Best Fleet Air Arm (Royal Navy) Aircraft of WW2

[the lancaster kicks ass]

swordfish were invincible, they didn't need fighter escort ...........

 

[Lightning Guy]

I think you are stretching the truth abit there Lanc. I've never heard of Swordfish running into enemy fighters which is probably a good thing for the Swordfish crews.

 

[cheddar cheese]

yup if a swordfish crew saw a 190 or a 262... well... oh dear thats said, i doubt the enemy would waste their ammo on them, they'd probably just fly straight through em hell, even a stuka would be able to shoot down a swordfish

 

[Lightning Guy]

The Swordfish would have been a sitting duck in an air-to-air situation. But I have heard that the slow speed of the Swordfish saved them in their attacks on the Bismarck. Supposedly, the fire-control for the German AA guns assumed a minimum speed of 100 mph so that they were actually firing slightly ahead of the Swordfish! Slow speed a defense? Go figure!

 

[Gemhorse]

I haven't read extensively about Swordfish, but in the Channel Dash, they indeed suffered horrific losses, but the feature of their slow speed seems to me to have been a sort of blessing, to a degree. I agree the Gunnery Control would have been 'tuned' for faster aircraft attacking, and fighters like Fw190's would have found attacking such a slow aircraft quite tricky, especially if return-fire from their rather meagre rear-gunner could affect their aim...biplanes were quite manoevrable compared to fast monoplane fighters, and although they were 3 seaters, lining-up to drop their torpedo was their most vulnerable moments...I salute those that flew them, and they did indeed have their successes - and who else would have been their escorts but Seafires ?- Finding the best FAA aircraft still seems 'lacking' if the Swordfish is to be heralded as it's best, [no direspect to it's brave actions], but there doesn't seem to be much else that lobbed torpedos so effectively...Seafires did do a sterling job as defense/escort aircraft, and after further reference, Sea Mosquitos did came a little late, although I do strongly support Mosquito Mk.XVIII's FB.VI's such as the Banff Wing on anti-shipping duties, as having consumate firepower not evidenced in other aircraft...they were 'Flying Cruisers' of the Coastal Strike Force...' I've gotta do more reading on FAA duties of WWII, admittedly....that's why I enjoy this Website so much!!!

 

[Lightning Guy]

The problem with finding the best FAA aircraft is that the FAA never really got the chance to develop homegrown aircraft. Many of the purpose built carrier aircraft (Barracuda, Albecore) are clearly not contenders and the Seafire was a derrivative of a land fighter rather than a purpose built carrier plane. The result was that by the end of the war the Royal Navy's carrier were mostly sporting American built planes (Hellcats, Corsairs, and Avengers).

 

[cheddar cheese]

the firefly was good 8) loadsa stats on the first page 8)

 

[Lightning Guy]

The Firefly was a fine multipurpose aircraft. I don't know much about it, but I've always been a little skeptical about its actual usefullness as a fighter. I would appreciate any information.

 

[cheddar cheese]

I think the best British Naval fighter used during the war was the Fairey Firefly

http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Aircraft/firefly_wb271_preserved_flying_RNHF.jpg

First flew on December 22nd 1941 (soon after Pearl Harbour was bombed) and was a two-seater naval fighter - it was built under the understanding that (in the Royal Navys opinion at the time) all Navy fighters should have a navigator onboard to navigate for the pilot while at sea (several incidents of pilots becoming disorientated and lost while flying bombing missions and long-range partols in bad weather in combat conditions led to this decision) so the Firefly was no different.
The Firefly became fully operational in October 1943 on board the carrier HMS Indefatigable (the aircraft carrier my grandfather served on was the HMS Implacable - the Indefatigables sister ship) and escorted bombers during their attacks (most notably against the Tirpitz in 1944)
The fireflys were often used to 'scout ahead' to claer enemy fighters from the area before the bombers came through

It was used as a nightfighter in 1943 and often intercepted V1s and Heinkel He111s during raids

whilst stationed in the Pacific in 1945 Fireflys took part in the destruction of an Oil refinery in Sumutra - they had a tremendous operation record whilst fighting in the Pacific proving to be a versatile opponent for the Japanese - operating both day and night as a recon plane or fighter bomber

In June 1945 Fireflies of 1771 Squadron, operating from HMS Implacable, took part in attacks in the Carolinas, while in July 1772 squadron aircraft, from HMS Indefatigable, were flying strikes against shipping and ground targets in the Japanese home islands, becoming the first FAA aircraft to fly over the Japanese mainland. On 24 July, 1945 aircraft from 1772 Squadron became the first British aircraft to fly over Tokyo

They were also used to drop supplies to prisoners of war during these historic trips over Tokyo

It performed well in dogfights despite the Firefly's size and was armed with four 20mm cannons as well as rockets and mines (for the bomber role)

These are its stats:

Speed: 316mph
Ceiling: 28,000ft
Range: 1300miles
Wingspan: 44ft
Length: 37ft 7in
Weight: 14,020lb

It was so successful as a Naval fighter that it continued to be used on Royal Navy carriers during the Korean war

I think this plane was the best naval plane designed by Britain solely for use on carriers (i.e the American planes such as Hellcats and Corsairs don't count! )

There you go! 8)

 

[plan_D]

That's good, I'm going with the Firefly.

 

[cheddar cheese]

brozewhaler doesnt half make for interesting reading... wonder where he is

 

[cheddar cheese]

brozewhaler doesnt half make for interesting reading... wonder where he is

 

[plan_D]

He disappeared soon after the whole Belgium incident...

 

[nutter]

"It performed well in dogfights despite the Firefly's size and was armed with four 20mm cannons as well as rockets and mines (for the bomber role)"

no it didn't it first flew in 1942 and didn't shoot anything down in a dogfight until 1945. not a very good fighter

 

[plan_D]

And your evidence of this disagreement is where?

 

[Lightning Guy]

I have trouble imagine that the early Fireflies that were barely breaking 300mph were very effective in an air-to-air role. Even the post-war variants with a Griffon engine would only make 386mph. Don't get my wrong, the Firefly was great for ground attack (especially since the FAA lacked a dive-bomber) but I just don't see it shooting down many fighters.

 

[plan_D]

There's always luck, and 300 mph isn't that bad if you come across other dive or torpedo bombers.

 

[Lightning Guy]

I wouldn't want to tangle with a Zero if all I had was 300 mph. I've never seen anything on the Firefly's maneuverability but it couldn't possibly have been a match for the Zero and couldn't use speed to it's advantage like the Americans did.

 

[plan_D]

That's true but you always have to look at skill of pilot, a bad pilot can make a great aircraft poor.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

I do strongly support Mosquito Mk.XVIII's FB.VI's such as the Banff Wing on anti-shipping duties, as having consumate firepower not evidenced in other aircraft...they were 'Flying Cruisers' of the Coastal Strike Force...'

actually that title has to go to the beaufighter, 4 20mm, 6 303's, and a torp............