Your favourite carrier bi-plane fighter, and why?

[Admiral Beez]

I've always liked the clean lines and speedy-look of the Hawker Nimrod. When it was introduced in 1933 it was competitive or better than many carrier fighters, especially Fairey Flycatcher from 1922, but was also a match for the Nakajima A4N introduced into IJN carrier service in 1936.

There is of course the 207 mph Grumman FF, the 231 mph F2F, and the F3F that made 264 mph! All three make the 194 mph Nimrod look sluggish. The USN also has the Boeing carrier fighters (F2B, FB-5, F3B, F4B) and the Curtis carrier fighters.

Is there any love for the French Lévy-Biche LB.2? Can we call it a bi-plane?

 

[SaparotRob]

Always been a fan of the F3F. A bipe with retractable landing gear and a gunsight (bombsight?) that looked like it would poke the pilot's eye out. It has that '30s "modern" look that turned out wrong. However, I wasn't aware of that little French gem you posted. A navy fighter designed to crash land (crash sea?). It may have just joined the Buffalo as one of my all time faves.
Yes. It's a bipe.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I wasn't aware of that little French gem you posted.

The French don't give us any other biplane carrier fighters to consider. They were ahead of the the curve, following the LB.2 with the monoplane Dewoitine D.373. The Dewoitine was the first single-seat, folding-wing, monoplane carrier fighter by many years.

Thoughts on the Arado Ar 197 fighter intended for Graf Zeppelin?

It reminds me of the Sea Gladiator.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Two other interesting contenders.

Parnall Plover

Armstrong Whitworth A.W.16

 

[at6]

I have to go with the Sea Gladiator.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I have to go with the Sea Gladiator.

Agreed. I'd like to see what the Gladiator or Nimrod could do with a RR Peregine. It's close in dims and weight to the RR Kestrel that powered the Nimrod.

A bit of fun here Hellenic Gloster Glaive: a Gladiator with an inline engine & other twists

 

[nuuumannn]

I love the look of the Curtiss fighters, specifically the F11C.

This is rather luscious though...

Nimrod

 

[FLYBOYJ]

F3F - just nostalgic and beautiful paint jobs.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I love the look of the Curtiss fighters, specifically the F11C.

This is rather luscious though...

View attachment 670782Nimrod

It is lovely.

 

[wlewisiii]

I think this makes my preference known though I like the Army version even better.

 

[Shortround6]

It had a few flaws but it was pretty.

 

[swampyankee]

Favorite? Boeing F4B

 

[Barrett]

Always been a fan of the F3F. A bipe with retractable landing gear and a gunsight (bombsight?) that looked like it would poke the pilot's eye out. It has that '30s "modern" look that turned out wrong. However, I wasn't aware of that little French gem you posted. A navy fighter designed to crash land (crash sea?). It may have just joined the Buffalo as one of my all time faves.
Yes. It's a bipe.

What Rob said. A late-great friend owned a G-32 (two-seat commercial F2F-F3F) and had LOTS of fun until it caught fire in flight long ago.
The sight ( which could be used for gunnery or bombing) was, IIRC, about 1.5X with the same reticle as the Mk VIII reflector sight widely used in wartime. Thing was: the "telescope" limited field of view which affected air-air shooting at wider deflection angles.

 

[SaparotRob]

Wow. Actually owning and flying a (one time) front line fighter has got to be more fun than should be legal.

 

[Graeme]

What Rob said. A late-great friend owned a G-32 (two-seat commercial F2F-F3F) and had LOTS of fun until it caught fire in flight long ago.

Hi Barrett.
Could it have been this machine? Publication date was 1974...

 

[Reluctant Poster]

Curtiss Sparrowhawk

 

[Admiral Beez]

Germany's first attempt at a carrier fighter, the Heinkel HD 23 made for Japan is not a pretty one. It would have been Japan's only liquid cooled carrier fighter.

But it is interesting that Japan considered a German manufacturer at all, and suggests the cooling of relations with Britain after the end of their Alliance. However, the contract did indeed go to Britain, with the licensed built Gloster Gambet.