GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
And somehow missed the nose armor on the Mustang, unlike that Bell product...
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Again NAA had the smarts, they put the engine there, the Brits were stuck with a plane that had the engine at the front, too funnny.And somehow missed the nose armor on the Mustang, unlike that Bell product...
A British specification!!!Wasn't the Mustang a British order?
The British wanted more Curtiss P-40s to be produced by North American Aviation, if I recall, but NAA decided to design a new aircraft instead.A British specification!!!
*sshhhh* don't tell anyone, but the Mustang actually did have nose armor between the spinner and engine!Again NAA had the smarts, they put the engine there, the Brits were stuck with a plane that had the engine at the front, too funnny.
Especially considering they were swallowed up by Lockheed and the facility that produced F-16s are now producing F-35s
*sshhhh* don't tell anyone, but the Mustang actually did have nose armor between the spinner and engine!
I was kinda' tryin' to make a point.A British specification!!!
And in the end the RAF operated only about a thousand of the Merlin-powered Mustangs. I expect had Bomber Command been ordered to fly at daytime the RAF would have ordered (or produced) more Mustangs for their own use.British order, US design, a combination made in... well... wartime...
We have discussed this before. Bomber Command did fly many operations in daylight from Aug 1944 to the end of the war with many squadrons of Mustangs available to support themAnd in the end the RAF operated only about a thousand of the Merlin-powered Mustangs. I expect had Bomber Command been ordered to fly at daytime the RAF would have ordered (or produced) more Mustangs for their own use.
Yes, my point was that had Bomber Command been ordered to fly its heavy four engined bomber missions over Europe mostly at daytime, the RAF may have procured more Mustangs. I don't mean to suggest that Bomber Command NEVER flew daylight combat missions with its heavies.We have discussed this before. Bomber Command did fly many operations in daylight from Aug 1944 to the end of the war with many squadrons of Mustangs available to support them
The RAF got more than 1000 Merlin Mustangs but maybe not in the critical period of 1944. The thing is with night time bombing is that at this time of year there isnt enough night time. It is now almost 10PM here and still daylight, though not broad daylight. It wil start getting light again at 3.30to 4 AM tomorrow and there is more light at 20,000ft. The RAF couldnt "procure" more Mustangs, they were Lend Lease, with 20/20 hindsight they should have taken the drawings as soon as they were made and told either Hawkers or Supermarine to make it.Yes, my point was that had Bomber Command been ordered to fly its heavy four engined bomber missions over Europe mostly at daytime, the RAF may have procured more Mustangs. I don't mean to suggest that Bomber Command NEVER flew daylight combat missions with its heavies.
Here's an interesting article, https://scholars.wlu.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1433&context=cmh
And that depends on how far north you are. It is now 11.15 PM here and if ou look at the ground it is dark but not impossible to see, the sky and cloud formations are still clearly visible, it isnt dark up there, but I am in North England not the industrial areas of Germany.Around late June, nautical twilight begins over an hour before sunrise and lasts over an hour after sunset - that tacks nearly three hours onto a fifteen hour day.
There used to be a "thing" people did here, the Lyke Wake Walk, it was later discouraged because it was damaging the moors. Basically you walk from one side of the moor to the other, a distance of 42 miles, which has to be done in 24 hours. The best way to do it is to start before sunset, and walk though the "night" when you are fresh, when you start to get tired and maybe have problems you are in the middle of the day and help is easier to find. I did it on the 21st June, the day of the solstice or the "longest day". When you become used to the half light it is actually only properly "black dark" for about 90 minutes to two hours here at this time of year.Around late June, nautical twilight begins over an hour before sunrise and lasts over an hour after sunset - that tacks nearly three hours onto a fifteen hour day.
with 20/20 hindsight they should have taken the drawings as soon as they were made and told either Hawkers or Supermarine to make it.
Oh I wasnt saying it was owned as a design by the British just that is what should have been done. There were plans oor discussions to produce the P-51 in UK so it was possible, who pays what for what is another discussion. The factory that produced Spitfires also produced some Lancasters and Hawkers had all sorts of factories making planes or waiting to make planes, the Hurricane was in production until 1944, there cant be an argument as to which was better in 1943 - 44 between a Hurricane and a P-51.Did anyone in the UK "own" the P-51 design? Normally the design rights of an aircraft belongs to the company who created the the design, in this case NAA?
In any case I doubt if either Hawker or Supermarine had the production capacity to even license assemble the P-51 in the UK.
I doubt anyone outside the US "owned" design rights, Bill M could probably address that better. If this scenario happened in hindsight, I'm sure there would have been a licensing agreement.Did anyone in the UK "own" the P-51 design? Normally the design rights of an aircraft belongs to the company who created the the design, in this case NAA?
In any case I doubt if either Hawker or Supermarine had the production capacity to even license assemble the P-51 in the UK.
What king of fighters should've Supermarine been designing after the icon? Say, work starting some time past 1941. One or two engines, piston or jet engines. Obviously, several designs will be required to cater for the ever-changing state of the art and operational requirements. Requirments are that of performance, firepower, range/endurance (once that is starts to be required, talk 1944 and on), economics/production/sell-ability, safety, handling. Naval fighters can also apply. All while using engines and aerodynamics available for the designers in the UK.
Task spans from 1941 to 1955. Existing designs - from Spiteful onwards - can be axed so something better can be 'designed'.