John, Sorry didnt answer all of that. The Hispano canon where actually fitted to a squadron of Mk1 (or 2's I cant remember) during the battle of Britain. I think the fear was that the Luftwaffe would armour plate their engine bulkheads making the .30 browning ineffective. It wasnt a great success, the guns would often (like all the time) jam. The early hispano;s used a big drum magazine but I think it was the ejection port that would jam. By the time of the Mk5 they had settled down and sorted the problems, mostly. At some point later the drum was lost and the rounds where belt fed, Around mk18 or so I think. Kev Skyhawks mob, 19 Squadron, flew the cannon armed spits in the BofB ad had a torrid time with them. If memory serves, they swopped them for eight gun fighters from an OCU? Douglas Bader commanded the Wing that included the cannon Spits during the BofB... he refused to fly one in 1941, even after the bugs had been ironed out!
I seem to recall that icing and 'G' Forces were the commonest cause of failure with the early cannons, causing much frustration to the pilots who were in an advantageous position only to find that one or more canons would jam after the first shots were fired. I can understand Douglas Bader being angry at the time, but when the modifications were later proved to work, then that was just pure pig headedness on his part. One hit with a cannon shell in the right place spelled almost certain doom to most planes against the 303 which was proved to be ineffective. There are plenty of photos around showing German Bombers peppered with 303 and making it back to base, albeit as scrap. The crew then just climbed in a new plane for the next operation. When the plane was shot down, the crew were taken prisoner and were of no further use to the Luftwaffe. Cannon fitted fighters were lethal in the right hands. Regards Tom
kfz, Would it be possible to give me an idea on the timing (by Mk# or date) of the various Spitfire advances? Weapons,(.303/20mm) (Done!) Props, (2/3/4/5/Contra) Engines,(Merlin/Griffon) If not too much of a PITA that is! Thanks. John.
kfz, Would it be possible to give me an idea on the timing (by Mk# or date) of the various Spitfire advances? Weapons,(.303/20mm) (Done!) Props, (2/3/4/5/Contra) Engines,(Merlin/Griffon) If not too much of a PITA that is! Thanks. John. Yea sure. Bit Im off with the swineflu, post it in my section. Kev
OzJohn, http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/weapons-technology-equipment/20830-supermarinme-spitfire-major-marks-modifications.html
OK - I know it is cheating a little as this picture was taken around 5 years after the end of WW2 but I really love the plane and it is a fine photo!! The Hawker Sea Fury - a direct decendant of - and developed from - the Typhoon and Tempest. It became the the last, fastest and best of a long line of Hawker propellor aircraft. In fact it was one of the fastest ever production one engined piston aircraft, with a top speed of a tad under 500 mph! It first flew at the start of 1945 and eventually replaced the Spitfire naval variant the Seafire - which had never been completely suitable for carrier use, lampered by having a poor view for landing and a narrow track undercart that was the cause of many takeoff and landing mishaps. A fantastic aircraft. Production totalled almost 900 and the Sea Fury served with 10 other airforces as well as the RN including the RAN, RCN, and Germany, Iraq, Netherlands, Pakistan and even Cuba!! Amazingly enough there are reputedly over 30 examples still flying today along with many others in museums. At the legendary Reno Air Races it is not uncommon to see 10 or more racing although the original Centaurius engines have been replaced by tuned up Wright or Pratt and Whitney`s.
Fighters are not really my scene, the B-24 Liberator is more my cup of tea but I do have this photo of Hurricane PZ865 'The Last Of The Many' The aircraft is wearing the Squadron code DT - 257 Squadron. Peter's favourite animal is the warthog!!
Don't have a bigger pic to hand, but hve seen this in numerous books and always liked it. A Curtiss Kittyhawk Mark III of No 112 Squadron, Royal Air Force taxiing through the scrub at Medenine. The ground crewman on the wing is directing the pilot, whose view ahead is hindered by the aircraft's nose while the tail is down. The aircraft displays the squadron's distinctive 'shark nose' insignia. From IWM collection
Back to WW2 fighters with more of a naval flavour - I love seeing pictures of the Hurricanes used on CAM ships. The pilots that flew them were brave men to say the very least!
Mossie biting a U-Boat View attachment 48090 Any idea what squadron they are? Are they the Norwegian RAF anti shipping Mosquitos?
Wow I believe the photo is of a Banff Strike Wing aircraft. A Norwegian squadron was part of that unit. "THE Banff Strike Wing enjoyed a spectacular success during its brief life on the exposed north-facing coast of the Moray Firth. Six squadrons joined forces to create an effective multi-national unit which denied Germany many thousands of tons of vital iron ore and other supplies during operations from RAF Banff between September 1944 and May 1945. Under the command of Group Captain The Hon. Max Aitken, son of the then Lord Beaverbrook, the mixed Mosquito and Beaufighter Wing mounted concentrated attacks on German surface vessels and U-boats in the North Sea and along the Norwegian coastline. Often penetrating deep into heavily defended fjords to reach their anchored supply ship targets, which only dared venture to sea under cover of darkness; the Strike Wing crews ran the gauntlet of formidable anti-aircraft fire to achieve their goal. Although their reputation was built on the outstanding capabilities of both the Beaufighter MK. 10 and the Mosquito FB.VI, it was undoubtedly the latter which became synonymous with the Strike Wing and eventually equipped the RAF Banff based squadrons. Armed with a deadly mixture of cannon and rockets the Wing’s aircraft inflicted heavy damage on shipping. The unit was unique because of the presence of 333 Sqn Royal Norwegian Air Force as part of the Strike Wing."
I was able to find another source for the photo and here is the caption," RAF Mosquito aircraft attacking German submarine U2359, World War II, 2 May 1945. Mosquitos of Banff Strike Wing sank U-2359 with rockets in the Kattegat, between Denmark and Sweden
