Kevin J
Banned
Curtiss Wright Demon, R-1820, small, light, fast climbing.
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Curtiss Wright Demon, R-1820, small, light, fast climbing.Thoughts on the Curtiss-Wright CW-21? What's the Demon? When I search online for combat aircraft called Demon I get the Hawker Demon fighter produced to 1937 and the postwar McDonnell F3H Demon.
I agree, more Blenheims would be ideal, both fighter and bomber variants. Though the "fighter" version is still a lumbering beast, as shown below.
I see that now, I feel a little silly there, asking what's the Demon and about the CW-21. The tail looks like it would twist and fail in any high g maneuvers.If I recall, the CW-21 was sometimes called the Demon.
I see that now, I feel a little silly there, asking what's the Demon and about the CW-21. The tail looks like it would twist and fail in any high g maneuvers.
It's too bad that a quick/cheaper to build empire fighter wasn't built pre-war. The Dutch built the Fokker D.XXI for their empire defence. With the largest empire in world history, Britain should have built something, like the Miles M.20 made in Canada, Australia or even India, using whatever inline or radial engine could be had. The M.20 is as fast as the Ki-43 and much heavier armed, with robust, fixed undercarriage. It seems to be the ideal empire fighter, though we'd want to confirm that it is actually cheaper, easier and faster to build than Hurricanes or Spitfires.
Initiative would help too. As a Brit-Canuck and imperial history fan it often seems incredible that Britain built an empire at all, being so timid about flexing its muscles. In Sept 1940, Japan invaded FIC, for starters it should have been Britain invading FIC as soon as France surrendered, same as Britain attacked the French navy and invaded French North Africa and Madagascar. But assuming the Japanese invasion of FIC was a surprise, from that moment onward Japan's aims on Malaya and DEI should have been clear. It was to the Dutch, seeing how they deployed many of their best submarines and warships and much of their Air Force to DEI, even when the Netherlands were under threat of German invasion.I'm not convinced that more kit would help without a change of strategy and lots of money. The distances involved in the Asia-Pacific theatre are huge. They make the Eastern Front look like a walk in the park. To me, IMO what are needed are fortress islands to retreat too and then await reinforcement. Also, one mother fucking huge navy that can overwhelm the IJN in all theatres.
Initiative would help too. As a Brit-Canuck and imperial history fan it often seems incredible that Britain built an empire at all, being so timid about flexing its muscles. In Sept 1940, Japan invaded FIC, for starters it should have been Britain invading FIC as soon as France surrendered, same as Britain attacked the French navy and invaded French North Africa and Madagascar. But assuming the Japanese invasion of FIC was a surprise, from that moment onward Japan's aims on Malaya and DEI should have been clear. It was to the Dutch, seeing how they deployed many of their best submarines and warships and much of their Air Force to DEI, even when the Netherlands were under threat of German invasion.
From autumn 1941, with the Germans busy in Russia, RN submarines should have been deployed, and MTBs produced in Indian, ANZ or local yards. Stop the IJA amphibous landings along with execute Operation Matador to neutralize Thailand and Japan will face some real challenges. And preparation and war exercises FFS! General Bond accurately predicted how the Japanese would invade, but no one made any preparations or exercises to counter that exact and accurate prediction.
In 2019 I stood on the north shore of both Singapore and Hong Kong. The latter was a lost cause, but in both cases I imaged it must have been terrifying to know that the Japanese were on the other side of that thin strip of water and no one is coming to help you. The men and women looking across, not caring that Britain was stressed in the North Atlantic, Mediterranean and North Africa, must have asked what's the point of having the largest, most powerful empire the world has seen?
True, but Britain threatened Russia with war in 1885 and France in 1898. Crimean War aside, 19th century Britain wasn't timid about threatening other Great Powers, always in the goal of coercing a diplomatic resolution. 19th century Britain just seemed diplomatically smarter, more agile and of course willing to wave its sword.The British Empire, like all the other modern empires, was built by invading and conquering people who couldn't fight back effectively. When Germany tried that twice and Japan, once, in the 20th Century, they got their collective heads handed to them.
True, but Britain threatened Russia with war in 1885 and France in 1898. Crimean War aside, 19th century Britain wasn't timid about threatening other Great Powers, always in the goal of coercing a diplomatic resolution. 19th century Britain just seemed diplomatically smarter, more agile and of course willing to wave its sword.
Yes, 20th century Britain is terrified and focused on Germany, but pre-war, in April 1939 when Britain made the commitment to send the BEF to France, Japan was already on the frontier of FIC. Britain should have made a requirement that a small BEF be also sent to FIC, likely two Indian divisions, just as a deterrent to Japanese moves.
If Curtiss can make lots of planes in 1940/41 then why can't Republic? The Vanguard with a two stage Twin Wasp did 358 mph, now that may have been useful. Don't know
The only way we're going to get decent equipment in the Far East in 1941 is if its manufactured locally, which means Wirraways, maybe even Super Wirraways with the Twin Wasp Junior,
It's too bad that a quick/cheaper to build empire fighter wasn't built pre-war. The Dutch built the Fokker D.XXI for their empire defence. With the largest empire in world history, Britain should have built something, like the Miles M.20 made in Canada, Australia or even India, using whatever inline or radial engine could be had. The M.20 is as fast as the Ki-43 and much heavier armed, with robust, fixed undercarriage. It seems to be the ideal empire fighter, though we'd want to confirm that it is actually cheaper, easier and faster to build than Hurricanes or Spitfires.
