[RftS] Jane's All the World's Hunters of the French Civil War - 20 Mar

[NathanKell]

Jane's All the World's Hunters of the French Civil War

 

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Table of Contents:

Gloster Gauntlet (Jun 1928)

Blériot D.65 (Nov 1930)

Sikorski I-12 “Flashbulb†(Aug 1929)

Hughes H-25 Thunderbird (Jan 1935)

Vickers Vanguard (Feb 1934)

Supermarine Hawk (Aug 1934)

Grumman H3F Bobcat (Jun 1935)

Severski I-13 “Fencer†(Feb 1936)

Sikorski I-14 “Finback†(Sep 1935)

Wright-Curtiss H-27 Starship (Apr 1936)

Bristol Tornado (Aug 1936)

Hughes H-29 Thunderchief (Feb 1937)

SNECA MB.2 Ouragan (Jul 1937)

Severski I-15 “Fireplug†(Aug 1937)

Fiat C.37 Folgore (Oct 1937)

Bayerische Flugzeugwerke J.4 Falke (Mar 1937)

Avco H-31 Rapier (Feb 1938)

Grumman H4F-1 Tomcat (Mar 1938)

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Gloster Gauntlet (Jun 1928): The Gauntlet was the ultimate evolution of the Royal Aircraft Factory Mono-Hunter H.E. 5, spun off to private aircraft manufacturer Gloster (which had acquired some of the R.A.F.’s talent when it transitioned away from design and manufacture upon its rebirth as the Royal Aircraft Establishment). Introduced into service in June 1928, the Gauntlet was hardy, adaptable, and easy to fly, and its radial engine made it rugged and easy to maintain. Highly maneuverable, descended from a monoplane designed to fight biplanes on even terms, it also had excellent short- and rough-field performance. All these factors, refined over years of design work and service on prior models, made it an excellent warplane for colonial use and for lesser powers, and the Gauntlet was exported widely and copied more widely still. It served in many of the brushfire wars and “emergencies†of the post-First World War era, infamously in Algeria and the Far East. It is also notable for serving on both sides of the French Civil War; export models and home-built copies with the républicains and Italian copies and derivatives with the actionistes. Outclassed by frontline hunters from the Great Powers at the start of the Civil War, and despite exceptional domestic aeronautical design talent, it nonetheless remained in active use until the war’s conclusion. By the time of the Second World War it remained in service only with minor powers in South America, Africa, and Asia, and no Gauntlet saw active combat. Gauntlet Mk VI: 2535lb dry, 3307lb loaded, 840HP, 272mph. 4x .303cal MG.

An RAF Gauntlet Mk VI, circa 1932.

[NathanKell]

Blériot D.65 (Nov 1930): The Blériot Company survived the First World War more or less intact; during the war a major manufacturer of French hunters, bombers, and army cooperation aircraft, neither the limits the treaty imposed nor the glut of war-surplus aircraft forced it out of business. As the forces aeriennes de la Republique were gradually allowed to rebuild, a strange mix of old and new made up their aircraft. The Blériot Company, now staffed with young up-and-coming designers, was among those tapped to produce hunters and bombers anew. The D.65 design, selected to be the frontline hunter of the FAR, was of modern construction for its day: a streamlined fuselage and inline engine was supported by minimally-braced main wing and tail. The undercarriage was fixed, helping serve as wing brace, and the underslung radiator well-faired into the fuselage. The final result was a decent performer for the late twenties, but outclassed by the next generation of cantilever-wing, retractable-undercarriage designs already coming into service. The length of development, from the letting of the contract in early 1925 to operational service, was a harbinger of the troubles to come: the fractious French political system, held in check by force majeure during the Boulangist years, led to interminable strife. Everything from revolving-door cabinets, industrial action, and shifting defense priorities all slowed development of the D.65 and other aircraft. When it finally entered service, the D.65 proved faster than the Gauntlet though less rugged, a mediocre aircraft by that date but still far better than any relic of the First World War. Due to its ubiquity by the July Days, the D.65 was the mainstay of both républicain and actioniste hunter squadrons during the early days of the Civil War. Few were still in service during the later days: the actionistes lacked the industrial capacity to manufacture it, never controlling the industrial heartlands of France, and relied instead on Italian and Russian support, and the républicains quickly developed, bought, or were supplied with better alternatives. D.65: 3131lb dry, 4245lb loaded, 900HP, 282mph, 4x 7.5mm MG

D.65 of 82ième Escadrille, Groupe de Chasse I/3, Toulouse, 1934.

