Clayton Magnet
Staff Sergeant
- 902
- Feb 16, 2013
the Skua's accounted quite well for themselves against French Hawks and MS.406's over Oran, if I remember correctly
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the Skua's accounted quite well for themselves against French Hawks and MS.406's over Oran, if I remember correctlyJust about any warship without carrier or landbased aviation support should fear a fully equipped RN CAG of Stringbags. Seven battleships from three nations crippled by the Swordfish: Bismarck, Veneto, Littorio, Duilio, Cavour, Richelieu and Dunkerque, plus numerous smaller vessels, including the cruisers Gorizia and Pola and at least twenty-two U-Boats.
The only thing the Swordfish lacked was a good fighter to protect it. If Blackburn had produced a single seat (all metal, retractable undercarriage, folding wing, streamlined enclosed canopy, etc.) fighter instead of the twin seat dual role Skua, the Swordfish may have survived the Channel Dash to rack up more hits and assisted kills.
Just about any warship without carrier or landbased aviation support should fear a fully equipped RN CAG of Stringbags. Seven battleships from three nations crippled by the Swordfish: Bismarck, Veneto, Littorio, Duilio, Cavour, Richelieu and Dunkerque, plus numerous smaller vessels, including the cruisers Gorizia and Pola and at least twenty-two U-Boats.
The only thing the Swordfish lacked was a good fighter to protect it. If Blackburn had produced a single seat (all metal, retractable undercarriage, folding wing, streamlined enclosed canopy, etc.) fighter instead of the twin seat dual role Skua, the Swordfish may have survived the Channel Dash to rack up more hits and assisted kills.
Exactly.A fighter doesn't have to be great to be a favorite.
So what? Who asked for greatest fighters?the other (fighter) has no standing as a "great."
Did you think when I suggested the Dewoitine D.373 that I thought it was a great carrier fighter? No, I included it because it was innovative; the first single-seat monoplane carrier fighter with folding wings. I still wouldn't want to fight a Mitsubishi A5M, Gloster Sea Gladiator or Grumman F3F in a D.373.
Every single seat, monoplane carrier fighter in WW2 got stuff done. Sea Hurricane, Seafire, Wildcat, Hellcat, Corsair, Claude and Zero. That's it, seven to choose from.my own favorites tend to be the ones which get stuff done.
Every single seat, monoplane carrier fighter in WW2 got stuff done. Sea Hurricane, Seafire, Wildcat, Hellcat, Corsair, Claude and Zero. That's it, seven to choose from.
Had they finished their carriers we could have added the Bf 109T and Re.2001 OR.
In my list of single seat fighters? Obviously not. But we also have twin seat fighters to look at; Fulmar, Firefly, Skua and (a stretch) Grumman FF.I notice that the Skua isn't listed here.
I agree. If it wasn't for the narrow lifts on Ark Royal and the three Illustrious class I'd divert every Merlin from the Fulmar program to the Sea Hurricane.I'm on record for saying the Hurricane doesn't get enough love.
But no He.100? With its wider track you'd think it was ideal.The aircraft considered for the Graf Zeppelin and Peter Strausser were the He50, Ar195, Ar197, Fi167, Ju87, Bf109 and later, the Me155.
Being designed as a land-based fighter, there would be issues to address such as undercarriage stresses (and it had a weak maingear already) as well as takeoff and landing speed min/max.But no He.100? With its wider track you'd think it was ideal.
Actually it wasn't what the admirals wanted, but it was what they got...They probably could have, but pre-war Royal Navy/FAA thinking was that the air defense of the carrier would be handled by anti-aircraft guns and an armoured flight deck.
Agreed, and the RN got what it wanted. I wonder if the RN ever asked the FAA squadron commanders and senior pilot officers what they needed/wanted?
The only thing the Swordfish lacked was a good fighter to protect it. If Blackburn had produced a single seat (all metal, retractable undercarriage, folding wing, streamlined enclosed canopy, etc.) fighter instead of the twin seat dual role Skua, the Swordfish may have survived the Channel Dash to rack up more hits and assisted kills.