Malcolm Hoods

Thanks for confirming, Aircraft. It was described as Spitfire / Mustang but to me looked nothing like a Mustang Malcolm hood.

Rob

Rob, that one was a spitfire canopy with the original frame.

Pretty much everything it that sale went for ott prices.

I know this is an old thread but I noticed this apparent Malcolm hood sold at auction last year for major money considering the condition, but my question is what type is it actually from?

https://www.bidspotter.co.uk/en-us/auction-catalogues/cheffinsov/catalogue-id-cheffi1-10031/lot-1c020586-235c-4de9-862f-a5a800fa3ad8

Rob

I believe Blackburn Aircraft were modifying the Hellcat with production Malcolm Hoods.

John

Regarding FAA Hellcat’s, were many fitted with these hoods or is this a one off??

I have only ever seen this one photo.

Re P47 Malcolm hoods

I wonder what the story behind Malcolms on P-47s is then. I don’t have the scale plans here to compare fuselage geometry between Thunderbolt and Mustang, but with so few P-47s with blown hoods visible on old pictures, I always though these were rather field mods based on P-51 hood…

As far as I know the P51 and P47 are two different mouldings , I have a P47 malcolm hood and there are several noticable difference’s, besides the P47 one being huge,
The flat section either side of the front and back of the bulge is even on P51 hoods and uneven in P47 hoods , plus the P47 moulding is made to sit ontop of the original canopy side rails, and of course the locking method.

I always thought that the Malcolm hoods were fitted at Burtonwood to both
P51’s and P47’s ? does anyone out there Know ?
The possible reason for the P47 with Malcolm hoods being rarer during WW2
maybe due to a couple of reasons , Many Fighter groups giving up their P47’s for P51’s and the Bubble top canopy P47 becoming more available to front line squadrons

I wonder what the story behind Malcolms on P-47s is then. I don’t have the scale plans here to compare fuselage geometry between Thunderbolt and Mustang, but with so few P-47s with blown hoods visible on old pictures, I always though these were rather field mods based on P-51 hood…

The detailed quote from the thread above is here:

First, it is not an adaption of a (much smaller) Spitfire hood. They are totally different airplanes, with different dimensions and cross sections. The blown hood was merely inspired by that produced for the Spitfire. RAF test records indicate that the engineering work for the blown Mustang hood was done in the UK by North American Aviation engineers (i.e., it was an NAA engineered design, not a British one, thus factory approved and “official” as opposed to some cobbled up field mod.) Once a prototype was tested (on a Mustang I), production was turned over to Malcolm Ltd. to refine it for production, and produce the kits. The engineering required a lot of internal airframe modifications, and the stresses and aerodynamics were all considered.

So having seen the Spitfire “blown hood” and decided it was great, NAA developed the shape needed, and made a test article… but then turned it over to Malcolm Ltd. for refinement of the design and for production, as Malcolm were the experts in actually mass-producing them.

Certainly Spitfires had another (second) standard before the blown hood, where the top was raised to create more headroom but the sides remained straight. This can be difficult to distinguish from the later Malcolm hood in side-views. I believe this was standard on the Mk.I through to (and possibly after) the Battle of Britain, and possibly the Mk.II as well. I don’t know whether this is directly linked to the introduction of the quick release mechanism.

Given that Malcolm were blowing canopies before North American, I suggest the part played by the NA specialists would be learn, and to provide drawings for the frame, else they’d have been in the role of kids teaching granny how to blow eggs.

James – Any idea how many Mk’s of Spitfire had Malcolm canopies?

One for Mk12 I fancy, I’m kind of with Jayce in that the only non Malcom canopy were the very first examples (pre 1939?), and the later low back teardrop canopy variants.

My understanding of the Malcolm canopy is that it done away with the restrictive flat section, plan, and profile of the existing Spitfire canopy, and the heavy framework affair of other types (ie ‘birdcage’ Mustang & Corsair), with a single ‘blown’ piece of perspex which is bulged in section, plan, and profile. This allowed more head room, movement and all round vision.
Interesting in Antonis’ link, I hadn’t realised that the Mustang didn’t use any framing at all, ie the front and rear arch.

Mark correct me if I’m wrong, but I think all the production models had Malcolm produced hoods.

Spitfires used bulged hoods from the Mk.V onwards. Possibly they were fitted earlier to late Mk.Is and Mk.IIs but I cannot confirm that. The first canopy was unbulged and flat, but was only seen on very early production. This was replaced by one with flat sides but a raised top, which was standardised before the start of the war.

I believe Malcom also worked on a quick release mechanism for canopy jettison.

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

Robbo – interesting link, thanks. Part numbers i have begin with L-140, so possibly a prefix of Lobelle.

James – Any idea how many Mk’s of Spitfire had Malcolm canopies?

Rob

Can one of the mods please merge this thread to the other of the same name.

No idea how i got two threads at the same time :p

Rob

The Malcolm hodd for the P51B/C was designed by NA engineers in this country, tested by NA in the States and then manufacured by the Malcolm Co. More detailed explanation Reply 14 here:

http://www.mustangsmustangs.us/thehangar/index.php?topic=846.0

I can think of F6F,P-47 and of course Spits which used these.

My understanding is that R Malcolm & Co, a British canopy maker came up with the idea of bulging the canopy/hood, the first example being on the Spitfire.
Believe the Corsair had a Malcolm hood, and certainly in design the Fairey Gannet.
Considering how succesful it became I wonder if the design was copywrited and licenced by other companies?

It’s been a while since I visited, but I remember the Museum of Berkshire Aviation at Woodley had a display about the company. http://home.comcast.net/~aero51/html/history/mlaviation.htm

Apparently some Razorback P-47s were retrofitted with them.

Picture here: http://www.ww2incolor.com/us-air-force/p-47+5th+eme.html

Interesting link from Warbird Information Exchange,

http://www.cebudanderson.com/jackroushp51b.htm

All the best, Len Harvey.