Edited February 6, 2015 by NathanKell

[NathanKell]

Sikorski I-12 “Flashbulb†(Aug 1929): Designed by Nikolai Polikarpov for the Sikorski company, the I-12 was the most advanced hunter in the world when it was introduced in 1929. It was a low-wing metal cantilever monoplane with an enclosed cockpit and retracting landing gear, the combination of those advances and its powerful radial engine leading to revolutionary performance. It was fast, sturdy, and potent--armed with cannon long before other hunters would follow suit--and served Russia well for much of the 1930s. It was a mainstay of actioniste forces in the French Civil War, where it earned the nickname “Flashbulb†from the International pilots for its shape and the sharp muzzle flashes of its cannon when compared to machinegun-armed contemporaries. While an old design by 1936, by then it had been upgraded with twin cannon and a 1200HP engine, matching the Vanguard’s performance and maneuverability with superior firepower and utterly outclassing the Gauntlet and the late-model Blériots and Morane-Saulniers of the républicains. By the end of the Civil War it had been withdrawn from frontline service, replaced by more capable Russian and Italian imports, and it saw no combat in the Second World War. I-12 Type 23: 2866lb dry, 3968lb loaded, 1200HP, 332mph, 2x 23mm cannon.

I-12 Type 23 in VVF colors, 1934. Similar models were used by the forces d'action de l'air and by Russian and Italian volunteers during the French Civil War.

[NathanKell]

Hughes H-25 Thunderbird (Jan 1935): A development of the pioneering 400mph Hughes Racer, the H-25 Thunderbird was a good performer, but unremarkable by the time of its introduction in early 1935, the turbosupercharger having lost its novelty. It was an all-metal cantilever monoplane with retractable landing gear and an enclosed canopy, as was its racing progenitor, but, entering service nearly five years after the racer debuted, it was no longer at the cutting edge in performance, sacrificing much to attain its speed and only coming into its own at high altitude. Nonetheless it provided yeoman service in USAF hunter squadrons in the 30s as the service’s first 400mph interceptor (though only the B model could break 400mph in service). It gained a decent reputation when used by the républicains, though given the export model's lack of the "crown jewel" turbocharger it was never a stellar performer and could not keep up with two-stage supercharged opponents, barely topping 340mph. Due to that and its lack of maneuverability, armor, and armament it was often used for light ground attack by the républicains, so long as anti-air defenses were weak. At home it remained in service with only a few USAF reserve units by the start of the Second World War, though it lived on in the service of smaller nations. It was, however, the progenitor of a long line of Hughes “Thunder†hunter-bombers, the piston-engine H-29 Thunderchief and the later jets. H-25B (1936): 6173lb dry, 7385lb loaded, 1600HP, 403mph. 4x 0.50cal MG.

H-25B Thunderbird in USAF "hi-visibility" interwar scheme, circa late 1936.

Edited February 1, 2015 by NathanKell

[Fox62]

This is pretty dang cool.

[NathanKell]

Thanks! That is certainly my aim, you know.

And just a side note--all these craft *do* perform as specced (with extra drag added to account for FAR's assumptions re: drag that old planes violate), though most date from my highly-hacked KSP 0.24 install so the craft files aren't too useful now.

