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Fitt the 33+33G rear tanks plus 90G dropper, warm up taxi and take off and climb to 20,000ft on rear upper 33G, COG is restored then fly as far as the Ruhr on the 90G dropper. You can have the fighter cover fly out with say 5 minute intervals relaying out and back looking for trouble, shorter ranged MkV's can do close escort over the channel protecting both the outgoing bombers and fighters and the same on their return, the the P47's arrive they can join the MkV's flying the shorter leg plus circling Luftwaffe fighter bases bouncing 109's/190's as they take off and land.Ruhr is full of valid targets, where Luftwaffe needs to get up and defend if RAF attacks in force.
A slipper tank under the belly adds a lot of drag. I'd suggest 30+99 imp gals of internal fuel to be augmented with a 100-110 gal drop tank.
How so, werent single stage Packard Merlins fitted into P-40s?The P51 is doing nothing until the 60 series arrives, putting more fuel into the Spit gets you an escort fighter equal to anything in the air and able to fly to the Ruhr and back in the second half of 1942, much earlier than what actually happened.
See here: Escort Spitfire - a missed opportunity for longer reach? - Royal Aeronautical SocietyI know that there'll be some variables here, namely time period and such, but what if the British had their own long range escort fighter? Naturally, it can't really be a Spitfire or a Hurricane since they're too short legged early war (and Spitfire for most of the war). But, from say 39-42, 42-45, what would a single seat, long range high performance escort fighter be like? The biggest thing as far as spec is enough fuel internally to have a 700-800 mile range, and the ability to use drop tanks. It also has to be heavily armed for the period (which from 42-45 basically means 4x20mm cannons), and be a great dogfighter per tactics of the period. This will address one of the few shortcomings of the P-51, given that it was a bit heavy due to being built to outdated USAAF load requirements (largely resolved with the H variant, but that doesn't really count here).
So I'll open the floor to the forum members to discuss.
The article's conclusion begins with the following: "There was surely no insuperable obstacle to developing a long-range escort version of the Spitfire." Considering the effort that went into producing a sea-going carrier borne variant, the effort to produce a long-ranged Spitfire was certainly something that could have been done.
Why would the RAF develop a long range air superiority fighter for which it had no need or doctrine?
Even when it had Mustangs in quantity, the RAF had no real interest in carrying out long range daylight bomber raids as it had developed its bomber force into a highly effective night time force.
The RAF rapidly gave up long range daylight bombing into defended airspace very early in the war.RAF was trying to bomb targets in Germany during the day, however Luftwaffe didn't get the memo. RAF was also fighing in North Africa and Asia, there the long range was essential, and night bombing was rarely employed.
War with Italy broke out in June 1940. By the end of the year the RAF had established a 4 squadron night bomber force of Wellingtons split between Egypt & Malta. Targets were in Libya, Italy and even the Balkans for a while in 1941RAF was also fighing in North Africa and Asia, there the long range was essential, and night bombing was rarely employed.
The RAF rapidly gave up long range daylight bombing into defended airspace very early in the war.
Northern Europe, North Africa etc were tactical operations, for which existing fighters were quite adequate.
Things change.Why would the RAF develop a long range air superiority fighter for which it had no need or doctrine?
Back to the British. At what point does a long range fighter become feasible from a technical standpoint? and what is meant by "long range"
Turns out you can't hit crap by night bombing unless you have some fancy electronics.
And you have a mismatch it the ranges of the bombers and fighters. The Blenheim I was good for 1000 miles (actually with a higher cruise speed somewhat less) and the newer bombers, Wellington and Hampden were well above that. The Whitley was always a night bomber.It is a feasible thing at least when the Merlin II is available.
'Long range' is probably 500 miles for the British - to reach NW quarter of interwar Germany, Ruhr included; from France, to reach best part of Germany; if France is the enemy this means reaching the best part of France from the UK?
I've messed up - the radius needed is 500 miles,, not range; fighters were already with 500 mile range as-is.And you have a mismatch it the ranges of the bombers and fighters. The Blenheim I was good for 1000 miles (actually with a higher cruise speed somewhat less) and the newer bombers, Wellington and Hampden were well above that. The Whitley was always a night bomber.