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Admiral Beez
Major
The Swordfish took care of them. My idea was if Skuas are available we can hit additional targets.Sure. But I think the point of the raid was the battleships.
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The Swordfish took care of them. My idea was if Skuas are available we can hit additional targets.Sure. But I think the point of the raid was the battleships.
The Swordfish took care of them. My idea was if Skuas are available we can hit additional targets.
Perhaps, but Illustrious launched 21 Swordfish. I assume that's her total complement. The Fulmar was introduced in May 1940, so I'm not sure how many were on Illustrious that day in Nov 1940.You're gonna need another carrier, then.
How about at Ceylon in place or along with the undetected Blenheim raid? SAP should penetrate IJN carrier decks.I don't believe a 500 lb bomb was a threat to a battleship. Also the Skua bomb was SAP not AP. Also diving bombing at night was not possible.
Perhaps, but Illustrious launched 21 Swordfish. I assume that's her total complement. The Fulmar was introduced in May 1940, so I'm not sure how many were on Illustrious that day in Nov 1940.
We are. If Illustrious has 21 Swordfish aboard and we want to add Skuas without adding another carrier, then we need to clear the hangar of any other aircraft, which by Nov 1940 must have been Fulmars. That's why I mention them, in a failed attempt to get ahead of contrarianism.I thought we were talking about Skuas and not Fulmars.
We are. If Illustrious has 21 Swordfish aboard and we want to add Skuas without adding another carrier, then we need to clear the hangar of any other aircraft, which by Nov 1940 must have been Fulmars. That's why I mention them, in a failed attempt to get ahead of contrarianism.
A full 36 crate CAG of twenty-one Swordfish and fifteen Skuas would make for a solid maritime strike package… provided the target is not defended by fighter aircraft and the Skuas aren't expected to defend Illustrious from anything faster than 200 mph. Forget about intercepting a 290 mph SM.79 Sparviero or even a 235 mph B5N.The Fulmar was a bit larger than the Skua, so perhaps a couple more Blackburns could be crammed in, at the expense of better daytime air-cover from the Faireys?
The Skua, as built, carried a single bomb. Historically it was 500lb SAP with 90lbs of HE.The Swordfish took care of them. My idea was if Skuas are available we can hit additional targets.
I don't believe the Japanese used armored flight decks. A standard 500lb GP bomb should penetrate the flight deck.How about at Ceylon in place or along with the undetected Blenheim raid? SAP should penetrate IJN carrier decks.
A full 36 crate CAG of twenty-one Swordfish and fifteen Skuas would make for a solid maritime strike package… provided the target is not defended by fighter aircraft.
The only Japanese carrier with an amoured flight deck was the Taiho. No Japanese fleet carrier was sunk by bombs not even the grievously damaged carriers at Midway which were still afloat and were scuttled by Japanese torpedoes. And contrary to popular opinion Japanese warships were tough, ask any USN cruiser captain. Any carrier caught with fueled up and bombed up aircraft on board was in deep trouble.The Skua, as built, carried a single bomb. Historically it was 500lb SAP with 90lbs of HE.
In the what if maybe we can use the 500lb GP bomb with 144lbs of HE.
Now how far can we push the what if?
The British bring the 1000lb GP bomb to the party rather late. They are ordering the production versions in Dec of 1939 and only about 160 are dropped in 1940 (11,000 had been ordered.) It does hold 357lbs of 60/40 Amatol/TNT.
The higher capacity MC bombs don't show up until 1942.
If you want to try for the oil tanks a Swordfish will hold six 250lbs bombs in the under wing racks. Range may be a bit shorter than the torpedo planes due to drag?View attachment 671152
Each 250lb GP bomb will hold 67-68lbs of HE and even just 4 planes could put 2 dozen bombs into the tank farm.
I don't believe the Japanese used armored flight decks. A standard 500lb GP bomb should penetrate the flight deck.
The 500lb SAP might be able to penetrate the hanger deck.
