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We don't really have a terminology for it, but all military aircraft designs go through this uncomfortable phase. Some never get through it. Some are used in spite of it. Others are more fully adapted to the needs of the operational environments where they need to be used, and to their pilots.
Some folk have short memories!!Just a couple of weeks ago.
Japanese aircraft were behind in timing to Allied aircraft.
IIRC, 1 Sep 1943 was their first action off carriers. I don't know if they operated from land before then. Under Boyington, it was late 1943.ww2aircraft.net
The term is "teething troubles". You used a variant of it in your own post.
hit reply by accident. FFS.I remember this very good post, but in what way did I contradict it?
yes I know, but I don't find that accurate or precise enough. I wonder if the military has or had terms of art for this process. It's more than just minor technical issues IMO, training, fairly major adjustments, logistics, support etc. are all involved. Some planes never really get through it.
Teething trouble seem to somewhat universal in the English language but it usually refers to technical or mechanical problems.
If you start lumping in some of the training or tactical issues the problems may devolve to finger pointing.
A crossover problem was one on the Whirlwind. It got a reputation for overheating on the ground or taxiing.
Remember that flaps were only a few years old. Gladiator was the first RAF fighter with flaps.
SOP was to keep the flaps retracted when not using them (like when taxiing across the field ) on any aircraft, this did help reduce the damage from crap kicked up the tires on grass/dirt airfields. Taxiing to the parking area with the flaps down could be a reason for having to buy a round of drinks at the bar.
Along comes the Whirlwind and the flaps were actually used as part of the radiator exhaust flap area. There was an upper flap but it wasn't big enough at taxi speed.
Getting the pilots to taxi with the flaps lowered is sometimes mentioned as one of the "teething" problems
Yes it was training.
Ineffective use of an aircraft in combat doesn't have much to do with the manufacturer or designer.
Teething trouble seem to somewhat universal in the English language but it usually refers to technical or mechanical problems.
If you start lumping in some of the training or tactical issues the problems may devolve to finger pointing.
HiLet's also remember that the IJN produced 18-20 aircraft carriers during or before the war. (13 fleet carriers, 7 light carriers). The US produced far more than that (over 100, mostly late in the war), but Japan was second with (I think) more than Britain. Germans had none. Italians had one partially constructed. Soviets had none. French had maybe one in production.
The Japanese were also keeping up with the US until the mid war, in terms of carriers in the battle areas.
Hi
Reference British aircraft carriers during and before the war:
Argus, Hermes, Eagle, Furious, Courageous, Glorious, Ark Royal, Illustrious, Formidable, Victorious, Indomitable, Indefatigable and Implacable, that's 13. Plus Unicorn and 5 Colossus Class commissioned before the end of the war (5 more during 1945 and early 1946). Six Majestic class launched but not completed before the end of the war. Six Escort carriers were constructed in British yards as were 19 Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC ships) for convoy protection. Two Eagle class fleet carriers were also under construction when the war ended, there completion delayed until the 1950s. I think that makes 44 carriers built in Britain of all types and used during WW2, with another 11 under construction at the wars end.
Carrier production was delayed during the early years of the war due to both air raids and other priorities like escort ships needed for convoy protection.
The French had the Bearn in service from 1927.
Mike
From 1938-44 RN commissioned 7 fleet carriers that were fitted with a full complement of aircraft from 1940-44.Hi
Reference British aircraft carriers during and before the war:
Argus, Hermes, Eagle, Furious, Courageous, Glorious, Ark Royal, Illustrious, Formidable, Victorious, Indomitable, Indefatigable and Implacable, that's 13. Plus Unicorn and 5 Colossus Class commissioned before the end of the war (5 more during 1945 and early 1946). Six Majestic class launched but not completed before the end of the war. Six Escort carriers were constructed in British yards as were 19 Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC ships) for convoy protection. Two Eagle class fleet carriers were also under construction when the war ended, there completion delayed until the 1950s. I think that makes 44 carriers built in Britain of all types and used during WW2, with another 11 under construction at the wars end.
Carrier production was delayed during the early years of the war due to both air raids and other priorities like escort ships needed for convoy protection.
The French had the Bearn in service from 1927.
Mike
From 1938-44 RN commissioned 7 fleet carriers into that were fitted with a full complement of aircraft from 1940-44.
The IJN commissioned 6 fleet carriers from 1938-44 " ".
The IJN converted two merchant ships into light fleet carriers; Junyo and Hiyo.
The IJN put 4 CVLs into service from 1940 to 1944.
The IJN put 5 CVEs into service from 1940-44.
Of course the RN, RCN, RAN, etc also commissioned hundreds of Battleships, cruisers, fleet destroyers, and smaller ships into service from 1939 whose combined tonnage and numbers dwarfed similar tonnage and numbers from the IJN.
Going from the XF4U to F4F-1 could have been sped up considerably had it stuck with the original design of fuel tanks in the wing, and four MGs between Fuselage and Wing mounts.To Pick on the Americans we have the first flight of the F4U in May of 1940 (during the Battle for France) but the first operational/combat flights to place abut one month before the end of the Battle for Stalingrad.
Or the SB2C.
Going from the XF4U to F4F-1 could have been sped up considerably had it stuck with the original design of fuel tanks in the wing, and four MGs between Fuselage and Wing mounts.
even the XF6F would have been faster to service with the R-2600 than the change to 2800
And I'd say the SB2C never got out of the teething trouble stage