Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
Again, this is true, but it doesn't make the Mosquito a "Sten Gun" aircraft or a heavily productionized design. Yes, it was designed to take advantage of existing skills, tools, and the strategic material situation. However, these are two different things (although you could have a "Sten Gun" aircraft that you can build quickly, with semi-skilled labor, that is still designed around strategic material limits, and even takes advantage of some "traditional" methods.The reason for the Mosquito is that DH still had a ton of workers and engineers skilled in working with wood. Plus, most of Britain's aluminum (or at least a good chunk of it) was imported (mostly from North America). Ironically, almost all the balsa wood used in the Mosquito (and later Vampire, Hornet, and Venom) had to be imported from South America.
Ironically, the Me262 was something of a "Sten Gun" aircraft because of the engines. While they were bleeding edge technology, they were also fast and cheap to build, even with barely-skill slave labor that was starved, beaten, tortured, and randomly murdered. The engines had a ridiculously short time between overhauls, but they could be built fast enough to (mostly) keep the Swallows operational. The fuselage and empenage were advanced, but nothing special, and the cockpit was even a little on the primitive side, mostly because the engine controls were simple. Do you want more power, or less power? No futzing with mm of mercury or choke, or radiator flap settings, or the dozen factors that pilots with piston engines had to deal with (even in the FW190).This is about the simplest, but most effective, aircraft of World War II among both the Allies and the Axis. This is more about the aircraft that were produced that were at least fairly easy to produce or were designed with an eye toward production. I'm expecting already that this will feature discussion about the Mosquito, P-51, P-40, Hurricane, and Soviet aircraft. Also, this will involve aircraft that were also easy to maintain and repair as well. Focus, though, will be on those that made it into service.
Bf109s weren't modified for ramming, they were done at various times as spur of the moment.This also essentially includes Me-109s and Ki-61s that were modified for ramming missions late in World War II.
That was exactly what the Hurricane was supposed to be.Were there any cheap or "emergency" fighters that did enter service that did more or less what they were supposed to do in the opinion of the members here?
Were there any cheap or "emergency" fighters that did enter service that did more or less what they were supposed to do in the opinion of the members here?
That was exactly what the Hurricane was supposed to be.
I guess a lot depends on what is meant by cheap or "emergency" andThe He162 would be one.
Short time from paper to production and inexpensive to manufacture.
The Beretta 92 is the perfect fit in my hands, more so than my Glock, the best are the Navy Colts, after shooting one I know why Wild Bill prefered them.I can't get past the Glock grip angle, they just don't point where they are supposed to
Mate, I think I can speak for everyone when I say we are all in the same boat, I went from state/national competition shooting as a boy to now barely being able to see the front sight.Way back when, I was a pretty decent pistol shot, coming in 5th of my class at the USPSA Nationals in '89. Now, eyesight, knees, and arthritic hands have slowed me down considerably.
By 1940 standards, the Hurricane was cheap and cheerful, that being a relative phrase. It was simple and easy to build and maintain. But when was the Hurricane designed? I'd say from 1933-35, which though it wasn't designed using the absolute most cutting edge tech like the Spitfire was, it was still advanced by the standards of the 1930s.I guess a lot depends on what is meant by cheap or "emergency" and
2nd, "the more or less do what they are supposed to do".
The Hurricane was NOT cheap or an "emergency fighter". Yes it was cheaper than a Spitfire but aside from the airframe, everything else was identical. Same engine, prop, instruments, radio gear, etc. Overall cost of the fighter sitting on the field ready to go wasn't that much cheaper. The Miles M.20 was not only go around for Miles on this concept.
View attachment 734747
The Miles M.24 which was basically a Miles Master trainer with 6 .303 guns in wing and the rear cockpit taken out and partially faired over. Used a 700hp (?) Kestrel engine. The RAF had hundreds of Kestrels in store from the biplanes of the 30s so no production needed. It was cheap, it just wasn't that good, speed might have been 250mph? Some accounts say 25 were converted on the production line.
One could argue it did what was intended (get 6 guns in the air at speed that might work for bomber interception? and not impact normal fighter production).
The Main problem with the He 162 was that it could not do what was intended. The actual performance was good. The actual intention was that they would be flown by teenage Hitler youth with basic glider training and maybe 30 hours of powered flight? Winkle Brown liked flying it very much, he also said it not an airplane for beginners. So did it do want was intended or not?
Interesting - the Me262 had an issued "do not exceed" speed warning, but I was not aware the He162 had one.Plus issues with construction did often restrict the top speed of the He-162 to 370mph aside from dire emergencies.
But they did not have those engines to spare. They were the there to keep the trainers in the air. The production lines were turned over to Merlin's long before. Put the Kestrels in (needed for training) Masters single seaters then you turn off the 1940 tap of newly trained pilots which was the real RAF log jam at that time. That was the whole reason for the vast investment in the Empire training scheme that paid off handsomely thereafter. Even Miles realised the finite supply of Kestrels and flew the first Mercury powered Master in 1939.The Miles M.24 which was basically a Miles Master trainer with 6 .303 guns in wing and the rear cockpit taken out and partially faired over. Used a 700hp (?) Kestrel engine. The RAF had hundreds of Kestrels in store from the biplanes of the 30s so no production needed.