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Thank heaven we didn't have to fly Brewsters for too long ...
Me-109T was just an interim aircraft produced in small quantities. It allowed testing of catapults and CV arresting gear from expedient platforms such as converted barges. I don't think it was intended to operate from the two German CVs.
Me-155 would have been the primary German CV based fighter aircraft. It appears to me development was timed to have the Me-155 operational at the same time CV Graf Zeppelin entered service. If German CVs had a higher priority the Me-155 would also have a higher priority. Hypothetical 1941 version of the Me-155 would be based on the Me-109F fuselage rather then the Me-109G. Even with a tail hook and other such naval equipment it's going to have a 50 mph speed advantage over both USN fighter aircraft.
- it all depended on who was in the pilot's seat.
Interesting info on the Bufffalo Mal!
Wonder how ours (488 (NZ) sqn fighting in Singapore) would have faired in more even odds - 300 Ki-43 against 23 Buffalo Mk.I and 2 Hurricane Mk.IIB is not much of a fair fight!
GF: They had put in a wet wing - you were able to purge it with CO2 into the main tank, but it meant extra weight. That was maybe the reason we had strut failures - these wheels, the landing gear, landed pretty hard, negative 3 G's. The struts had a tendency to move forward. When you retracted the gear on the next flight, the box strut scraped on the wheel well. You couldn't have that happen, the gear not retracting, so the mechanics would file some off and get closer to the rivets..
I found a BuAER document, dated January 25(?), 1941, that discusses an upgrade to the F2A-3 to make it more competitive. Upgrades to include:
1. wing modification to incorporate a full span NACA slotted flap and attached aileron slot lip ailerons.
2. installation of an R-2600-12 engine to a fuselage lengthened by 18 inches. wing to remain standard F2A. However entire airframe to be stregnhened accordingly.
3. New F2A wing to be folding with accomodation of two .5 inch HMGs in each one.
First flight of the F4U with its P&W R-2800 was 5/29/40. First flight of the P-47, a year later, so an engine in this class was out there and being installed in single engine aircraft as was the Wright R-2600 at roughly the same time. With Brewster's apparent preference for Wright engines it's perhaps not too surprising. I don't know why that engine didn't end up in a fighter except of course the increased hp of the heavier P&W.
Yes, the R-2800 is another matter.
The F4U and P-47 were somewhat specialized.
Can't help but wonder how much earlier a simplified, land-based R-2800 powered fighter could have been fielded.