World War 2 In Review: WWII air war

Showing posts with label WWII air war. Show all posts

Brazilian Mission Meets RAF and WAAF Trainees

Original wartime caption: The Brazilian Mission visit Britain at the invitation of the RAF saw an RAF camp where RAF apprentices and WAAF trainees learn their war jobs. Picture (issued 1943) shows WAAF mechanics training to become fitters at work on the engine of a Blenheim bomber.

Original wartime caption: Picture (issued 1943) shows WAAF mechanics training to become fitters at work on a Blenheim bomber, pause to talk with Captain H. Amaral Penna.

Original wartime caption: Picture (issued 1943) shows members of the Brazilian Mission see WAAF mechanic trainees to become fitters at work on a Blenheim bomber.

Original wartime caption: Picture (issued 1943) shows inspecting a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Air Commodore H. G. White is on the extreme left with Colonel Sa Earp second from right, and Captain H. de A. Estrella is on the extreme right.

Original wartime caption: Picture (issued 1943) shows Air Commodore H. G. White [extreme left] with Lieutenant Colonel Reynaldo J. de Carvalho next to him, and Colonel Sa Earp [center] during their inspection of the camp.

Original wartime caption: Picture (issued 1943) shows inspecting bomb release gear. Air Commodore H. G. White is second from the left, with Captain H. de A. Estrella next him, Colonel Sa Earp [fifth from right].

Original wartime caption: Picture (issued 1943) shows Air Commodore H. G. White (officer commanding) [right] with Coloneal Sa Earp [next him] and Captain H. de A.Estrella, in the workshops of an R.A.F. training camp.

No. 9 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF

Beaufighter Mark IC, T4916 'LA-T', of No.235 Squadron RAF, preparing to taxi at a Coastal Command airfield.

No. 9 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (9 (C)OTU), was a training unit of the Royal Air Force, within No. 17 Group RAF, which was part of RAF Coastal Command. The unit was established during June 1942 and disbanded during August 1944.

No. 9 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF formed on 7 June 1942 at RAF Aldergrove, located near the village of Aldergrove in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Its main purpose was to train up long range fighter aircrew. For this role it was equipped with Bristol Beaufighter, a British multi-role aircraft, Bristol Beaufort, a British twin-engined torpedo bomber, and Airspeed Oxford, a twin-engine monoplane trainer aircraft. The unit spent three months at RAF Aldergrove before relocating to RAF Crosby-on-Eden, which was located around 5.8 miles (9.3 km) north east of Carlisle, Cumbria, during September 1942. At its maximum throughput, while stationed at Crosby-on-Eden, No. 9 (C) OTU was providing aircrew training for seven units, with five for RAF Coastal Command within the European theatre of World War II and two in North Africa. It continued for almost two years and disbanded on 11 August 1944 at RAF Crosby-on-Eden, and was absorbed by No. 109 (Transport) Operational Training Unit RAF, with the aircrew training for the overseas obligation moving to No. 79 Operational Training Unit RAF.

No. 9 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit was equipped with numerous types and variants of aircraft:

Bristol Beaufort I & II torpedo bomber

Bristol Beaufighter IC, VI, X & XI multi role aircraft

Miles Martinet I target tug aircraft

de Havilland Tiger Moth II biplane trainer aircraft

Miles Magister basic trainer

Airspeed Oxford I & II twin engine trainer aircraft

Westland Lysander III army co-operation and liaison aircraft

No. 9 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit used two Royal Air Force stations throughout its existence:

RAF Aldergrove from June 1942.

RAF Crosby-on-Eden from September 1942 until August 1944.

No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF

No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (5 (C)OTU), was a training unit of the Royal Air Force, within No. 17 Group RAF, which was part of RAF Coastal Command. The unit was established during August 1941 and disbanded during August 1945.

No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF formed on 1 August 1941 at RAF Chivenor, located on the northern shore of the River Taw estuary, on the north coast of Devon, England. Initially it was to have formed at RAF Turnberry and to be tasked with training aircrew on Bristol Beaufort, a British twin-engined torpedo bomber, but was forced to form at RAF Chivenor due to the time taken to complete RAF Turnberry. The unit assumed the responsibility for the Bristol Beaufort training from No. 3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF, but was also equipped with Airspeed Oxford, a British twin-engine monoplane trainer aircraft, and Avro Anson, a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft.