One or two 500lb GP bombs might very well not sink a Japanese carrier (depends on damage control) but a pair of 500lb GP bombs in the hanger is going to need dockyard repairs.
How are the swordfish delivering the bombs and how are they aiming them. Bombing a night with real bombsights wasn't easy. Bombing by sighting over the nose would be even more inaccurate. Also a 250 lb bomb isn't going to cause any damage with a near missThe Skua, as built, carried a single bomb. Historically it was 500lb SAP with 90lbs of HE.
In the what if maybe we can use the 500lb GP bomb with 144lbs of HE.
Now how far can we push the what if?
The British bring the 1000lb GP bomb to the party rather late. They are ordering the production versions in Dec of 1939 and only about 160 are dropped in 1940 (11,000 had been ordered.) It does hold 357lbs of 60/40 Amatol/TNT.
The higher capacity MC bombs don't show up until 1942.
If you want to try for the oil tanks a Swordfish will hold six 250lbs bombs in the under wing racks. Range may be a bit shorter than the torpedo planes due to drag?View attachment 671152
Each 250lb GP bomb will hold 67-68lbs of HE and even just 4 planes could put 2 dozen bombs into the tank farm.
I don't believe the Japanese used armored flight decks. A standard 500lb GP bomb should penetrate the flight deck.
The 500lb SAP might be able to penetrate the hanger deck.
One or two 500lb GP bombs might very well not sink a Japanese carrier (depends on damage control) but a pair of 500lb GP bombs in the hanger is going to need dockyard repairs.
Bf 109 specification was for a monoplane fighter of high maneuverability and greatest speed possible, with good diving and spinning performance. Messerschmitt aircraft pretty much meeting that. Now originally, Messerschmitt wasn't invited to bid due to issues with his earlier M-20 aircraft but that is different issue.IIRC it was the Bf 109 that went against the spec (predominantly against the specified wing loading) and won, while the 110 was following the spec.
Admiral Beez;Perhaps, but Illustrious launched 21 Swordfish. I assume that's her total complement. The Fulmar was introduced in May 1940, so I'm not sure how many were on Illustrious that day in Nov 1940.
Skuas and Swordfish are a few inches short of 36ft long so are interchangeable in terms of hangar deck space. Illustrious was designed around 6 Skua and 30 Swordfish in her 456 ft long hangar. With 3 aircraft abreast, which is all that will fit, that is 12 rows. (You need to allow working room around each aircraft. In WW2 the RN worked to a minimum of 1.5-2ft).Oh, now I get what you're saying. According to Armoured Aircraft Carriers, the loadout for the Illustrious was as follows:
HMS Illustrious (Flag Rear Admiral Lyster)
806 Squadron: 15 Fulmar MkI
815 Squadron: 9 Swordfish
819 Squadron: 9 Swordfish
813 Squadron*: 4 Swordfish, 2 Sea Gladiator
824 Squadron*: 2 Swordfish
* Detached from HMS Eagle
Armoured Aircraft Carriers
At Taranto, HMS Illustrious changed the balance of the war and cemented the aircraft carrier at the core of the battlefleet.www.armouredcarriers.com
The Fulmar was a bit larger than the Skua, so perhaps a couple more Blackburns could be crammed in, at the expense of better daytime air-cover from the Faireys?
I must confess I am wrong. Actually they did bomb the oil tanks. The 4 flare droppers bombed them on the way out. Since they carried flares they only could carry 4 x 250 lb bombs for a total of 16. It seems they did damage although I have seen differing opinions on how much damage. The bombers tasked to attack warships did score hits although some of the bombs failed to explode, an all too common occurrence in WWII. The Swordfish was able to bomb with some accuracy at night.How are the swordfish delivering the bombs and how are they aiming them. Bombing a night with real bombsights wasn't easy. Bombing by sighting over the nose would be even more inaccurate. Also a 250 lb bomb isn't going to cause any damage with a near miss