Project "Ruptured Duck" reborn - Lateral-g Forums

**FaBrycation** · #1 05-17-2015, 07:16 PM

In 2008, the longtime dream to create my own custom car began with the vision that was not only to build a car that was WWII aircraft themed but is actually built like a WWII aircraft. Initial ideas were formed and chassis fabrication began. 50+ hours later, I had my frame started. But as is true for all things worth doing right, time was needed for the vision and design to merge into the picture of what I really want out of this build. Seven years later, I am finally in a place where I can make this dream a reality. The designs in my head have never been clearer about what I want to assemble and based on sketches I had done, my friend and co-worker Matt Sutton of Sutton Designs rendered the “Ruptured Duck”. It is time for the execution phase to move forward, as I am working to construct a car that will have very unique and never-before-seen styling, mixed with technology and performance to place it in a class of its own.
Imagine what you would get if you combined the famous World War II B-25 Mitchell bomber, the “Ruptured Duck”, with the performance and technology of a modern sports car. Then stir that in with some vintage 30’s style. With this in mind, I present to you the “Ruptured Duck.”

This 100% hand-built aluminum body will incorporate the design and styling of the B-25 Mitchell bomber glass nose and windshield, with the three window 30s coupe rear roof and truck shapes. The car will feature a full belly pan and B-25 bomber inspired wheels.
The history behind the build adds depth and detail to the design, giving the car a story that takes you back to the early 1940s.

Ruptured Duck History
The “Ruptured Duck” #40-2261 B-25 Mitchell bomber was the #7 bomber to take-off of the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Hornet and bomb Japan in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Flown by Pilot Lt. T.W. Lawson, Co-Pilot Lt. D. Davenport, Navigator Lt. C.L. McClure, Bombardier Lt. R.S. Clever, and Engineer Gunner Sgt. D.J. Thatcher off of the aircraft carrier on April 18th, 1942. The crew of the “Ruptured Duck’ succeeded in its mission to bomb Japan and then headed toward China to land in safety, but because of early mission launching they ran out of fuel and were forced to abandon the plane, crashing into the China Sea. The “Ruptured Duck” was made famous mainly because of the book and movie 30 Seconds Over Tokyo, which was written by Pilot Lt. Ted W. Lawson.
The back story of the name “Ruptured Duck” stems from the practice airfields where the bomber crews were learning how to take off of an aircraft carrier. One member of a flight crew thought that the bomber looked like an injured bird skipping across the runway during practice take-offs, and the term “Ruptured Duck” came to mind. This was based on the slang name for an honorable discharged veteran and pin given to those veterans called a “Ruptured Duck”. When they called Lawson’s plane this same name, it stuck. A fellow crew member painted the nose art onto the nose of the bomber. The unique history and importance behind the “Ruptured Duck” and its name are reasons why I chose the name for this build.

December 7th, 2016 was the 75th anniversary of the attacks on Pearl Harbor, and I feel that the timing of this build would be the perfect way to honor all of those who embarked on this dangerous and brave mission as well as every soldier who has fought for our country then and now.

Project Detail Outline

• Body
The body of the Duck will be built out of aluminum with an overall shape resembling a fenderless 1930s car. What will set this car apart is that it will have heavy styling from the B-25 bomber, which will focus on the rounded glass nose and rounded front windshield. The nose of the B-25 has lines that allow it to flow into the main body of the car and easily make it a natural fit. The goal is to build it with the most amount of bomber feel without taking the aircraft theme to such an industrial level. It will be easily recognizable for its bomber style and glass nose but it will be built in a tasteful, sleek, and modern way. The nose of the car will allow an easy transition into the full salt flat style belly pan underneath of the car and also keeps the body looking like the shape of the B-25. The windshield will be curved horizontally, with a smaller upper section following the main glass, which is a green-tinted glass that allows visibility and sunshade just the way the B-25 did. The back window of the coupe will also feature curved glass and will flow with the shape of the roof to allow for maximum rear visibility. The rear section of the car will feature a vented trunk lid and air intakes in the belly pan to allow air to travel through to the rear-mounted radiator.

• Chassis
The chassis consists of 1 ½” x .120 wall round tubing which is fully TIG welded and will feature a custom-designed independent front suspension built around Wilwood pro spindles. Stopping the car will be front and rear 14” Wilwood disc brakes with 6 piston calipers. Holding the car up will be cantilever mounted Ridetech coil-overs. The power will be sent to the 2015 Ford Mustang independent rear suspension. Setting all of this on the ground will be a custom-built set of wheels by Hot Rods by Boyd that will closely resemble the landing gear of the B-25 bomber. They will be staggered, 19”x9” in front and 20’’x10.5” rear wheels and will have the name Duck machined into the face of each wheel.

• Drivetrain
The drivetrain of choice for the Duck was chosen with a few things in mind. I wanted the car to have a unique engine yet I also wanted it to offer modern performance and reliability. For these reasons, the car will feature the new Ford 2.3L Ecoboost and 6-speed manual transmission. The engine will be a main focal point of the build because it will be 100% visible behind the glass nose of the Duck. The modern design and performance of this engine will take the performance of this lightweight, aluminum car to the next level.

• Interior
As with the rest of the car, the interior will be extreme in its details but tasteful in its style. The inside of a B-25 has a lot of unique design and styling that will carry over nicely in automotive form. Custom bomber style seats will be crafted to bring a more modern performance and comfort to the classic style seat. Handcrafted interior panels such as the dash, console, headliner, and door panels will bring the interior to life and give the undeniable feeling that you are in the seat of a B-25. Incorporating military design into the interior while maintaining style, comfort, and modern amenities such as air conditioning, stereo, and keyless entry will also make the car’s interior unique.

RUPTURED DUCK FOR CHARITY!!!

I am proud to share with you guys that the Ruptured Duck is now an official proud supporter of the Homes for Our Troops charity!

This means that I have committed to donating 45% of the sale of the completed car to their cause! I am very excited about this opportunity to help severely injured veterans whose sacrifices will never be thanked enough.

What they do is amazing. They build mortgage-free homes wherever a veteran chooses, and it is built specifically to suit the need of the veteran and their family. They also provide continuing support to them for a few years after to make sure that they are set for their future in owning a home.
Check out their website at www.hfotusa.com