On 3 May 1942, No 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit moved to RAF Turnberry, upon the airfields eventual completion. The training unit ran its courses out of the air station for the next eight months, before moving out on 29 December 1942. RAF Coastal Command had took control of RAF Long Kesh, located at Maze, Lisburn, in Northern Ireland, in December 1942, and by the end of the month No. 5 (C) OTU had moved in. RAF Maghaberry, located north of Maghaberry, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, was used as a satellite station, between February and September 1943. It added Handley Page Hampden, a British twin-engine medium bomber, to its inventory, operating alongside the Bristol Beaufort and Avro Anson. Its two primary tasks were to train aircrew in bombing and torpedo attacks, along with a type conversion course. In February 1943, the Avro Anson training flight was transferred to No. 10 Radio School RAF, and by the end of the year the unit had then took on, and provided training for, Lockheed Hudson, an American light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft, and Lockheed Ventura, an American twin-engine medium bomber and patrol bomber. There was a reduction over time for the need for Handley Page Hampden and Bristol Beaufort aircrew training, and then in February 1944 the training unit moved out and back to Scotland.

No 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit arrived back at RAF Turnberry on 15 February 1944. On 15 May 1944, the Air Sea Rescue Training Unit RAF disbanded at RAF Thornaby, but was absorbed by No. 5 (C) OTU, then on 22 May 1944, No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit RAF, which was based at RAF Thornberry, disbanded and was also absorbed by the OTU. At this point the unit was operating with Bristol Beaufighter, Lockheed Ventura, Lockheed Hudson, Vickers Warwick, a British twin-engined multi-purpose aircraft, Airspeed Oxford and Miles Martinet, a target tug aircraft, and later on it also added Vickers Wellington, a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber, to its inventory. On 1 August 1945, No 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit disbanded at RAF Turnberry, and the Vickers Warwick activity was transferred to No. 6 Operational Training Unit RAF.

No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit was equipped with numerous types and variants of aircraft:

Avro Anson I twin-engine, multi-role aircraft

Fairey Battle V single-engine light bomber

Bristol Blenheim IV twin-engine light bomber

Westland Lysander II & TT.IIIA army co-operation and liaison aircraft

Handley Page Hampden I twin-engine medium bomber

Handley Page Hereford I twin-engine medium bomber

Lockheed Hudson I & V light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft

Miles Mentor single-engined three-seat monoplane training and communications aircraft

de Havilland Moth Minor two-seat tourer/trainer aircraft

de Havilland Tiger Moth II biplane primary trainer aircraft

Bristol Beaufort I & II twin-engined torpedo bomber

Airspeed Oxford I, II twin-engine monoplane trainer aircraft

Lockheed Ventura I, II, V twin-engine medium bomber and patrol bomber

Bristol Beaufighter VI twin-engine multi-role aircraft

Vickers Warwick I twin-engine maritime reconnaissance, air-sea rescue and transport aircraft

Hawker Hurricane I & IIC single-seat fighter aircraft

Miles Martinet I target tug aircraft

Vickers Wellington XIII twin-engined, long-range medium bomber

No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit used three Royal Air Force stations throughout its existence:

RAF Chivenor from Aug 1941.

RAF Turnberry from May 1942 until December 1942.

RAF Long Kesh from December 1942 until February 1944.

RAF Turnberry from February 1944 until August 1945

Coastal Command Operational Training Station

Original wartime caption: A Blenheim fighter instructor.

Original wartime caption: A Canadian flying officer who gives instruction on Blenheim fighters.

Original wartime caption: Producing real "home fed". This station aims to become almost self-sufficient in the matter of green and root vegetables. The station also keeps many chickens. An aircraftman feeding some of the 41 pigs purchased by the station funds and fed mainly on waste food and scraps.

Original wartime caption: An aircraftman feeding some of the 41 pigs purchased by the station funds and fed mainly on waste food and scraps.

Original wartime caption: Pigs kept at an operational training station of the Coastal Command in their sty.

Vultee V-11 / V-12 / YA-19: American Attack Aircraft

The Vultee V-11 and V-12 were American stressed-skin monocoque monoplane attack aircraft of the 1930s. Developed from the Vultee V-1 single-engined airliner, the V-11 and V-12 were purchased by several nations for their armed forces, including China, who used them in combat against Japanese forces in the Second Sino-Japanese War. The United States Army Air Corps purchased seven V-11s as the YA-19 in the years before World War II, testing them to gather data to compare against twin engine light attack aircraft.

Design and Development

In 1935, Vultee produced a light bomber derivative of their single-engined passenger transport, the Vultee V-1, which, while demonstrating good performance, was only sold in small numbers owing to restrictions placed on the use of single-engined aircraft for scheduled passenger transport operations.

The resulting aircraft, the Vultee V-11, retained the single-engined, low wing format and all-metal stressed skin structure of the V-1. It combined a new fuselage with accommodation for the three crew members under a long greenhouse canopy with the wings and tail surfaces of the Vultee V-1.

