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The British aircraft actually came from the Canadian production line and were SBW-1B models. Produced by Canadian Car & Foundry Company. Made no difference to how good/bad they were.Considering the Commonwealth was producing the Helldiver they could have easily made some for Britain.
And do something about that darned windscreen!It's interesting that the RAF never took interest in dedicated dive bombers. They seemed to have success with the Vengeance. What about an improved Skua for the RAF? Omitting the wing fold mechanism, arrestor hook, catapult fittings and dinghy might shave a few hundred pounds off.
I should have noted that the Martin turret was replaced by the Bristol. The Bristol was electrically driven but I don't know what control system it usedLincoln first prototype PW925 flew with the Martin turret in the dorsal position. But the second and third prototypes and all production Lincolns used a Bristol B.17 turret fitted with 2x20mm Hispano cannon in the dorsal position. Postwar they were removed from many aircraft.
Bristol B.17 mid-upper turret with twin 20 mm Hispano cannon | World War Photos
Bristol B.17 mid-upper turret with twin 20 mm Hispano (Mk IV or V) cannonswww.worldwarphotos.info
And do something about that darned windscreen!
Look closely. Is it really that bad? Note the very narrow not quite vertical panel and the much larger almost triangular angled quarter panels.And do something about that darned windscreen!
It is odd. I don't think any other monoplane divebomber had such a windscreen.And do something about that darned windscreen!
When the enemy approaches from the rear the gunner note only slides the canopy forward, he has to lower the turtle deck to open the field of fire and swing the gun into position.
(British got 5 of them, went straight to training, didn't even try to use them as target towers'
Didn't the SB2C (which is one of my favorite GI acronyms ever!) have the same deployment process for the rear gunner -- dropping the deck for the field of fire?
The gunner in the Battle was much more exposed when using his gun, than the gunner in the SB2C. Small wonder it was difficult to use and caused drag.Re tail guns; Faireys found the Battle hand held rear VGO reduced performance when deployed with extra drag and the gun was difficult to use in the 200+mph wind. They concluded that keeping the rear closed up and saving the weight of the gun etc. would be of more use. Tried on the post Battle light dive bomber offer and deliberately kept so on the Fulmar.
Centaur is essentially a single level Ark Royal or an Illustrious without the armoured box. Nothing really evolutionary there. But I am suggesting the Centaurs follow the Illustrious, so when the four Illustrious/Indomitable start in 1937 the follow-on design should be Centaurs.
The RN did NOT abandon the armoured box hangar after Indomitable.The Royal Navy did indeed abandon the armoured box hanger after the Indomitables.
It had a fatal flaw that doomed all of them to short lives and early trips to the scrapyard
The very rigid box kept most bombs out, but Newton and his every action has a reaction is a thing.
While on an American carrier, the blast was vented outboard from the hanger, on a British armoured carrier, the shock was fed down through the armoured box into the hull causing structural damage like bent shafts, twisted keels and other not good outcomes.
The other thing was a fire in the hanger - it didn't vent and temperatures reached such high levels, yet again, twisted hull time.
The follow on Audacious class had a much lighter armoured box, little better than splinter levels with armoured patches over the vitals, and Malta class were modelled after the Lexingtons and did away with it.
Also, its claimed the 'stupid Americans' followed British practice and moved the strength deck up from the hanger floor to the flight deck as they had fallen in love with 'armoured carriers'. Nope, they did it because it was the only way to make the huge new carriers hulls stiff enough.
Also, its commonly claimed US wartime carriers weren't armoured - actually, yes they were, but the armoured deck was the hanger floor.
The vented blast myth.The Royal Navy did indeed abandon the armoured box hanger after the Indomitables.
It had a fatal flaw that doomed all of them to short lives and early trips to the scrapyard
The very rigid box kept most bombs out, but Newton and his every action has a reaction is a thing.
While on an American carrier, the blast was vented outboard from the hanger, on a British armoured carrier, the shock was fed down through the armoured box into the hull causing structural damage like bent shafts, twisted keels and other not good outcomes.
The other thing was a fire in the hanger - it didn't vent and temperatures reached such high levels, yet again, twisted hull time.
The follow on Audacious class had a much lighter armoured box, little better than splinter levels with armoured patches over the vitals, and Malta class were modelled after the Lexingtons and did away with it.
Also, its claimed the 'stupid Americans' followed British practice and moved the strength deck up from the hanger floor to the flight deck as they had fallen in love with 'armoured carriers'. Nope, they did it because it was the only way to make the huge new carriers hulls stiff enough.
Also, its commonly claimed US wartime carriers weren't armoured - actually, yes they were, but the armoured deck was the hanger floor.