With the largest empire in world history, Britain should have built something, like the Miles M.20 made in Canada, Australia or even India, using whatever inline or radial engine could be had. The M.20 is as fast as the Ki-43 and much heavier armed, with robust, fixed undercarriage. It seems to be the ideal empire fighter, though we'd want to confirm that it is actually cheaper, easier and faster to build than Hurricanes or Spitfires.
I agree, India should have been modernized and industrialized. and made a partner in the empire. There were definitely chances for Britain to turn about the independence movement in India. Addressing the Bengal Famine is top of my list. I've read that both Canada and Australia advised Churchill that they had an abundance of grain that could immediately be sent, but Britain refused it and denied Indians use of their own sterling reserves and ships to obtain food....It may even weaken the independence movement in India by raising local standards of living and the feelings of deliberate impoverishment and intellectual and economic suppression.
I agree, India should have been modernized and industrialized. and made a partner in the empire. There were definitely chances for Britain to turn about the independence movement in India. Addressing the Bengal Famine is top of my list. I've read that both Canada and Australia advised Churchill that they had an abundance of grain that could immediately be sent, but Britain refused it and denied Indians use of their own sterling reserves and ships to obtain food.
"Viscount Archibald began a series of exasperated demands to the War Cabinet for very large quantities of grain. His requests were again repeatedly denied, causing him to decry the current crisis as "one of the greatest disasters that has befallen any people under British rule, and [the] damage to our reputation both among Indians and foreigners in India is incalculable."
This is where the British Empire was so deeply flawed, and demonstrably flung together by Rhodes-like businessmen and the East India Company with only after the fact attempts at central control from London. Compare it to the Roman Empire, where yes there were slaves, but many of those in the conquered territories were granted Roman citizenship.
It's a bit like BoJo's herd immunity idea. The word Kharma springs to mind.In other words, the British treated India's Bengal Famine much as they treated Ireland's famine (the Gorta Mor) in the 1840s. When part of the imperial doctrine -- and this was completely integral to imperialism -- is that other peoples are inferior, it's a small step to letting them die if it's too inconvenient to keep them alive.
In other words, the British treated India's Bengal Famine much as they treated Ireland's famine (the Gorta Mor) in the 1840s. When part of the imperial doctrine -- and this was completely integral to imperialism -- is that other peoples are inferior, it's a small step to letting them die if it's too inconvenient to keep them alive.
However, let's take a step back and recognize that in the 1930s and 1940s India was a net importer of rice with most of the additional supplies coming from...you guessed it, China, Burma and, to a lesser extent, Malaya. While the buck stopped with Britain for not doing enough to address the shortfall, it's equally clear that there weren't many options available on the table. After all, global trade as it was understood in pre-war days, had effectively ended. Where was the additional rice going to come from when your pre-war supply countries are occupied?
It's all to easy to blame the Brits and put a racist overtone to every decision. I'm not saying most Brits weren't racist, nor am I saying that they didn't have "grades" of foreigners. However, it's equally certain that Britain was well aware of the issues if they failed to provide food for India. There was already signficant unrest and a thriving independence movement (including an Indian unit within the Imperial Japanese Army). However, it's tough to see what more could have been done under the circumstances.
I know it would have been a huge project (just changing gauge will be a good issue) in competition with maritime trade, but you have to wonder if a rail link could have been made from India to Burma, and then if Britain either seized or negotiated access with a link to Malaya. Something I wrote about here (be careful with that site, they're a sensitive lot in the politics section).However, let's take a step back and recognize that in the 1930s and 1940s India was a net importer of rice with most of the additional supplies coming from...you guessed it, China, Burma and, to a lesser extent, Malaya.
In 1943 when the famine began there was a large surplus of grain in both Australia and Canada, and both could have diverted this to India. By 1943 the Japanese army was ground to a halt in Burma. AIUI there were ships available to bring the rice, as these same ships were booked to transport the unneeded grain to Britain.However, it's equally certain that Britain was well aware of the issues if they failed to provide food for India. There was already signficant unrest and a thriving independence movement (including an Indian unit within the Imperial Japanese Army). However, it's tough to see what more could have been done under the circumstances.
The question unasked is why was India a net importer of rice? Was this a result of imperial policy and encouraged or enforced production of cash crops, such as cotton?
I know it would have been a huge project (just changing gauge will be a good issue) in competition with maritime trade, but you have to wonder if a rail link could have been made from India to Burma, and then if Britain either seized or negotiated access with a link to Malaya. Something I wrote about here (be careful with that site, they're a sensitive lot in the politics section). In 1943 when the famine began there was a large surplus of grain in both Australia and Canada, and both could have diverted this to India. By 1943 the Japanese army was ground to a halt in Burma. AIUI there were ships available to bring the rice, as these same ships were booked to transport the unneeded grain to Britain.