According to Jonathan Thompson, "Based on the V-1A, the V-11 was a modern, fast and effective military airplane when it appeared in 1935; during the next three years 102 V-11s in six variations were sold to four countries - the Soviet Union, China, Turkey and Brazil - before the Air Corps took seven A-19s. An improved version known as the AB-2 (Attack bomber, 2nd type) and later as the V-12, was tested in 1938 and provided the basis for further sales to China, bringing the total V-11 models and derivatives, including those built under license, to an estimated 225."

Duplicate emergency flying controls were provided for the observer/dorsal gunner in the V-11GB. According to Thompson, "Below his seat is the retractable bombardier's hatch; he lay prone, facing forward for the bomb run or rearward to use the ventral gun."

Type: Ground attack

Manufacturer: Vultee

Designer: Gerard Freebairn Vultee

Status: retired

Primary users:

Republic of China Air Force

Turkish Air Force

Soviet Air Forces

Brazilian Army Aviation

Number built: 175 + 2 plus as many as 4 more in Russia, and as many as 45 additional airframes that were delivered as parts sets but probably not assembled in China, for a maximum of 224.

Manufactured: 1935–1940

Introduction date: 1937

First flight: 17 September 1935

Developed from: Vultee V-1

Operational History

China

An initial order for 30 two-seat V-11Gs was placed by China before the end of 1935. This was followed in 1939 by orders for two versions (the V-12-C and V-12D) of the more powerful V-12 variant. The majority of these were planned to be assembled from kits at the Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company factory at Loiwing near the China-Burma border, and while the first batch of 25 V-12-Cs were completed successfully, the factory was heavily bombed just after assembly of the first V-12-Ds commenced. This resulted in the part built airframes being evacuated to India, where it was planned that the aircraft be completed at the Hindustan Aircraft Limited factory in Bangalore. However, after a few were assembled, production was stopped as the factory was diverted to more urgent overhaul work.

The V-11s and V-12s served as light bombers and achieved some success, including a mission by 4 aircraft to bomb the Japanese held airfield at Yuncheng on February 5, 1939, by the 10th Squadron of the Republic of China Air Force, before the aircraft were withdrawn from bombing missions to training and liaison duties in 1940.

Brazil

In February 1939, the Brazilian Army Air Corps acquired the first 10 Vultee V-11–GB2s for long range bombing. 26 aircraft were eventually used by the Brazilian Air Force.

A 3,250 km (2,020 mi) non-stop flight was made across the Brazilian hinterland in 11 hours and 45 min on 8 November 1939 using a V-11.

On 26 August 1942, a U-boat was attacked 50 miles off the town of Ararangua off the southern coast of Brazil. Despite the unsuitability for anti submarine operations, the aircraft flew low and dropped its load of three 250 lb (110 kg) bombs, some of which exploded around the submarine, however the blast damaged the low flying aircraft.

Soviet Union

In 1936, the Soviet Union purchased four three-seat V-11-GB aircraft, together with a production license. The aircraft entered Soviet production in 1937 as the BSh-1 (Bronirovanny Shturmovik), but the armor fitted for the ground attack role unacceptably reduced performance and production was stopped after 31 aircraft. They were transferred to Aeroflot and redesignated PS-43 for use as high speed transports until the German invasion in 1941, when they were returned to the Air Force for liaison purposes.

United States

In the late 1930s, the United States Army Air Corps favored twin-engine light attack aircraft but seven YA-19 aircraft were ordered in the summer of 1938 for comparison purposes. The YA-19s were armed with six .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns and 1,080 lb (490 kg) bombs in an internal bomb bay, powered by a 1,200 hp (890 kW) Twin Wasp radial engine and was manned by a crew of three including a pilot, observer/gunner, and bombardier/photographer.

An unusual feature of the YA-19 design was its horizontal stabilizer which was located forward of the vertical tail. The small size of the vertical stabilizer caused yaw instability so the last YA-19 (S/N 38-555) was equipped with enlarged vertical stabilizer.

Service tests showed that twin-engine attack aircraft were faster, could be better armed and carried a larger bomb load so no further YA-19s were ordered. After comparison tests five YA-19s were redesignated A-19 and assigned to the 17th Attack Group at March Field in California for a brief period before being transferred to the Panama Canal Zone for utility transport and liaison duties. The A-19 never saw combat and was quickly withdrawn in the early 1940s.

Variants

Vultee Designations

V-11: First prototype fitted with 750 hp (560 kW) Wright SR-1820-F53 Cyclone driving a two-bladed Hamilton Standard controllable-pitch propeller, which crashed killing both pilot and the project engineer.

V-11-A: Second prototype, similar to first V-11, but with a three-bladed constant speed propeller.

V-11-G: Initial production two-seat light bomber. Powered by an 850 hp (630 kW) Wright R-1820-G2 Cyclone engine. 30 built for China.

V-11-GB: Three-seat version of V-11. 4 aircraft purchased by Soviet Union (2 as pattern aircraft), 40 by Turkey and others.