[NathanKell]

Vickers Vanguard (Feb 1934): A low-wing monoplane with distinctive high-dihedral outer wings, the Vanguard also had its origin in a racing plane, a joint Anglo-German private racer for the air races of the late 20s and early 30s. Lighter than the American H-25, with greater wing area, it was quite maneuverable, though nowhere near as fast in service. It was, however, easy to fly, a stable gun platform, and, despite its liquid-cooled engine, quite rugged; for these reasons it was well-liked by both pilots and crew. In addition, it sported the first example of the “Mukerjee hoodâ€Â, a bulging in the top of the canopy to improve visibility versus the “razorback†canopies then in use. Introduced in early 1934 and a chronological contemporary of the Hawk, in design it had more in common with the I-12 and thus found itself quickly eclipsed by its competitors. Exported to the Dominions, in their service it soldiered on as a stopgap until finally being withdrawn from frontline service in 1940. It saw its most notable service as an export model with the républicains, providing a backbone for the forces aeriennes de la Republique, lacking as they did up-to-date domestic models at the start of the Civil War. Vanguard Mk I: 4500lb dry, 5952lb loaded, 1100HP, 325mph. 6x 0.303cal MG.

Vanguard Mk I, No. 72 Sqn, RAF Hornchurch, June 1934. Personal mount of Squadron Leader P. J. Mukerjee DSO.

[ThorBeorn]

Very inspirational aircraft building as always! Makes me want to play KSP again.

[Fox62]

Will there be a version/counterpart to the Supermarine Spitfire Mk IIb?

[NathanKell]

ThorBeorn, thanks!

Fox62: I made a reference to a certain RAF hunter called the Hawk in the entry for the Vanguard. Stay tuned.

(The Vanguard is roughly based on the Hurricane, so...yeah. Although in terms of looks its wings are based on the He 100.)

[NathanKell]

Supermarine (Rolls Royce) Hawk (Aug 1934): The Hawk exhibited perhaps the most growth potential of any piston-engine hunter. Designed in 1933 by Rolls Royce’s Supermarine subsidiary and built for the former’s new V engine, and entering squadron service in late 1934, it remained in frontline service well into the first years of the war. Over the course of its life, its dry weight grew from well under five thousand pounds to nearly nine thousand, loaded from six thousand to over thirteen, its engine from 1000 to 2400hp, and its speed from 360mph to 470mph at altitude. It possessed light controls, excellent maneuverability, and perhaps the prettiest lines of any piston-engine hunter. At home it served with both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Naval Air Service, and with the various Dominions’ air services. It was also exported abroad to states friendly to the British Empire, and it saw service in the French Civil War where it proved more than a match for actioniste domestic and Italian aircraft and fought the Russian Sikorskis and Severskis on even terms. Weight and performance varies.

Hawk Mk Ic of No. 40 Squadron, RAF Northolt, December 1934.

[NathanKell]

Grumman H3F Bobcat (Jun 1935): Introduced in mid-1935 as the third in a long series of Grumman naval hunters, the H3F Bobcat was the first to bear the distinctive “cat†name, indeed the first Grumman aircraft for the US Navy to bear a name at all. It was named in honor of Admiral Robert Massie, “father of naval aviation.†The Bobcat was also the first Grumman monoplane, and the last Grumman aircraft to use the distinctive hand-cranked method of retracting landing gear into the fuselage. The Bobcat was quite tubby, and had notably poorer performance than contemporary land-based aircraft in Europe, but it featured an innovative wing-folding mechanism that allowed far more H3Fs to be stored aboard carriers. Based as it was on the airframe of the HF and H2F carrier hunters, its growth potential was limited, and as the decade wore on and reports from France made clear it would prove unsuitable in combat, the H3F-2 saw a phased withdrawal from service in favor of newer models like the H4F Tomcat and H6C Skyhawk. Nonetheless many Atlantic Fleet squadrons were still equipped with Bobcats by the time of the Intervention. H3F-1: 4828lb dry, 6185lb loaded, 1200HP, 340mph, 4x 0.50cal MG. H3F-2 (1937): 6x 0.50cal MG, more armor, 330mph.

H3F-1 of VH-12, USS Crater, ashore at NAS Banana River, Florida, August 1935.

