oldcrowcv63
Tech Sergeant
Pars, points well made. I figured these wiki ranges (with my attempt to convert any stated radius to a range) were just strawmen values giving only a hint of actual capability and not necessarily accurate (a very fuzzy concept indeed considering all the possibilities of meaning). This is also the case with other types of aircraft like fighters. Using operational examples is by far the better method of assessing range. Other than that, exchanging payload for range by varying fuel loads, as SR indicated, is what I would have anticipated for operations. I also boldfaced the wing area, gross weight and wing loading of each type as another gross comparison measure. Wing loading (perhaps slightly less fuzzy than published ranges) can provide a hint of the relative potential range and the Kawanishi had the lowest of the bunch with the PBY coming second. Of course, the Short had by far the highest (roughly double that of the H6K).
Burning time and gas on station is certainly characteristic of a modern maritime patrol operation while flying a ladder track through a patrol box. This phase of the flight can represent half the flight time, although more typically, is perhaps about 6 hours in transit and 4-6 hours on station for a P-3 searching a box located about 1,000 iles from home plate. I have no idea (beyond as SR points out, a leg, arc and return leg) what a typical op area patrol would look like in 1942. (I've only gotten to the third chapter of black cat raiders and not sure that will even address the issue) endurance is a preferable measure in many instances but range offers such a handy yardstick for ops planning)
I have to think that the Short's range could have been increased by one of two unlikely measures. Throw out all the defensive armament and payload and replace it with fuel bladders or fill the fuselage with helium or hydrogen bladders as the fuselage appears about as large as the Hindenberg!
Burning time and gas on station is certainly characteristic of a modern maritime patrol operation while flying a ladder track through a patrol box. This phase of the flight can represent half the flight time, although more typically, is perhaps about 6 hours in transit and 4-6 hours on station for a P-3 searching a box located about 1,000 iles from home plate. I have no idea (beyond as SR points out, a leg, arc and return leg) what a typical op area patrol would look like in 1942. (I've only gotten to the third chapter of black cat raiders and not sure that will even address the issue) endurance is a preferable measure in many instances but range offers such a handy yardstick for ops planning)
I have to think that the Short's range could have been increased by one of two unlikely measures. Throw out all the defensive armament and payload and replace it with fuel bladders or fill the fuselage with helium or hydrogen bladders as the fuselage appears about as large as the Hindenberg!
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