carrier capable bomber

[FLYBOYJ]

The Avenger, for its size carried a respectable size conventional bomb load (4 500 pound bombs) and did conduct raids at higher altitudes in box formations similar to what we seen in Europe. The Mk 13 torpedo was horrible and it wasn't until later in the war where better quality control of the torpedo saw better results.

As far as a sizable bomber that could carry a medium to heavy bomb load off a carrier, it wasn't until the AJ Savage was introduced where this became a reality, but WW2 was well over. Another attempt of having a large bomber based off a carrier that could deliver a large bomb load came years later with the A-5 Vigilante.

 

[parsifal]

According to one of my sources, the first successful TE deck landing in WWII was by a Mosquito FB VI. However, I believe I have some photos somewhere of the USN landing a TE aircraft around about March 1939. It looked something like a precursor to a PV-1 or similar

Anyway here are the photos of the Mossie landing on

 

[parsifal]

found it

 

[parsifal]

Blast, I forgot to resize the thing. Does anyone know how to fix that......

 

[FLYBOYJ]

The first known twin engine aircraft to land on a carrier was done by the French in 1936, a Potez 56E flew off the Beran. The XJO-3 was the first to take off and land.

 

[Timppa]

The first real carrier capable bomber (in a traditional sense) might have been the Douglas Skywarrior, with nuclear capacity,
A-3 Skywarrior - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
one of the last designs of the brilliant Ed Heinemann.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

The first real carrier capable bomber (in a traditional sense) might have been the Douglas Skywarrior, with nuclear capacity,
A-3 Skywarrior - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
one of the last designs of the brilliant Ed Heinemann.

That's another example - The AJ Savage carried the same bomb load.

 

[Seawitch]

I've been reading a lot about the Skyraider recently and was astonished to learn this single engined aircraft that was at home on a carrier as anywhere could carry more than a B-29.
Also, it was the only single engined aircraft with a Nuclear capability.
I would seriously consider classing it as a heavy bomber for this purpose.

 

[syscom3]

I've been reading a lot about the Skyraider recently and was astonished to learn this single engined aircraft that was at home on a carrier as anywhere could carry more than a B-29.
Also, it was the only single engined aircraft with a Nuclear capability.
I would seriously consider classing it as a heavy bomber for this purpose.

No, the Skyraider didn't have the payload of the B29.

Nor can the Skyraider be considered a heavy bomber under any definition.

 

[Seawitch]

Nor can the Skyraider be considered a heavy bomber under any definition.

Well.....I dunno, seems it carried a lot to me..(BTW sorry, I meant a B-17) skyraider.org/hook/facts.html

 

[BombTaxi]

The A-6 Intruder is another modern example of a carrier-based a/c with serious payload. The Buccaneer might bear consideration too. But these are all well after WWII.

 

[syscom3]

Seawitch, also consider the range the Skyraider had with max payload, the lack of onboard radio-navigation systems for finding the target, and no defensive weapons.

The Skyraider was one type of aircraft, the B17 was another.

 

[Seawitch]

Seawitch, also consider the range the Skyraider had with max payload, the lack of onboard radio-navigation systems for finding the target, and no defensive weapons.

The Skyraider was one type of aircraft, the B17 was another.

8)

 

[syscom3]

 

[GrauGeist]

 

[Kiwikid]

That was the origional plan.

The plan was to fly on to land at Chunking. The aircraft had to take off before the planned launch site when the convoy was spotted which is why they did not make Chungking. None were fitted with arrester hooks and if they had returned where would you park them all ?

It was never intended to return to the Hornet and the navigational issues alone were impossible. Several aircraft barely had fuel to reach China or Vladivostok so they would never have had enough fuel to return.

 

[drgondog]

Seawitch, also consider the range the Skyraider had with max payload, the lack of onboard radio-navigation systems for finding the target, and no defensive weapons.

The Skyraider was one type of aircraft, the B17 was another.

Syscom - are you stating that a Skyraider isn't a bomber?

If so it seems that this is a 'fuzzy argument' as no range, or number of engines or performance boundaries were set so a comparison between B-17 (traditional with crew served weapons), Mossie XVI (somewhat traditional but no defensive armament other than forward firing weapons) and Skyraider (Dive bombing, torpedo and CAS) with forward firing weapons? At least I didn't notice any boundary conditions for carfrier bomber other than dismissing dive bomber/torpedo bomber.. 'like a B-17' is kind of 'fuzzy' as no carrier 'bomber' was ever like a B-17.

I would certainly claissify the Skyraider as a 'bomber' - it sure as hell wasn't a fighter or strictly speaking a fighter bomber - but it also wasn't introduced in WWII.

So, does lack of gunners remove a 'bomber' from consideration? Does a mission that includes dive bombing and low level torpedo delivery disqualify because it wasn't designed as a level bomber, high altitude precision delivery?

The TBF certainly fits the criteria of level, medium altitude all the way down to sea level..and had a bombadier crewmember plus crew served defensive armament for the level bombing misiion.

 

[drgondog]

The plan was to fly on to land at Chunking. The aircraft had to take off before the planned launch site when the convoy was spotted which is why they did not make Chungking. None were fitted with arrester hooks and if they had returned where would you park them all ?

It was never intended to return to the Hornet and the navigational issues alone were impossible. Several aircraft barely had fuel to reach China or Vladivostok so they would never have had enough fuel to return.

That was my understanding also. Halsey probably would not have bought into a plan that enabled the B-25s to turn back and seek the Hornet - with possible IJN 'trailers' to locate the Fleet.

16 B-25s were expendable in comparison to the Hornet.