Category Archives: Fighter

Fighter

Fighter, Fighterbomber, Reconnaissance

Supermarine Seafang Mk. 32, (AZ Models)

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TYPE: Carrier-based fighter

ACCOMMODATION:  Pilot only

POWER PLANT One Rools-Royce Giffon 89 liquid-cooled engine, rated at 2,350 hp  driving six-bladed contra-rotating propeller

PERFORMANCE: 475 mph at 21.000 ft

COMMENT: The Supermarine Seafang was a British fighter aircraft designed by Supermarine to Air Ministry Specification N5/45 for naval use. It was based on the Supermarine Spiteful, which was a development of Supermarine’s Griffon-engined Spitfire aircraft. By that time the Supermarine Spitfire was a 10-year-old design in a period of rapid technical development in aviation. The Seafang was outmoded by jet aircraft, and only 18 were built.
The Seafang was essentially a Spiteful redesigned for Royal Navy carrier use, with the addition of an arrester hook, a contra-rotating propeller to eliminate engine torque effects, and power folding outer wing panels.
Two prototype Type 396 Seafang Mark 32s were ordered on March 1945 followed by an order for 150 Type 382 Seafang Mark 31s on May 1945. To expedite entry into service the interim Mark 31 was ordered which was a navalised Spiteful, basically a Spiteful with an arrestor hook added. This would allow the Mark 32 to be developed; it would be the definitive naval variant, with the folding outer wings and contra-rotating propeller.
The first prototype Seafang Mark 32 was first flown in June 1946. It was powered by a Griffon 89 engine rated at 2,350 hp  driving two three-bladed contra-rotating propellers. In August 1946,  was demonstrated to the Royal Netherlands Navy at Valkenburg. The same aircraft was flown in May 1947 during deck landing trials on  carrier HMS Illustrious.  Compared to the Supermarine Seafire, its performance advantage was not deemed to be enough to disrupt series production of new navalised Gloster Meteor and de Havilland Vampire jet fighters. Also, the Seafang’s low-speed handling characteristics were not as good as hoped, and the contemporary Hawker Sea Fury was preferred as a fleet fighter (Ref.: 24).

Fighter, Fighterbomber

Supermarine “Seafire” Mk III, 887 NAS (Pavla Models)

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TYPE: Carrier-borne fighter, fighter-bomber

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: One Rolls-Royce “Merlin” 55 liquid-cooled engine, rated at 1,470 hp

PERFORMANCE: 352 mph at 12,250 ft

COMMENT: The Supermarine “Seafire” was a naval version of the Supermarine “Spitfire” adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. The name “Seafire” was arrived at by abbreviating the longer name “Sea Spitfire”.
In late 1941 and early 1942, the Admiralty assessed the “Spitfire” for possible conversion. In late 1941, a total of 48 “Spitfire” Mk Vb were converted to become “hooked Spitfires”. This was the “Seafire” Mk Ib and would be the first of several “Seafire” variants to reach the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. The second semi-naval variant of the “Seafire” and the first to be built as such, was the “Seafire F Mk IIc which was based on the “Spitfire” Mk Vc. The IIc was the first of the “Seafires” to be deployed operationally in large numbers. Although developed for aircraft carrier use, this version still lacked the folding wings needed to allow them to be used on board some Royal Navy carriers, some of which had small aircraft elevators unable to accommodate the full wingspan of the “Seafires”. The “Seafire” F Mk III was the first true carrier adaptation of the Spitfire design. It was developed from the “Seafire” Mk IIC, but incorporated manually folding wings allowing more of these aircraft to be spotted on deck or in the hangars below. Supermarine devised a system of two straight chordwise folds; a break was introduced immediately outboard of the wheel-wells from which the wing hinged upwards and slightly angled towards the fuselage. A second hinge at each wingtip join allowed the tips to fold down (when the wings were folded the wingtips were folded outwards). This version used the more powerful Merlin  or Merlin 55M, driving the same four-bladed propeller unit used by the IIC series; the Merlin 55M was another version of the Merlin for maximum performance at low altitude. This Mark was built in larger numbers than any other “Seafire” variant; of the 1,220 manufactured Westland built 870 and Cunliffe Owen 350 aircraft. (Ref.: 24).

Fighter, Fighterbomber

Miles M.39B Libulella (LF-Models, Resin)

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TYPE: Experimental tandem wing aircraft

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only

POWER PLANT: Two de Havilland Gipsy Major IC inline piston engine, rated at 140 hp each

PERFORMANCE: 102 mph

COMMENT: In 1941 the Air Ministry issued specification B.11/41 calling for a fast bomber operating from aircraft carriers. Beside high speed and bomb load main requirement was a lay out of the aircraft to give the pilot the best view possible for landing on aircraft carriers. Miles proposed a tandem wing experimental aircraft based on its M.39 design. To prove the concept Miles designed and built a 5/8th scale version, the M.39B Libulella which flew for the first time on July 1943. Flight evaluation showed no “undesirable handling” characteristics and its design coincided with interest by the authorities in unorthodox designs for large aircraft. The rear wing was higher than the forward one to avoid downwash and give ground clearance for the propellers. The M39B design had inboard flaps and outboard ailerons on the rear wing and the front wing had an auxiliary aerofoil/flap/elevator device, which could vary the wing area without changing lift coefficient. Miles continued testing, generating more flight data and submitted an improved M.39 design in early 1944. Meanwhile, the sole M.39B passed to the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough in 1944, where it was damaged and repaired after two accidents, only to be broken up with the full-sized bomber project’s cancellation (Ref.: 24).