CAC CA-15 Kangaroo

[wombat40]

http://dbdesignbureau.buckmasterfamily.id.au/images/cac_ca15_thumb.jpg

 

[fastglass3]

I hear that Ian Baker from Adavnced Aero Components, Sydney Australia- is starting to construct a CA15 Kangaroo biult from original blue prints, also is restoring A46-90 Boomerang..

 

[Wildcat]

I hope so, that would be awesome!

 

[parsifal]

Hi wombat, nice to hear from you. Am ex RAN myself. hope you enjoy your sojourn on the forum

 

[pinsog]

Japanese officer: "What happened to your flight?"

Japanese pilot: "We were jumped by a pack of Kangaroos.........."

 

[DEAD_MEAT]

Yes it looks surprisingly like a P51.

The Kangaroo was designed in Australia at the end of WW II, only 1 prototype was built.

It attained a speed of 502 mph so was arguably the fastest piston engine fighter in the world (which gets P51 groupies upset).

It never went into production, basically the jet age overtook it. So its an interesting footnote in History . . . what may have been if it came into service early 1945.

Australia decided to keep it's existing fleet of P51D which lasted till we met the MIG 15 in Korea.

Have a look at Virtual RAAF website.

 

[parsifal]

Some sources puts maximum speed as low as 448 Mph....thats still faster than a P-51, but slower than a Ta 152 or a Fury

 

[Shortround6]

The Speed of 502 was achieved in a dive according to some sources. 448 is faster than many Mustangs although not by much but rather short of the P-51H s speed, considering that the Kangaroo is using a Griffon engine it's speed doesn't out of line one way or the other.

 

[parsifal]

for australia we finished deciding to build the p-51 under licence, because it was argued this was cheaper. i think we should have built the Ca-15 instead anyway, and wore the extra cost. We could well have sold the type to emerging third world countries or israel. these countries for differeing reasons may have preferred our product over the imperialist american equipment...we would ahve been carving a name for ourselves with a distinctive and competitive piston engined fighter.

Australia still managed to redesign the f-86, and re-engine it to produce the socalled avon sabre. if we had had a little more design and development expertise we may have taken that redesign process further than we did. today we would not have the capital to design a fighter by ourselves, but working with someone like the indians, or perhaps the Canadians, or even the US, we may have been able to undertake a fourth or fifth generation jet as a joint venture. it was all about prestige and carving a name for the country

 

[tomo pauk]

It would've been interesting if Aussies were in cooperation with Brits on TSR project. Perhaps it would be less likely axed by Brittish government, and used by two (at least) air forces?

The coop with Canadians on Arrow offers another interesting possibility.

 

[ProudKerman]

I wasn't aware of any drawings that existed, can anyone confirm this?
Also its a longshot and maybe a bit out of place but does anyone know of any original drawings for the Woomera?