Hypothetical, A-1 Skyraider in WW2

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B29WereWolf

Airman
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Aug 2, 2010
Since the A-1 first flew in 1946, I'm curious if it had entered service (with AAC/Navy/Marines) during the last year, say June 1944, what it might have been like.
 
Since the A-1 first flew in 1946, I'm curious if it had entered service (with AAC/Navy/Marines) during the last year, say June 1944, what it might have been like.
With the growing development of CAS and the looming invasions of the home islands, I suspect they would gain the same rep that the A-10 enjoys today with troops.
Many one know if the A-1 was able to operate off escort carriers?
 
Many one know if the A-1 was able to operate off escort carriers?
Might depend on actual engine, load and desired range.
The Prototype used a 2500hp engine that was about 300hp more than the B-29 engines.
with 15kts over the deck it needed 532 ft to take off with full internal fuel and MK 13 torpedo.
 
Might depend on actual engine, load and desired range.
The Prototype used a 2500hp engine that was about 300hp more than the B-29 engines.
with 15kts over the deck it needed 532 ft to take off with full internal fuel and MK 13 torpedo.
I did a little checking and found the Skyraider is a few feet smaller, depending on the source about the same weight or less than an Avenger. I found a reference that said an Avenger landed at 75 mph and one that states the Skyraiders final stall speed was 76-78 mph.

Using these numbers, my less than aeronautically-inclined mind reasons the Skyraider could serve on escort carriers. Correct? If yes, imagine escort carriers replacing their Wildcats and Avengers for Bearcats and Skyraiders during the battles for the home islands! Talk about a can of whup ass…
 
June of 1944? Just in time for Philippine Sea ...

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What was the magazine capacity of the escort carriers?
Doubling the bomb load of planes for instance, doesn't do a lot for ground attack if you don't double the ship magazine capacity.
Improvise, adapt, and overcome! Perhaps the strongest quality possessed by American frontline forces in wars past…
 
Many things "would have" had to come together for this to happen. IIRC the first A-1s did have some structural issues that were worked out through fixes in the field and subsequent models. Had the contract been let about a year and a half earlier, it was a possibility we might have seen at least one Skyraider squadron operational by late 1944.
 
What was the magazine capacity of the escort carriers?
Doubling the bomb load of planes for instance, doesn't do a lot for ground attack if you don't double the ship magazine capacity.
Casablanca class (the main type of CVE used offensively in the Pacific) for 16 FM-2 + 12 TBM

Aviation ordnance - 276 tons
Avgas (US gals) - 130,000.

Commencement Bay (entering service in 1945) for 20 F6F / F4U + 12 TBM

Aviation ordnance - 515 tons
Avgas (US gals) - 151,000

The plan in Oct 1945 would have seen a CVEG of 18 F8F + 12 TBM but that would be looking at the Commencement Bay class only.

Replacing the TBM with AD-1 is probably going to mean more frequent replenishment at sea with avgas being a greater limiting factor. By 1945 replenishment at sea had grown to include fuel, munitions and general stores.

But if the AD-1 was available, it would first have gone to the Midway and Essex classes replacing TBM & SB2C
 
Improvise, adapt, and overcome! Perhaps the strongest quality possessed by American frontline forces in wars past…
Parking explosive ordnance outside of designed areas (magazines generally had air conditioning, the rest of the ship did not) can also lead to immolation, alighting, detonation and destruction. Magazines also had provisions for fast (very fast) flooding.
 
It brings nothing much to the party over the F-4U bar some some extra bombload
And once again you make statements with minimal resources.

Had the AD been available a year or two earlier, the SBD, SB2C and Avenger could have gone away or used for other duties.

The whole point was EXTRA BOMBS! At a minimum it carried over TWICE the bombload of the F4U and was able to stay in the air longer than the F4U. Please do some research before engaging!
 

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