Naval aircraft used by Army and vice versa

[gjs238]

What naval aircraft were adopted by army forces, and vice versa?
The USN F4 Phantom adopted by the USAF is a prime example.

Were any army aircraft adopted by naval forces?

 

[davparlr]

Because Naval aircraft are more ruggedly built to withstand carrier landings, the transition to a land based operation is easier than the reverse. There is also a force rivalry that often hampered the cross breeding of aircraft.

Here are some off the top of my head

AF to Navy
C-47 to R4D
C-54 to R5D
C-118 to R6D
C-130
F-86 to FJ2


Navy to AF

A3D to B-66
F4H to F-4
A-7

I'm sure there are other but have to run.

 

[buffnut453]

Army or Air Force to Navy:
Sopwith Pup (sorry...had to!)
Hurricane
Spitfire
Mosquito
Me109
Ju87 Stuka
Spiteful (ok, never entered operational service...but it was converted)
Attacker (not sure about this one - it may have been intended from the start to be FAA)
Vampire
Venom
Harrier


Navy to Army (or Air Force):
F2A (Buffalo)
SBD Dauntless (A24 in Army parlance)
AD4 Skyraider
A4 Skyhawk (RNZAF used 'em)
Buccaneer
F-14 (Iranian Air Force)
F/A-18 (Canadians and others)

Not a bad list off the top of my head...

 

[FLYBOYJ]

PBY - OA-10

B-25 - PBJ

B-26 - JM-2

P2V - RB-69

PB4Y - B-24

 

[buffnut453]

Oops...missed the DH Hornet from my list.

We could also (at a stretch) include the Bristol Scout, HP 0/400, BE2, Sopwith Camel, Sopwith Strutter, Vickers Gunbus, Nieuport Scouts (various types), Avro 504, Airco DH4 and DH9 which served with both the RFC and RNAS.

 

[GrauGeist]

The U.S. Navy's F2 Buffalo served with several Air Forces (Australia, Finland, RAF), the F4F Wildcat was ordered for service with the Belgian Air Force (never saw delivery, though), the F4U Corsair saw service in several Air Forces.

Not sure if the original question was intended to mean U.S. Navy to U.S.A.F. in specific or army to navy (or other way around) on an international level.

 

[buffnut453]

I knew the Wildcat was ordered by the French. Didn't know it was ordered by the Belgians too. They did order Buffalos, as did the Dutch.

 

[otftch]

SB2C was also tested by the AAF in WW II as the A-25 Shrike.
Ed

 

[buffnut453]

Oooh...good point. The RAF also had a couple which were named Chesapeakes, although they never entered service. The French did use some, though.

 

[tomo pauk]

Chesapeakes were made by Vought. In the US service they were called SB2U Vindicator.

 

[buffnut453]

You're right...it was the SB2U not the SB2C. Also known as the V.156F, I think, in France...although they may have been operated by the French Navy which would remove that particular customer from this discussion. RAF still had a couple, although only used for testing.

 

[Denniss]

SB2C was also tested by the AAF in WW II as the A-25 Shrike.
Ed

Not only tested, ~900 denavalized A-25A were built. Mostly used as trainers.

 

[fastmongrel]

Fairey III must have been one of the 1st Naval planes to be used by a Land Air Force. Fairey III - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[parsifal]

SBD was used by the army, I believe it was the A-24. f4U was used by the RNZAF

 

[swampyankee]

The USN also used Spitfires (to observe naval shoots in Europe).

I believe the USN also used the B-17, as the PB-1 and PB-1W, B-29, as the P2B, and the P-61 as the F2T-1N. Would we count the F6C/P-1? How about the YF-17/F-18? T-33/TO/T2V? The T-28?

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very cool, I had no idea they used the P-61.

Il-2 was used by both the Soviet Army and Navy.

 

[fubar57]

I was not aware the navy used the P-61, thanks for the info and off the research it.

Geo

Took over a minute for this post to....uh...post

 

[Von Frag]

A-1 Skyraider

 

[nuuumannn]

Sopwith Camel, Sopwith Strutter

Actually, Buffnut, the other way round. Pup, Camel and Strutter were designed for use by the Admiralty and the first production variants of these aircraft went to the RNAS first before they went to the RFC. The Triplane was used solely by the RNAS; Sopwith was known as supplier of aircraft to the Admiralty.

RNZAF used the Avenger, Dauntless, Corsair and Harpoon in WW2. The Royal Navy used the following RAF combat aircraft; Gloster Meteor, a naval hooked version was built and flown, as well as use as a target tug, Boulton Paul Defiant TT, Beaufighter II, Mosquito, specific naval variants, Vampire, both carrier based and land based Sea Vampires, Douglas Boston, Martin Maryland, Vultee Vengeance.

RAF used the SBC Helldiver as the Curtiss Cleveland.

 

[parsifal]

what happened to sopwith as an aircraft builder. They just seemed to disappear after the war.