Hello again The-Necromancer it's good to hear from you. I have a question relating to dieselpunk flying aircraft carriers like the Akron-class airship (with its signature trapeze-style recovery/launch system) and your examples below:
The Akron-class airships' trapeze-style recovery/launch system appear to be a popular example for the US military's multiple post-Akron attempts with creating parasite fighters from flying carriers. But its successful use involved biplane-type fighters, which allows fictional ideas based on the Czech Avia B-534 and British Gloster Gladiator biplanes... and maybe the 1930s-era Polish PZL P.24. and USSR Polikarpov I-16s monoplanes.
In contrast, post-WW2 examples used jet-powered monoplanes which presented problems like with the McDonnell F-85 Goblin parasite fighter's docking tests.
The only alternative was the USSR's Zveno project consisting of a Tupolev TB-1 or a Tupolev TB-3 heavy bomber mothership and two to five fighters. Depending on the variant, the fighters either launched with the mothership or docked in flight, and they could refuel from the bomber. The definitive Zveno-SPB using a TB-3 and two Polikarpov I-16 monoplanes.
If we are talking about prop-driven monoplanes for faster performance aircraft, do you think the trapeze system might work for such planes? Or the top-mounted, aircraft carrier-style runways in your two pics above might work better
Say The-Necromancer I remembered this pic introducing the idea of a single-barrelled or single-mount version of the same type of 57mm artillery (i.e. the QF 6-pounder 10 cwt gun).
I recently found videos discussing about the German Rheinmetall BK 7,5 and Swedish Bofors 57mm m/47 aircraft gun. I thought you might be interested in the videos to complement your airship armaments selection.
Hey The-Necromancer I just found these three airship/Zeppelin pics and I thought you might be interested. What do you think of their designs?
Excuse me The-Necromancer have you heard of this early idea of a jet engine before the turbojet? I thought if you are looking for more ideas to make up new dieselpunk aircraft or engine options for dieselpunk airships/hybrid airships, this might be one new idea to use. Maybe..... that is up to you but I thought this interesting piece of aviation history might open new ideas in a fictional setting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorjet
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caproni_Campini_N.1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_I-250
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_XF15C
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_FR_Fireball
Say The-Necromancer what do you think of the German dieselpunk airships used in this FPS video game?
First of all, nice rip off of Wolfenstein, haha.
Now, the airships: I'm not sure if they're supposed to be transports, but I'm presuming they're not bombers given the planes filling that role. Generally, a transport role would be fitting enough for such a setting, although I would argue they're flying way too low. Just a quibble, given that I presume they could fly higher if dramatic effect weren't a factor.
The giant, submarine style propeller at the stern is comical. While there are similarities between airships and submarines, propulsion style is not one of them. A single, giant propeller like that would weigh a ton, requiring some interesting ballasting of the ship. I would also love to know what engineering nightmare the drive train connecting it to the engines would look like.
I would also argue the length to beam ratio of the ships is a bit antiquated for the 1950s. The more pencil or cigar shape went out the window by the 1920s in favor of the more efficient teardrop shape.
They are hardly the most unrealistic design, from what I can tell from the trailers, but they do have a few glaring bad points. Overall, I give them a 6 out of 10.
"....Now, the airships: I'm not sure if they're supposed to be transports, but I'm presuming they're not bombers given the planes filling that role. Generally, a transport role would be fitting enough for such a setting, although I would argue they're flying way too low. Just a quibble, given that I presume they could fly higher if dramatic effect weren't a factor...."
I couldn't help but keep thinking of what type of design or redesign do you think should be made to function as an armed transport (as well as providing aerial fire support like a gunship) as shown in the trailers and playthrough videos.
That and another support variant that functions as a flying aircraft carrier like in the video game and with these real-world examples/theories (especially the trapeze-style pioneered by the Akron-class flying aircraft carrier) and your airship artworks. I hope you don't mind me asking this question.....