What is your favourite what if theme or era?

[uk 75]

This may already be covered elsewhere but it seemed a fun idea to learn more about what visitors here like in the alternate world. I will kick off.

As my handle, UK 75, suggests I am interested in the projects that were planned in the 60s for service in the 70s. This covers verything from TSR 2 and co to an alternate Space Programme after Apollo 11.

 

[Stargazer]

For me it's 1940s and 1950s experimental aircraft from the United States.

 

[Rafael]

VTOL, specially tilt-wing/rotor and Ducted fans
Ships, T-CRAFT types and associated classes like SES, pure hovercraft, hydrofoils. Modern SSKs (currently building an HDW U-212 and DCNS SMX-23 Andrasta) and OPVs
Land, Small HUMVEE-like vehicles and the rest of turreted, armored wheeled vehicles (modern)
Space, void to be filled. Hundreds of subjects also on-site

 

[hagaricus]

Have to add Dynasoar and offshoots as an alternative to pure rocket-&-capsule spaceflight...

 

[Kryptid]

Supersonic stealth aircraft for me, although I'm also fond of older fighter designs from the 50s onwards.

 

[Johnbr]

For aircraft desizes of the 40's and 50's.Love the Xb-51 I love to see it with three ge- 404.

 

[Archibald]

NASA in the 1969-72 era.
It was the most turbulent era in the space agency history, with a host of incredible manned / unmanned missions competing for a smaller and smaller budget.
- the last Apollo landings
- Skylab
- Shuttle
- NERVA
- Hubble
- Mars-Voyager / Viking
- Grand Tour / Voyager
- HEAO (High Energy Astronomical Observatories)

An hectic period.

As for aviation - Dassault Mirages prototypes of the 1959 - 1979 era. There was a whole bunch of them with every wing planform - swept, delta, VG. Small and big, one or two engines, VTOL, STOL.

 

[cluttonfred]

I'd have to say that I like the immediate pre-WWII and early WWII period for both the historical "what if" factor and for some of the designs that never caught on. It's not hard to come up with scenarios that allowed designs to shine that, in reality, fell by the wayside for various reasons.

What if the U.S. Navy had rushed the Grumman XF5F Skyrocket into production? What if the French had gotten their act together early enough to produce the Dewoitine D.520 in quantity? What if quality had won over politics and the Richard Vogt's Blohm & Voss Ha 137 had become the standard Luftwaffe ground attack aircraft?

It's also neat to imagine how things might have turned out if some of the more unusual designs or eccentric designers had been embraced early on. Fleets of Fauvels and Delannes defending France from the invading Luftwaffe or Martin-Baker lightweight and Miles low-cost fighters joining the Battle of Britain. The possibilities are endless....

Cheers,

Matthew

 

[Stargazer]

It's also neat to imagine how things might have turned out if some of the more unusual designs or eccentric designers had been embraced early on. Fleets of Fauvels and Delannes defending France from the invading Luftwaffe or Martin-Baker lightweight and Miles low-cost fighters joining the Battle of Britain. The possibilities are endless....

You've made me turn all dreamy... ;D

 

[uk 75]

Archibald

Your mention of Mirage projects in the 60s and 70s wets my appetite. As there is much good literature and artwork in French books (sadly my school French only allows me to read some of the text) can you reccommend any source material or books (private message if you prefer as this is a thread on themes/eras)?

 

[theponja]

Well, I'm going to dream something close to my heart: The IAME in Argentine continues working and the Pulqui II, Querandi, IA-38 and IA-48 go into production. They are used by Fuerza Aerea Argentina.

 

[Schneiderman]

I'd have liked the Schneider Trophy racers built for the various contests to actually have turned up and raced, most of the contests turned out to be less than spectacular. Imagine 1929 with two Supermarine S6s, one Gloster VI, two Macchi M67s plus maybe the Savoia S65 (or Fiat C29 or Piaggio-Pegna Pc7), two Bernard HV120s and one Nieuport NiD 450, and the US Mercury Racer. That would have been a fine afternoon's racing.

 

[Steve Pace]

I would have loved to see the B-70 and F-108 go into production. -SP

 

[Avimimus]

For aviation - 1909! The raw period of experiementation giving way to the first real successes. Incredibly low wing loadings!

 

[Justo Miranda]

France 1940 french fighters projects.

 

[Archibald]

France 1940 french fighters projects.

Justo: considering the large numbers of sometimes exotic designs, it must be a full time hobby