[NathanKell]

Severski I-13 “Fencer†(Feb 1936): A rude shock to French and International pilots when the actionistes first fielded it in 1937, the I-13 had in fact entered squadron service in Russia in February 1936. Given the nickname for its ability at higher altitudes and its facility with slashing attacks (and making an F-nickname traditional for Russian hunters), the I-13 gained its performance from the two-stage supercharger and large intercooler attached to its radial engine. The length of this apparatus necessitated a cockpit set well aft, harming visibility particularly on takeoff and landing, but the benefit was extreme. A full 25mph faster than early marks of the Hawk, with a full throttle height three thousand feet higher, maneuverable and well-armed and armored, the I-13 was the best hunter of its day. Only the Thunderbird could fight it at high altitude, but the I-13 heavily outgunned it and was much more maneuverable; it would take the release for export of the Hawk Mk III with its own two-stage supercharged engine for the républicains to have a counter. I-13 Type 3: 6239lb dry, 7650lb loaded, 1350HP, 385mph, 2x 23mm cannon, 4x 7.62mm MG.

I-13 Type 6 prior to shipment to France, 1937.

[NathanKell]

Sikorski I-14 “Finback†(Sep 1935): Entering squadron service in Russia in September 1935, and exported along with the I-13 in 1937, the I-14 was a decent performer but nowhere near as shocking as the I-13. It was a highly-streamlined low-wing monoplane with a supercharged V engine in the nose, but by comparison to the I-13 it was very much a low-altitude hunter, reaching its maximum performance at about 12,000ft. Heavier than the Vanguard, with smaller wings, it proved slightly faster on similar horsepower; its main advantage was its heavy armament and heavier armor. A redesign for the large new 1850HP radial engine, a development of that used in the I-13, yielded the I-14bis; it proved a much more capable hunter. Retaining the two-stage supercharger designed for the I-13, although now tuned for lower altitude (high altitude being the province of the I-15), the I-14bis was a very dangerous opponent on the deck, as fast under 10,000ft as the best the républicains or the Intervening Powers could field. It remained in service into the Second World War, with minor upgrades, until being withdrawn in favor of jet-engined successors (the first Russian jet hunter largely borrowing the I-14bis fuselage and wings). I-14 Type 6: 5601lb dry, 7025lb loaded, 1100HP, 336mph, 3x 23mm cannon. I-14bis Type 2 (1937): 5820lb dry, 7253lb loaded, 1850HP, 419mph, 4x 23mm cannon.

I-14 Type 7, VVF, Petrograd, December 1935.

I-14bis Type 12, VVF, Southern Front, 1940.

[billbobjebkirk]

This may be a dumb question, but do these actually fly?

[NathanKell]

Why yes, indeed they do fly.

[billbobjebkirk]

This is really impressive.

[NathanKell]

Wright-Curtiss H-27 Starship (Apr 1936): With the future of the "hyper engine" looking doubtful in the early 1930s, and bombers outperforming many of the hunters then in service, the USAF let a contract asking for radical proposals. Wright-Curtiss, despite being the oldest of the United States's aircraft manufactures, maintained a reputation for innovation and the futuristic-looking Starship was their answer to the challenge. The Thunderbird was also accepted into service under the aegis of that contract, though it was only ever deemed a stopgap, given the compromises it made in armor and armament to achieve its speed. The Starship made no compromises whatsoever in any of those realms: if one engine would not be powerful enough, then two would be used on a highly-streamlined aircraft little larger than most singles. However, being the first aircraft to truly run into compressibility effects--before aeronautical experts knew what they were--meant the Starship had a long and difficult path to operational capability and the C variant. At its introduction in 1936 it was by far the fastest hunter in the world at 423mph, and when reengined for the finally-mature hypers it could keep pace with most newer hunters, though with its early-30s aerodynamics it was no longer the fastest. H-27C: 12522lb dry, 15873lb loaded, 2x1520HP, 423mph, 1x 20mm cannon, 4x .50cal MG. H-27E (1938): 12853lb dry, 17416lb loaded, 2x1920HP, 460mph, 2x 30mm and 3x 20mm cannon.

