Torpedo Bomber

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by chipm, Jan 1, 2023.

  1. Wg Cdr Luddite

    Wg Cdr Luddite Well-Known Member

    Ed Nash argues that the Firebrand (with torpedo) was a critical strategic asset in post war British military thinking. Definitely NOT obsolete (conclusion begins around 15.00).
     
    CL1 likes this.
  2. Ewen Scott

    Ewen Scott Well-Known Member

    Unfortunately the presenter ignores most of what went on about the designs of new fighters for the FAA in 1939, and what was going on with control of the FAA during this period.

    In March 1939 the Air Ministry proposed circulating requirements to 7 aircraft firms for new FAA fighters and discussed these with the Admiralty. The Specs were not approved until June and issued on 5 July 1939. These were:-

    1. N.8/39 for a two seater, single engined, front gun fighter. Effectively a successor to the "interim fighter" the Fairey Fulmar with was then about to enter production
    2. N.9/39 for a two seat, single engined, turret fighter. Effectively a successor to the Blackburn Roc which itself was only beginning to roll off the production lines.

    This must be viewed against a background of there being a change of control of the FAA underway. The Inskip Report of mid-1937 had recommended transfer of full responsibility for the FAA to the RN. This didnt happen until the end of May 1939. Prior to that it was part of the RAF with the RN having control when aircraft went to sea. The old arrangements had effectively held back development of naval aviation in Britain in the late 1920s and 1930s.

    5 companies produced designs for one or both Specs. and there were at least 4 engines to consider. Then came a period of confusion for the companies as the Admiralty, now with full control of the projects, sought to change the requirements in light of experience in the first few months of WW2. In Dec 1939 word leaked out to the aircraft companies that the Admiralty were having a rethink and meetings were held. Out of that came a decision that N.8/39 would proceed but that none of the designs thus far tendered were suitable. N.9/39 would now be for a single seat, fixed gun fighter, based on the same airframe as N.8/39.

    It was already clear that the Roc was a very poor fighter performance wise, and that the turret fighter concept was flawed. The RN didn't need to await the Battle of Britain to realise the last point. And yes one factor influencing the change was the fact that the RN would now have to be responsible for the defence of its own bases.

    So the companies had to quickly go back to the drawing board to produce new designs ahead of a Tender Design Conference on 5 Jan 1940 (note the short time period allowed). Out of that a new Fairey design was chosen for N.8/39, which in due course became the Fairey Firefly under Spec 5/40/F.

    A Hercules engined proposal from Blackburn to meet the revised N.9/39 was considered worth pursuing (so much for both to be based on the same airframe!). So over the coming months the Admiralty & Blackburn worked to refine the proposal and on 1 Sept 1940 a new Spec, N.11/40, was issued to Blackburn for what became the Firebrand. The Spec was quite challenging. It called for a 400mph aircraft that would have low landing and take off speeds for carrier operation and long endurance. It also had to have a folded width of 13'6" and height of 13'9" to enable 4 abreast stowage in the Implacable class carriers then being built. And the Napier Sabre engine was specified.

    And the Firebrand was born.

    Edit:- the Roc was withdrawn from front line service with the FAA in July 1940.
     
    Last edited: Jan 4, 2023
    CL1 and Fatboy Coxy like this.
  3. Wg Cdr Luddite

    Wg Cdr Luddite Well-Known Member

    But what he does do is answer the OP's question; was the aerial torpedo obsolete after WW2 ? The answer is, at least for the RN, a resounding no. Faced with a potential enemy fleet comprising Stalingrad class battleships and Sverdlov class cruisers, a carrier-launched aircraft with the ability to carry a torpedo faster than any other aircraft was still important.
     
    EmpireUmpire likes this.

Share This Page