Best Single Seat Fighter for a Soviet Aircraft Carrier 1940-45?

[Kevin J]

Can Russia land a Japanese carrier in the reparations instead of an old British battleship? Can any be salvaged?

Kasagi for example survived to be photographed below on 2 November 1945.

View attachment 559511

Also Japanese aircraft carrier Katsuragi - Wikipedia

Of course they already have Graf Zeppelin, but that's a non starter, IMO. IMO the Germans should have bought a new carrier from a Japanese yard in the 1930s.

So the Soviets have all of Sakhalin, all the Kuriles, a decent deep water port already, Vladivostok plus 2 Jap aircraft carriers. Looks like the makings of a new movie, 'Pearl Harbor 2'. I don't think so. At least us Brits were smart enough after WW1, the High Seas fleet was safe in Scapa Flow, to send our fleet out on a morning exercise so that those naughty Germans could scuttle all their ships. At least our Allies couldn't get their hands on them.

 

[GreenKnight121]

They were penned in by the Japanese who had the Kurile Isles and half of Sakhalin, which the USSR took off them in August 1945.

Not correct. After the various border incidents and firefights between the Japanese and the Soviets from 1932 to 1939, the two nations signed the Japanese–Soviet Non-aggression Pact on 13 April 1941.

After that, Soviet naval vessels were free to sail from Vladivistok whenever and wherever they wanted. In fact, US-built merchant vessels transferred to the Soviet Far Eastern State Shipping Company, operating under Soviet colors and with Soviet naval escort, delivered a steady stream of goods moved from the west coast of the United States and overall accounted for some 50% of all Lend-lease goods to the Soviet Union (8,243,397 tons). Note that this was all "non-war materials" goods... but included foods, raw materials and non-military goods such as lorries and other road vehicles, railway locomotives and rolling stock.

Note that some 452,393 tons of this material was then shipped north through the Northern Sea Route to western Soviet Arctic ports.

Many military aircraft were flown from Alaska to the Soviet Union across the Bering Sea (often with cargo), and a small amount of war material was shipped through the Bering Sea, avoiding Japanese inspection during the summer months by partially unloading in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to reduce their draught to cross the shallow Amur River estuary and enter the Sea of Japan via the Strait of Tartary.

So yes, a Soviet carrier COULD have sailed the Northern Sea Route to Vladivostock, then operated freely for training etc, including sailing south of the Aleutians, etc... although it would have to have its planned route & schedule provided to Japan to ensure that no "accidents" would happen.

The Japanese–Soviet Non-aggression Pact remained in effect until 5 April 1945, when the Soviet Union announced its intention to terminate the Pact. The text of the Pact required that the Pact would remain in effect until 1 year after termination notice was given... and Stalin declared his intention to honor that year delay. Open hostilities were avoided until the Soviet invasion of Manchuria on 9 August 1945.

 

[MiTasol]

So the Yak fighters would be no good as they're made of wood. Have you seen the test crash of a Sea Mosquito into the barrier. It literally disintegrated.

I would like to see that report. Do you have a link?

 

[Kevin J]

Not correct. After the various border incidents and firefights between the Japanese and the Soviets from 1932 to 1939, the two nations signed the Japanese–Soviet Non-aggression Pact on 13 April 1941.

After that, Soviet naval vessels were free to sail from Vladivistok whenever and wherever they wanted. In fact, US-built merchant vessels transferred to the Soviet Far Eastern State Shipping Company, operating under Soviet colors and with Soviet naval escort, delivered a steady stream of goods moved from the west coast of the United States and overall accounted for some 50% of all Lend-lease goods to the Soviet Union (8,243,397 tons). Note that this was all "non-war materials" goods... but included foods, raw materials and non-military goods such as lorries and other road vehicles, railway locomotives and rolling stock.

Note that some 452,393 tons of this material was then shipped north through the Northern Sea Route to western Soviet Arctic ports.

Many military aircraft were flown from Alaska to the Soviet Union across the Bering Sea (often with cargo), and a small amount of war material was shipped through the Bering Sea, avoiding Japanese inspection during the summer months by partially unloading in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to reduce their draught to cross the shallow Amur River estuary and enter the Sea of Japan via the Strait of Tartary.

So yes, a Soviet carrier COULD have sailed the Northern Sea Route to Vladivostock, then operated freely for training etc, including sailing south of the Aleutians, etc... although it would have to have its planned route & schedule provided to Japan to ensure that no "accidents" would happen.

The Japanese–Soviet Non-aggression Pact remained in effect until 5 April 1945, when the Soviet Union announced its intention to terminate the Pact. The text of the Pact required that the Pact would remain in effect until 1 year after termination notice was given... and Stalin declared his intention to honor that year delay. Open hostilities were avoided until the Soviet invasion of Manchuria on 9 August 1945.

If they're not shipping military goods then they're not going to sail a carrier task force through either.

I would like to see that report. Do you have a link?

It's on YouTube somewhere. Eric Brown was the first navy pilot to fly it on and off a carrier. Do a search for him and Sea Mosquito.

 

[Shortround6]

If the Soviet Union had completed an aircraft carrier in 1940, or perhaps they bought and completed Graf Zeppelin, etc.... let's not debate the feasibility of the ship.... what fighter aircraft would it embark?

My guess is Lend Lease aircraft from the US, as AIUI, Soviet single engined fighters of WW2 made the Spitfire look like a long ranged bird. Per wiki...

range doesn't matter if can't take-off and land from the deck.

Best Soviet built fighter for carrier use for most of the war.

Forward view is horrible but at least the take-off, landing and low speed handling won't kill more pilots than the enemy.

 

[Dimlee]

If they're not shipping military goods then they're not going to sail a carrier task force through either.

As far as I remember, there were no specific agreements between USSR and Japan regarding carrier task forces for obvious reasons as USSR did not have them. As for other military ships of the Soviet Pacific Navy, they could sail to/from Soviet ports freely. A number of destroyers were sent in 1942 from Vladivostok to Murmansk via Northern Route.

 

[Admiral Beez]

range doesn't matter if can't take-off and land from the deck.

Best Soviet built fighter for carrier use for most of the war.
View attachment 559878
Forward view is horrible but at least the take-off, landing and low speed handling won't kill more pilots than the enemy.

With the door open the pilot can lean out for view.

 

[fubar57]

With the door open the pilot can lean out for view.