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Toss the Sabre engine in the junk bin and replace the Typhoon with a proper Whirlwind. Peregrines staying in modified form
The turret from Defiant was a far better job, it is only a question whether it can be produced in quantities needed. Of course, a gun-less bomber can do without it
Good call about navigation training and better baits for the LW.
What about the Spitfire III?
The thing is you can't make ALL your bombers gun less. ....Waiting for a "new" gun less bomber to help the Mosquito means no bombing offensive until late 1943 or 1944.
What about the Spitfire III?
Thanks for the feedback
It would be then prudent to ramp up Mossie production, both in the UK, but also in Canada and Australia? Would the engine production be capable enough to suffice for the greater/earlier quantity of Mosquitoes? Any other engines for it, at least for low-level and day fighter-bomber versions?
Re. Typhoon/Sabre: Hawker, Gloster and Napier are needed for the war effort. Napier has only Sabre to offer, out of the engines that can really be useful. Or maybe they can produce Merlins under license? The days of the Hurricane are numbered, once BoB is over it can receive Merlin XII/45/30 'stead of Merlin XX (that would go to Spitfire instead)? So Hawker and Gloster either produce Typhoon, or Spitfire under license?
Good call on greater efforts for the anti-sub work. The long range aircraft don't need the cutting edge technology, when it comes down to the engines aerodynamics, but themselves are crucial for the UK/Allied war effort.
The Spitfire could use some subtle improvements, like 2x6 exhausts (gives 6 mph, according to tests, instead of 2 x 3), a bit more fuel (a tank under pilot, like the early PR versions, increase of main tanks to up to 96 imp gals; later, with more engine power and heavier engines, the rear tank of maybe 30 gals) - the extra fuel tankage would be necessary for overseas Spitfires (Africa, Malta, Australia), but it would also make them more useful for over the Chanel operations. The earlier introduction of pressure injection carbs might also help a bit (8-10 mph extra). How about a longer intake tube, for better use of ram effect? Hopefully the performance advantage the Fw-190 and Bf-109F-4 held would be cut in half with such improvements for the 'Spitfire V'?
For 1942 and further, the 2-stage Merlin is a given, we might also consider the fully-covered undercarriage to cut the drag a bit.
You are out of British engines, A Pegasus powered Mosquito? Late 40/early 41 sees the Hercules just starting to trickle off the production lines, the reason for Merlin powered Beaufighters and Wellingtons.
Well, if you can't stop/ditch the most expensive/troublesome engine and build something else it doesn't leave much wiggle room in the "what if"
Depends on the year, 1940 being a bit tough to bridge the entire Atlantic gap. However even planes that could patrol 200 miles further from base can give about an extra 24 hours steaming for an 8 knot convoy on each end of the trip. Waiting for the best makes for a much rougher first few years.
The leading edge tanks seemed to work pretty well although made fuel management a bit complicated, why does everybody want to forget about them and jump to the rear fuselage tanks? The leading edge tanks don't have any funny handling problems, They also found room for a few extra gallons in the main tank/s.
A discussion about what the RAF should have pursued after th BoB. Eg. what at is the best way to hit Axis, how to prepare best for very possible LW atacks in next year, what about N. Africa and Malta, what to do once Japan takes the French Indochina? Once Germany turns East, how to capitalize on that? How to best help SU from 1941 on?
Tecnology hardware - maybe a bit more emphasis on a 'gunless' bomber? When is a good time for a long range fighter? What to ask/buy/demand from Commonwealth and the USA? About what to insist on airframe and engine makers? What about 'problematic' stuff, like Whirlwind/Peregrine, Typhoon/Sabre, Manchester/Vulture? What would be the best upgrades for the Spitfire and Mosquito, not just performance-wise, but also production-wise?
The tread should cover the time until 1944 stars.
Once again it was use and not so much technology ( although pulling turrets and adding sheet metal isn't very sophisticated technology). The big bombers were NOT even flying at max lean cruise to and from their targets. Now it might not have been possible to reach ALL targets flying at max lean cruise but it sure would have helped survival rates for a lot of western German targets. Although at perhaps a trade off between bomb load and fuel load.