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Grumman Martlet first flight 2 September 1937, introduced to service Dec 1940.I cant really see how you can produce under license something that hasn't been made yet.
First Contract Dec 1942, 30 were delivered by the end of 1943 with another 706 by the end of 1944 and 398 in 1945.Does one of our experts know how long it took the Canadian Aircraft Industry to tool up for Helldiver, Lancaster or Mosquito production? One data point, it took the Soviets 3 years to reverse engineer, tool and produce the B-29.
Canada was already producing the Martlet's predecessor the Wright Cyclone-powered Grumman Goblin. CC&F has the contacts with Wright and Grumman - hopefully that can expedite things.Secondly the Martlet was designed around USA drawing practices, for a very lengthy list of USA sub contract ancillaries and USA metals available off the shelf in the USA. The whole airframe would need redesigning to take UK ancillaries and use UK production metals.
Grumman Martlet first flight 2 September 1937
If in summer 1939 when the Air Ministry asks CC&F for the Martlet, Grumman was already producing the Wildcat
If this is where both start, perhaps this is where the British/Canadian variant of the Wildcat diverges from the American.This falls into the 'be careful what you ask for, you just might get it". The 1937 XF4F-2
View attachment 574409
Note the rounded fin and rudder, the cowl guns and a few other things? like shorter, smaller wings with round tips.
Most of this stuff got sorted out in 1938-39. The rebuilt XF4F-4 flew on Feb 12th 1939. However all was not sunshine and roses.
To what purpose?If this is where both start, perhaps this is where the British/Canadian variant of the Wildcat diverges from the American.
None, you would suggest.To what purpose?
Does one of our experts know how long it took the Canadian Aircraft Industry to tool up for Helldiver, Lancaster or Mosquito production? One data point, it took the Soviets 3 years to reverse engineer, tool and produce the B-29.
Why the hatred for the Taurus? It's development was horribly stunted but it saw oceanic service in Albacores and Beauforts and they did not keep on falling out of the sky when the noisy whirly thing stopped. Albacores were still being made with the Taurus in 1943 and Taurus Beauforts in 1944. Handy to have the same engine in your Martlets your Albacore I would think. Maybe not the best choice but not impractical I think..
4. A Bristol Taurus with single speed supercharger.
The last is really too horrible to really think about.
If we're license producing the Martlet in the UK we can get the Taurus or other Bristol radials. But if in Canada or Australia I'd suggest a Wright or P&W engine would be easier to procure. Note how Canadian Hurricane and Lancaster production switched from RR to Packard Merlins at their earliest opportunity.Handy to have the same engine in your Martlets your Albacore I would think. Maybe not the best choice but not impractical I think.
For a pre-war contract, the Canadian Hurricane production moved quickly. The order was placed in March 1939, and the first was flying in January 1940. That's ten months from start to the prototype below to duplicate technical drawings, create production tooling, procure and ship engines, etc.First Contract Dec 1942, 30 were delivered by the end of 1943 with another 706 by the end of 1944 and 398 in 1945.
Maybe we should look at the Canadian Hurricane production?
Exactly my point, there is a sort of ceremony with licensed production where some examples are delivered along with the drawings and standards and a statement made that these drawings and standards produce this product. If that product isn't what is wanted who decides on the changes, you would have two parallel R&D efforts either side of the Atlantic.They will fit but if you think the Wildcat/Martlet was underpowered with the existing engines then the Taurus or Pegasus would really have been underperformers.
The only reason the Beaufort stayed with the Taurus was a ship with 200 P & W R-1830s got torpedoed and the British concluded that using the Taurus (with it's problems) was better than a rather uncertain supply of engine from the US.
This falls into the 'be careful what you ask for, you just might get it". The 1937 XF4F-2
View attachment 574409
Note the rounded fin and rudder, the cowl guns and a few other things? like shorter, smaller wings with round tips.
Most of this stuff got sorted out in 1938-39. The rebuilt XF4F-4 flew on Feb 12th 1939. However all was not sunshine and roses.
Wing dihedral was increased, aileron area was decreased, rudder horn area was increased. A number of modifications were taken to address engine cooling problems. Like a large spinner, propeller blade cuffs, and several configurations of of cowling flaps.
The first two "production" aircraft (nos 1844 and 1845) were not delivered in Aug of 1940 and were NOT up to production standard.
see above.
BTW grumman built about 106 Wildcats, Martlets, G-36s in all of 1940 with none being completed in the first six months.
I would note that it took Eastern Aircraft from Jan 28th 1942 until Aug 31st 1942 to go from signing contract to delivering first FM-1 fighter (with some Grumman supplied parts) despite being under 200 miles from the Grumman home plant and sending hundreds of employees to not only Grumman but P & W and other component manufacturers. Eastern Aircraft had to build up it's own subcontractor/supply network. trying to establish licence production across the Atlantic several years earlier (and change all the drawings) does not seem feasible.
For some insight into what it took see. A History of Eastern Aircraft During World War Two
for an online book about Eastern Aircraft (war time publishing date)
While you're correct the contract was pre-war. Please consider the Weir Mission and the Anglo-French commission had been spending money like crazy for about year by then. Aircraft factories were probably really spooled up by then.For a pre-war contract, the Canadian Hurricane production moved quickly. The order was placed in March 1939, and the first was flying in January 1940. That's ten months from start to the prototype below to duplicate technical drawings, create production tooling, procure and ship engines, etc.
View attachment 574472
The FM-2 accounted for more than 60% of Wildcat production. Otherwise the only Cyclone powered models were the 81 Martlet Is (ex French) and the 220 Marlet IVs.The only mass production version of the Wildcat with the Cyclone was the FM-2 plus a few Wildcats ordered by France. The others all used the R-1830.
I cant really see how you can produce under license something that hasn't been made yet.