[ralster]

Gentlemen, greetings. My first posting. As a longtime student of WW2 aviation, I have been researching the feasibility of "new" airframes for such planes as 109E, F, K? and Ki43, A6M2, Ki61...Most of these 1930s-40s designs are of straightforward construction. The problem is powerplants, especially for the inverted v12s. Obviously there will be alternate powerplant choices, so would not be 100% reproductions, although certainly fullsize and at least 80% of the HPrating, whatever the powerplant choice. I do not agree with wooden replicas (like some Spitfire reproductions). I live in a city with 3 aircraft factories and many airframe & sheetmetal workers available for parttime moonlighting on my project as well as aero engineers for consultation. I have been compiling airframe data+CD drawings (Fw190). It is not-so-surprising that many of the later Luftwaffe planes were build in sheds or other simple (dispersed) areas, which highlights the simpler techniques of that era. I havent picked which airframe deserves to grace the air first, but obviously I love these planes and am tired of only seeing P51s and Texans and fake Zeros(modified AT6Texans..) at airshows. The Me262 recreations by Tischler, the FlugWerk 190, and the Blayd Zero (new construction with hardly any original parts) only add to my eagerness. I have thought about an all-metal Spitfire Mk1, F4U, P40 (B or E?), again because these are "M.I.A" at airshows and in the air (and engines exist for these 3). My intent is not to try to profit from these, but to put those glorious shapes back in the air again, with myself flying one. Then again, if I spend $ on R&D, these may be 1/4th the price of a surviving original--gets more in the air, maybe? Also, the Me109G owned by MBB is simply too precious to risk flying it. I welcome anyone's thoughts on my idea, especially if you like Luftwaffe/WW2 planes as much as I do.