Wishful Thinking

**Baxter** · 05-21-2015 14:29

FAA release series ###?

Blackburn Skua
Fairy Swordfish
Supermarine Seafire

**Tonx** · 05-21-2015 15:16

Originally Posted by Baxter

FAA release series ###?

Supermarine Seafire

I second this one for sure - may I just ask if anybody else who sees this has read 'They Gave me A Seafire' by the late Cmdr R M 'Mike' Crosley? In this book you will see why.

With one Grumman Martlet Mk 1 to it's credit the Royal Navy FAA has been very much under-represented throught the history of Wings of War and Wings of Glory / WGS IMHO. It would be great to see this situation change.

**Flying Helmut** · 05-21-2015 15:47

Is there not Sea Gladiator too? The "Burges" kite?

**Tonx** · 05-21-2015 15:57

Originally Posted by Flying Helmut

Is there not Sea Gladiator too? The "Burges" kite?

Yes there is - thanks for that. But in terms of Navy-specific aircraft things such as the Fairey Swordfish and Supermarine Seafire things are looking a little on the glum side.

The Gloster Sea Gladiator is actually a derivative of the Gladiator Mk II / Mk 2 as one may be able to tell from it's improved three-bladed propeller. It did see operational service for a short while from carriers as it was fully equipped for usage but most famously with the Hal Far Flight based on Malta around about 1940. As a carrier-borne fighter it's career was over within the first 2 years of WW2.

**Naharaht** · 05-21-2015 16:02

A F.A.A. Corsair might be appropriate since they were used on British carriers before American ones, although their wings had to be clipped.

Other planes used were the Blackburn Roc, Fairy Fulmar, Fairy Albacore, Fairy Barracuda, Fairy Firefly and Grumman Avenger. There were also numerous flying boats and float-planes carried on cruisers and battleships.

**Tonx** · 05-21-2015 16:12

A RN FAA Corsair / NZ Corsair Mk IV as a WGS

release would be in the wildest dreams of many ... including myself. The first of the RN Corsairs did have to have their wings clipped and were very distinctive-looking. Something to do with them being stored below decks on British Royal Navy carriers with hangar decks designed to slightly more compact specifications to what was available on American carriers.

As it came into service the Corsair proved itself to be adept in all areas except for one of the most crucial ... Landing: Due to lack of forward vision / line of sight issues. So the Brits designed a type-specific 'curved' approach in order to recover the plane to deck safely. Which was adopted and used successfully by everyone who deployed the aircraft into service. If executed well the Corsair's arrestor hook would 'grab' the third arrestor wire on the Carrier's deck leaving one and two for early 'grabs' and two others on a regular basis in the event of the failure of the third / high on approach.

**csadn** · 05-26-2015 14:34

Originally Posted by Aussietonka

I second this one for sure - may I just ask if anybody else who sees this has read 'They Gave me A Seafire' by the late Cmdr R M 'Mike' Crosley? In this book you will see why.

No, but I've read enough accounts of the Seafire's unsuitability for that role*, one could easily subtitle the book "Who The Hell Thought Making This Thing A Carrier Fighter Was A Good Idea?"

[*: Specifically, the takeoff and landing part -- narrow-track landing gear on a carrier fighter... well, in one recorded instance in 1943, HMS _Hunter_ ran through its entire stock of spare props in three days, forcing the crews to cut 6" off the ends of the damaged props in order to keep the air wing in service.]

**BobP** · 05-27-2015 13:16

Well Series 6 was listed over 1 year ago (Jan 2014) but still no planes. So when you say wishful thinking that is a true statement. I do like the Swordfish as one for Series 7. To give more to the US in the Pacific how about a TBD Avenger.
A LaGG 3 for the Russians.
Maybe a German or Japanese seaplane.