Possible COD aircraft for WW2 FAA?

[Admiral Beez]

I was looking at pics of the Short Sturgeon intended for the Audacious class and to me it looks like a transport. What aircraft would have made a good COD aircraft for the WW2 FAA?

Though something more conventional types like the Avro Anson would be better. Is it necessary for the COD to have folding wings and be stored onboard?

 

[ThomasP]

Hey Admiral Beez,

Ideally yes to both folding wings and being able to store aboard a carrier, although it might not be necessary to be stowed in the hangar. It would have to be able to be put out of the way of flight operations in some way, whether on deck or in the hangar. It would be nice if the COD could be landed-unloaded/refueled/readied-launched in one continuous go but there are things (weather, unscheduled maintenance, etc.) that could interfere with an immediate quick turn-around. In war-time it might be acceptable to jettison the COD overboard, but that is a definite no-no in peace time short of some type of serious threat to the ship, the crew, or its aircraft complement.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Hey Admiral Beez,Ideally yes to both folding wings and being able to store aboard a carrier, although it might not be necessary to be stowed in the hangar. It would have to be able to be put out of the way of flight operations in some way, whether on deck or in the hangar.

Perhaps the four seat, folding wing Percival Proctor, first flown in 1939, with its robust fixed undercarriage is the ideal pick then? Just add an arrestor hook.

There is some structural challenges to be overcome, as described here Aviation Photo #0752745: Percival P-34 Proctor 3 - UK - Air Force

"Unfortunately a spate of accidents was caused by failures of the glue-bonds between wooden sections."

 

[swampyankee]

What is the mission for the COD aircraft? Cargo weight, range, passengers, secondary roles?


I would suggest the Supermarine Sea Otter

 

[pinehilljoe]

Lend Lease TBFs

 

[Admiral Beez]

What is the mission for the COD aircraft? Cargo weight, range, passengers, secondary roles?

Passengers, light cargo and dispatches. My original thinking was something heavier, like this Potez 56 landing and taking off from the French carrier Bearn.

I would suggest the Supermarine Sea Otter

But yes, for the smaller jobs the Sea Otter seems ideal. I was hoping to find a use for a land based transport aircraft for the FAA.

 

[Glider]

Anson or Oxford

 

[PFVA63]

Hi,
This site notes that during the Korean War some Avengers were converted to COD craft, specifically noting;

"Another innovation pioneered by recycled Avengers was the "carrier onboard delivery (COD)" mission. It was nothing unusual for Avengers and other aircraft to fly small cargoes from shore onto carriers, but the Navy had never had an aircraft dedicated to the mission. During the Korean War, a number of TBM-3s and TBM-3Ws were converted to the "TBM-3R" configuration, with all combat gear removed, the rear of the canopy glassed-in or faired over, and seats for seven passengers installed in the rear compartment.

The bombbay was retained; stretchers could be carried in it for casualty evacuation, while a "cargo basket" that could be winched into the bombbay was invented by a clever chief petty officer, allowing cargoes to be dropped off and new cargoes picked up immediately. The TBM-3Rs were particularly welcomed on board ship for their delivery of mail."

The Grumman TBF/TBM Avenger I guess there was nothing preventing earlier TBM/TBFs from being used similarly, though they probably wouldn't have been available to later in the war (at least after mid-1942). I suspect other (UK designed) Torpedo Bombers could also be used as well, especially if a "blister" or "cargo pod" could be designed to be fitted in place of a torpedo.

Just some additional thoughts.
Pat

 

[davebender]

Luftwaffe Resource Center - Transports & Utility Aircraft - A Warbirds Resource Group Site
I suspect you could build a CV capable variant of the Arado Ar 232. Power it with four Bristol Hercules engines.

Two of the B-0s were captured by the British at the end of the war. After test flights by Eric "Winkle" Brown, who gave the design excellent marks, they were used by the Royal Air Force on flights between England and Germany after the war.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Luftwaffe Resource Center - Transports & Utility Aircraft - A Warbirds Resource Group Site
I suspect you could build a CV capable variant of the Arado Ar 232. Power it with four Bristol Hercules engines.

Two of the B-0s were captured by the British at the end of the war. After test flights by Eric "Winkle" Brown, who gave the design excellent marks, they were used by the Royal Air Force on flights between England and Germany after the war.

I like it, a lot, but where do we fix the arrestor hook?

Imagine lining this up for a carrier landing?

 

[fastmongrel]

Luftwaffe Resource Center - Transports & Utility Aircraft - A Warbirds Resource Group Site
I suspect you could build a CV capable variant of the Arado Ar 232. Power it with four Bristol Hercules engines.

Two of the B-0s were captured by the British at the end of the war. After test flights by Eric "Winkle" Brown, who gave the design excellent marks, they were used by the Royal Air Force on flights between England and Germany after the war.

Only if the Royal Navy built HMS Habakkuk

 

[pinehilljoe]

I still vote for the TBF, unless the Malta's were completed, then look at larger aircraft.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I still vote for the TBF,

When I lived in Fredericton, NB Canada the local airport used TBF for water bombers. It was very cool to watch them takeoff.

Fire Bombing – 1975 to 2012

 

[PFVA63]

When I lived in Fredericton, NB Canada the local airport used TBF for water bombers. It was very cool to watch them takeoff...

Hi,
They had one on display at the aviation museum in Halifax when I was there. I was amazed at how big it looked. It literally appeared to be about the same size as the S-2/CP-121 Tracker on display next to it (though I'd suspect that if each had there wings unfolded the Tracker would look a fair bit bigger).

TBM Avenger | Atlantic Canada Aviation museum

Pat

 

[Shortround6]

Warning,

this plane outdoes the French in ugliness.

Bulge the fuselage a bit and fit real engines (like Gypsy Majors)