gas.
donw 2y ago
Not only that, but it won't have the same soundtrack, which is iconic for planes of the era. Still quite an achievement, but would be nice to see a more authentic engine option.
bigiain 2y ago
Mike Patey is a Youtube guy I occasionally watch who builds (amongst other things) race planes. He built "The fastest single engine turbine plane in the world" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pUpJz6QbBk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pUpJz6QbBk It was "only" just over 1000hp. It didn't end well (but at least nobody died): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swo_FHGkfCM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swo_FHGkfCM I'm 100% certain "full military power" aircraft are well outside the set of compromises general aviation pilots are prepared to accept. (And probably outside what the FAA would allow you to build and fly?) I wonder what the service 8intervals were on a 1490hp Mustang? (Did they even bother with "service intervals" on planes that probably didn't come home often enough to make it to the 2nd service?)
- throwanem 2y ago
  > I wonder what the service intervals were on a 1490hp Mustang? "For some airplanes, such as the P-51D, use of WEP [war emergency power] required that the engine be inspected for damage before returning to the air.[4] 5 hours' total use of WEP on the P-51D required a complete tear-down inspection of the engine.[4]" Considerably more than a mere 1500hp, though, by at least some accounts. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_emergency_power https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_emergency_power

by kart23 2y ago

walrus01 2y ago

Modern example of a PT6 turboprop powered aircraft that is a cropduster adapted into a tactical light attack platform: https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/air-tractor-at-802u-surveillance-and-light-attack-aircraft/ https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/air-tractor-at-... Undoubtedly in the many millions of dollars per unit purchase price category, so a whole other thing than something that's cheaper than a Cirrus SR22.

HideousKojima 2y ago
There's also the Brazilian made Super Tucano, one of my personal favorites (and would be my pick for an A-10 replacement if I had to choose): https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embraer_EMB_314_Super_Tucano https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embraer_EMB_314_Super_Tucano
doodlebugging 2y ago
OT. A former neighbor has been a pilot for Air Tractor for decades ferrying planes from their factory in Olney, Texas to buyers all over the world. He's flown every type of plane that they've built over the years. Air Tractor has always had an excellent product.
- walrus01 2y ago
  Now I'm trying to imagine what a peculiar sight it must be to see an Air Tractor show up at the airport in Iqaluit, Nunavut on one of the stages of a multi-hop ferry flight via Greenland to Europe.

gibsonf1 2y ago

Exactly my thought, at a minimum, it should match the speed of the original.

jjtheblunt 2y ago
Just in case a carbon fiber messerschmidt becomes available!

throwanem 2y ago

I had a brother-in-law once who owned a Toyota Supra for about a week, until he put it upside-down in the ditch opposite his folks' house trying to head home on a rainy night. Stone sober, not that kind of family - "too much car for me," he said, after he'd sold it on again at a loss incurred by the repairs. No idea why that old story came to mind just now. He wasn't hurt, if anyone's wondering. Of course, it was a pretty shallow ditch.

DrNosferatu 2y ago

My thoughts exactly!

TylerE 2y ago

Power costs a ton. Like more than you can imagine. A Metlij just at cruise power, not even max, will drink 60-70 gallons per hour. Avgas is $7/gal, and also not even high enough octane for a Merlin. You’d be at $500/hr just in gas.

donw 2y ago

Not only that, but it won't have the same soundtrack, which is iconic for planes of the era. Still quite an achievement, but would be nice to see a more authentic engine option.

bigiain 2y ago

Mike Patey is a Youtube guy I occasionally watch who builds (amongst other things) race planes. He built "The fastest single engine turbine plane in the world" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pUpJz6QbBk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pUpJz6QbBk It was "only" just over 1000hp. It didn't end well (but at least nobody died): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swo_FHGkfCM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swo_FHGkfCM I'm 100% certain "full military power" aircraft are well outside the set of compromises general aviation pilots are prepared to accept. (And probably outside what the FAA would allow you to build and fly?) I wonder what the service 8intervals were on a 1490hp Mustang? (Did they even bother with "service intervals" on planes that probably didn't come home often enough to make it to the 2nd service?)

throwanem 2y ago
> I wonder what the service intervals were on a 1490hp Mustang? "For some airplanes, such as the P-51D, use of WEP [war emergency power] required that the engine be inspected for damage before returning to the air.[4] 5 hours' total use of WEP on the P-51D required a complete tear-down inspection of the engine.[4]" Considerably more than a mere 1500hp, though, by at least some accounts. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_emergency_power https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_emergency_power