H-27C in bare-metal finish, 1937.

H-27E prior to transport to southern France during the Intervention, 1939

[MightyDarkStar]

Wow Nathan! These are fantastic. May I ask, what cockpit did you use for the H-27?

[NathanKell]

Thanks!

For the H-27 I used Nazari's A6M Zero cockpit.

[NathanKell]

Bristol Tornado (Aug 1936): The Tornado saw a protracted development: first drafted in early 1934, thus in its lines a contemporary of the Hawk, it languished for years as its first engine cancelled and its replacement faced considerable teething troubles. When finally introduced in August 1936, however, it offered excellent low-level performance and astounding acceleration. By this time optimized for low-level combat and featuring clipped wings and a large-diameter propeller, its performance was however lacking at altitude compared to the latest Hawks, in particular the two-stage supercharged Hawk Mk III. In addition it suffered poor visibility from its “razorback†canopy lines, though the layout did offer lower drag than other canopy types. At the start of the Second World War it was supplanted in short order by the Typhoon, which was in essence an up-engined Tornado with a teardrop canopy and a slightly redesigned wing and tail. Tornado Mk II: 7936lb dry, 10582lb loaded, 1800HP, 389mph. 2x 20mm cannon, 4x .303cal MG. Typhoon Mk Ia (1939): 9061lb dry, 11575lb loaded, 2400HP, 442mph, 4x 20mm cannon.

Tornado Mk I fresh from the factory, September 1936.

"Tiffie" Mk II, somewhere in southern France, mid 1939.

[NathanKell]

Hughes H-29 Thunderchief (Feb 1937): Decently impressed by the performance of the Thunderbird, the USAF contracted Hughes for a successor during the mid 1930s. The Thunderchief, as it was named, looked like a big brother to the Thunderbird, though it was greatly modified during the design and prototype phase in the light of lessons from the French Civil War. The final product was much larger than the H-25, almost three thousand pounds heavier dry (and with a much higher loaded weight), and armed and armored to survive modern combat. In addition, given the use to which the républicains put the Thunderbird, and the hyper-powered air superiority hunters then in development, the USAF instructed Hughes to focus more on ground attack, creating perhaps the first dedicated hunter-bomber in the process. The H-29 that finally emerged, reaching operational capability in early 1937, was as close as the USAF had yet come to a "flying panzer." The large radial engine--the largest and most powerful yet flown, developing 1850HP in prototypes and 2000HP in service--gave the Thunderchief the ability to dash at high speed despite its heavy weight and keep flying even with some cylinders shot out, and the cockpit, fuel tanks, and other important areas featured considerable armoring. The armament was also a first for the USAF: all cannon (even the favored .50cal machine guns having been shown to lack punch against armored enemies in the air and on the ground in France). The final product could hold its own in the air, though lacking in speed and not as nimble as competitors such as the Hawk (or forthcoming Rapier), and what it could not outrun, outturn, or avoid it could certainly outlast. The Thunderchief acquitted itself well during the Intervention, and even in the more dangerous environment of the Second World War the Thunderchief proved up to the challenge, regularly bringing its pilots safely home when other aircraft would have faltered. H-29B (late 1937): 8972lb dry, 12125lb loaded, 2200HP, 434mph, 4x 20mm cannon.

H-29B of 32nd Hunter Group, Sinclair AFB, California, November 1937.

[NathanKell]

Whoops, forgot to update OP. Fixed.

Also, anyone have any questions so far?

[TheKosmonaut]

It'd be really neat if you did an album with a sort of "step-by-step" process on the building of the planes. The shapes and clipping make for great shapes, but when I have tried similar feats, I end up with wobbly innards to the plane. I realize that you've finished these planes already so maybe whenever your next batch comes in!

[NathanKell]

Sure, I can do that next plane I build.