V-11-GB2: 26 purchased by Brazil – generally similar to V-11-GB

V11-GB2F: Final example for Brazil fitted with floats, however it wasn't accepted.

V-11-GBT: Re-designation of V-11-GB for Turkey

V-12: Revised version of three-seat bomber with refined aerodynamics and more power. One prototype flew in 1939 powered by Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engine.

V-12-C: Production version of V-12 for China. Powered by R1820-G105B Cyclone engine. 26 built, one by Vultee and remaining 25 assembled in China.

V-12-D: Revised version with new fuselage and powered by 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) Wright R-2600 Cyclone 14 engine. 52 ordered for China, two pattern aircraft built by Vultee and 50 for local assembly.

V-52: Unbuilt observation design based on YA-19.

USAAC Designations

XA-19: Prototype.

Crew: Three (pilot, observer/gunner and bombardier/photographer)

Length: 37 ft 10 in (11.53 m)

Wingspan: 50 ft 0 in (15.24 m)

Height: 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)

Wing area: 384 sq ft (35.7 m2)

Airfoil: Clark Y

Empty weight: 6,452 lb (2,927 kg)

Gross weight: 10,420 lb (4,726 kg)

Maximum takeoff weight: 16,285 lb (7,387 kg)

Fuel capacity: 311–330 US gallons (1,180–1,250 L)

Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-17 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial engine, 1,200 hp (890 kW)

Propellers: 3-bladed Hamilton Standard variable-pitch propeller

Maximum speed: 230 mph (370 km/h, 200 kn) at 6,500 ft (2,000 m)

Cruise speed: 207 mph (333 km/h, 180 kn)

Minimum control speed: 80 mph (130 km/h, 70 kn)

Range: 1,110 mi (1,790 km, 960 nmi) with 1,080 lb (490 kg) of bombs

Ferry range: 1,350 mi (2,170 km, 1,170 nmi)

Service ceiling: 20,500 ft (6,200 m)

Rate of climb: 1,320 ft/min (6.7 m/s)

Armament:

Guns:

4 x forward-firing .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns in wings

1 x dorsal .30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun

1 x ventral .30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun

Bombs: 6 x 30 lb (14 kg) in cells semi-recessed in wing center section and 1,100 lb (500 kg) externally

YA-19: Variant of V-11-GB for United states Army Air Corps. Seven examples built.

YA-19A: The last YA-19 was redesignated and completed as an engine test bed. Equipped with enlarged vertical stabilizer (for improve directional stability) and powered by Lycoming O-1230 (12-cylinder opposed) engine.

YA-19B: The second YA-19 built was redesignated after being fitted with a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engine as an engine test bed.

YA-19C: The YA-19A was redesignated after being fitted with a Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-51 engine. Performance was similar to the YA-19.

A-19: The remaining five YA-19s were redesignated A-19 after assignment to active duty.

Soviet Designations

BSh-1: Soviet licensed armored ground attack version. Powered by 920 hp (690 kW) M-62. Production stopped after at least 31 built.

PS-43: Designation for BSh-1 when used by Aeroflot as light transport.

Operators

Brazil

Brazilian Army Aviation – Vultee V-11-GB2 (25 delivered)

Brazilian Air Force - aircraft transferred when Air Force created

Republic of China

Chinese Nationalist Air Force

14th Squadron – Vultee V-11G (30), V-12C (25 delivered from order of 26, which was built but never delivered) and Vultee V-12D (52 delivered)

Soviet Union

Soviet Air Forces – Vultee V-11GB (4 delivered) & BSh-1 (31-35 built at Moscow Menzhinskii factory)

Turkey

Turkish Air Force

2nd Regiment – Vultee V-11GB (41 delivered)

United States

United States Army Air Corps – A-19/V-11GB (7 delivered)

Bibliography

Baugher, Joseph F. (1 July 2000). "Vultee XA-19". www.joebaugher.com.

Deryakulu, Nejat (November 1995). "Les Vultee V-11GBT turcs" [Turkish Vultee V-11GBTs]. Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (32): 29–32.

Green, William; Swanborough, Gordon, eds. (July 1972). "Those Versatile Vultees". Air Enthusiast. Vol. 3, no. 1. pp. 27–32, 38–42.

Johnson, E.R. (2008). American Attack Aircraft Since 1926. McFarland. pp. 30-32.

Lednicer, David (15 September 2010). "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu.

Norton, William (2008). U.S. Experimental & Prototype Aircraft Projects: Fighters 1939-1945. North Branch, MN: Specialty Press. p. 182.

Swanborough, Gordon; Bowers, Peter M. (1989). United States Military Aircraft Since 1909. Smithsonian.

Wegg, John (1990). General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors. London: Putnam.