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The Fulmar was just as fast as the Hurricane, at least once you've put it into a dive. Anyway, who needs speed unless you're chasing away overflying recce planes, for that you lash a few Sea Hurricanes with souped up engines to your deck on outriggers. If the enemy wants to sink you, they have to come to you and slow down in order to get bombing accuracy. Our top scoring navy fighters: the Fulmar followed by the Sea Hurricane with the Seafire in 3rd place. FYI: Sea Hurricane Ib, 315 mph at 7500 ft, so faster than the A6M2; Sea Hurricane IIc, from 291 mph at sea level to 342 mph at 22000, as per the A6M3 and the same or better than a Seafire IIc equipped with 4 20 m cannon.I have read that Hawker, in 1938, did a study on a folding wing Hurricane for carrier duty but were turned down when it was offered to the Admiralty. I have never run across the reason why they were turned down. I have always assumed that it was due to the need for a 2-man crew (for navigation purposes) being more important at that time, along with a limited value placed on single purpose aircraft. The folding wing and suitable navalization would have added a few hundred pounds to the Hurricane but the result would still have been faster than the Fulmar.
In response to Kevin J post#362,
The Fulmar was a good interim carrier fighter, not least because it was a 2-seater with better navigation ability (see the thread Build a better Sea Hurricane 1938 started by fast mongrel).
However I believe you are mistaken in your assessment of the difference in performance of the various aircraft. Some of the actual speeds were as follows:
Fulmar Mk I 247@ 9,750 Merlin VIII@ +4
Fulmar Mk II(trop) 265@ 9,500 Merlin 30@ +9.75
Hurricane Mk I 322@17,750 Merlin III@ +6.25
SeaHurricane Mk IB 308@18,000 Merlin III@ +6.25
315@ 7,500 Merlin III@ +16
SeaHurricane Mk IC 305@15,000 Merlin III@ +6.25
310@ 7,300 Merlin III@ +16
Hurricane Mk IIC 326@20,000 Merlin XX@ +9
SeaHurricane Mk IIC 320@20,000 Merlin XX@ +9
Spitfire Mk VB 370@20,000 Merlin 45@ +9
Spitfire Mk VB(trop) 354@17,400 Merlin 45@ +9
Spitfire Mk VC 359@19,900 Merlin 45@ +9
Seafire Mk IB 350@21,000 Merlin 45@ +9
Seafire HF Mk IIC 342@20,700 Merlin 46@ +9
332@20,700 Merlin 46@ +9, 30 gal DT
Seafire LF Mk IIC 339@ 5,100 Merlin 32@ +??
Seafire Mk III 339@16,500 Merlin 55@ +9
351@12,000 Merlin 55@+14
Seafire LF Mk III 343@17,000 Merlin 50@ +9
350@11,000 Merlin 50@+16
A6M2 Zero Model 21 335@16,000 Sakae 12
A6M3 Zero Model 31 345@20,000 Sakae 21
Quick sketch on speeds.
Fulmar I - Fulmar II - Sea Hurricane I - A6M2
View attachment 531197
Fulmars are from the A&AEE, Sea Hurricane is from official data points from somewhere ... MAP I believe. A6M2 is from http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/japan/intelsum85-dec42.pdf
To Greyman & Kevin J,
I was using the max sustainable boost for more than 5 min, i.e. +9 or +12 lbs for the UK, Normal for the US, and whatever the Japanese called their Military power.
What are your criteria for max speeds?
What year are the notes printed in? My 3 minute rating is for 1941 with the FAA and 16 lbs, the RAF at the time only allowed 12 lbs for 5 minutes. I believe things had changed by 1943.Pilot's Notes I have say "The use of +16 lb/sq.in. boost is permitted for periods of about 15 minutes at low altitudes."
December 1941 sounds like the time 16 lbs was cleared for 3 minutes. By the time you get to 1943, you have the Merlin 25, 32, 50 series, all cleared for up to 18 lbs boost. Improvements in metallurgy IIRC.No date on that particular amendment, but the one before it is dated December 1941.
In Jan 1942 the Merlin 30 was cleared for 16lb boost: