Credit to Manfred Poznanski www.pozefilm.de
Added: 2 months ago
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Credit to Manfred Poznanski www.pozefilm.de
Added: 2 months ago
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Credit to Manfred Poznanski www.pozefilm.de
The high performance of the Me-262 made a t
Credit to Manfred Poznanski www.pozefilm.de
The high performance of the Me-262 made a tandem-seat operational conversion trainer version desireable, and such an aircraft, the "Me-262B-1a", was introduced in the summer of 1944. The trainer of course had dual controls, with the second seat replacing one of the fuel tanks. Range was extended by fitting two 300 liter (80 US gallon) external tanks under the forward fuselage. About fifteen were built. The trainer led to the impressive "Me-262B-1a/U1" night fighter, with "FuG-218 Neptun" long-wavelength radar and "Naxos" centimetric-radar-homing gear, plus armament of two MK-108 30 millimeter cannon and two MG-151 20 millimeter cannon. The type was put through trials in October 1944 by the well-known Hajo Hermann. The Neptun "antler" antennas slowed the aircraft down, but it was still faster than the hated British Mosquito, which preyed on German night-fighters. During the following winter, Kurt Welter, head of "Kommando Stamp", used Me-262A-1a day fighters for "Wilde Sau (Wild Boar)" night fighting, and in April the unit obtained a few of the Me-262B-1a/U1 night-fighter variants. Despite all the difficulties, Welter claimed 20 kills, making him one of the first jet aces and likely the highest-scoring jet ace in all history. By the end of the war, Messerschmitt was working on a prototype of the improved "Me-262B-2a" night fighter with a longer fuselage and increased fuel capacity. It was fitted with the Neptun radar at the outset, but there were plans to fit it with the "Berlin" centimetric radar, with improved range and resolutions and a dish hidden in the nose, instead of the clumsy and drag-inducing "antlers" of the long-wavelength radar. There was also consideration of fitting the Me-262B-2a with upward-firing cannon installed in the rear fuselage to allow it to attack RAF bombers from their belly blind spot. Modifications Weights: Empty: 4000kg (B-1a 4400kg); Loaded: 7045kg (B-1a 6400kg) Performance: Maximum speed: Me 262A-1a: 540mph (870km/h); Me 262A-2a: 470 mph (755km/h); Me 262B-1a: 497 mph (800km/h) Armament: Me 262A-1a: Four 30mm MK 108 cannon in nose -two with 100 rounds each, two with 80 Me 262A-1a/U1: two 30mm MK 103; two MK 108; two 20mm MG 151/20 Me 262A-1b: as A-1a plus 24 spin-stabilised R4/M 55mm rockets Me 262A-2a: as A-1a plus bomb load of two 500kg bombs Me 262B-1a: as A-1a Me 262B-2a: as A-1A plus two inclined MK 108 behind the cockpit in Schrage Musik installation (D) SG 500 Jagdfaust with 12 rifled mortar barrels inclined in nose (E) 50mm MK 114 gun or 48 R4/M rockets
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Credit to Manfred Poznanski www.pozefilm.de
Added: 2 months ago
Views: 335
Credit to Manfred Poznanski www.pozefilm.de
Fighter, reconaissance, night fighter, anti
Credit to Manfred Poznanski www.pozefilm.de
Fighter, reconaissance, night fighter, anti-submarine aircraft, was developed by a design team headed by H E Chaplin to meet FAA requirements for a carrier-borne fighter-reconnaissance aircraft as defined at first by Specifications N.8/39 and N.9/39 and subsequently revised in Specification N.5/40 in the light of Fairey's initial proposals. An initial production contract was placed in 1940, the first three aircraft to serve as prototypes and the next ten as pre-production aircraft. The all-metal Fairey Firefly was powered by a 1,735 hp Griffon IIB or 1,815 hp Griffon XII, armed with four 20-mm cannon in the wings and seated pilot and observer in tandem. First flight was made on December 22, 1941, second prototype on June 4, 1942, and third on August 26, 1942. Fairey Firefly F Mk I: Initial production contract for 200 in June 1940, 100 more in September 1941, 300 more in June 1942 and 200 more in August 1943, of which total 770 were built, including variants noted below and diversions to Mk IV. Power plant and armament as prototypes; provision for two 1,000-lb (454-kg) bombs under wings. First unit, No 1770 Sqn, equipped February 1944; first operation, July 1944 against the Tirpitz. Four Fairey Firefly squadrons operational with British Pacific Fleet by July 1945. Production total of F Mk I, 297 plus 132 by General Aircraft Ltd. Fairey Firefly FR Mk I: Fighter reconnaissance version similar to F Mk I with ASH radar in canister beneath forward fuselage. First deliveries late 1944. 273 built, plus some F Mk Is converted to same standard as F Mk IA. Fairey Firefly NF Mk I: Similar to FR Mk I, with same ASH radar, dedicated to night fighting role (with shrouded exhausts) and adopted after failure of NF Mk II programme. Total of 140 completed by diversions from F Mk I contracts. Entered service (usually known as Fairey Firefly INF) with No 746 Sqn mid-1944 and No 1740 Sqn January, 1945. Fairey Firefly NF Mk II: Night fighter version of F Mk I, carrying AI Mk X radar with small radomes on each wing leading edge, and 15 in (38 cm) extra length in fuselage. Prototype conversion completed March 1943 and 37 completed as production-line conversions of Mk Is, later being converted back to Mk I standard. Fairey Firefly F Mk III: As F Mk I with 1,540 hp two-stage Griffon 61 and annular-type chin radiator. Prototype conversion of Mk I flown April 18, 1943; no production. Fairey Firefly IV: Succeeded F Mk III proposal, based on Griffon 70 series using wing root radiators and changed wing planform. Radome on starboard wing and flush-fitting fuel tank on port wing. Fairey Firefly III prototype (with Griffon 72) and three modified Mk Is with 2,245 hp Griffon 74s tested 1944-45 and first production Mk IV flown May 25, 1945. Subsequent variants, production and service were post-war.
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The SOC Seagull was a United States single-engined scout observation biplane aircraft desi
The SOC Seagull was a United States single-engined scout observation biplane aircraft designed by Alexander Solla of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation for the United States Navy. The aircraft served on battleships and cruisers in a seaplane configuration, being launched by catapult and recovered from a sea landing. The wings folded back against the fuselage for storage aboard ship. When based ashore the single float was replaced by fixed wheeled landing gear.
Curtiss delivered 258 SOC aircraft, in version SOC-1 through SOC-4 beginning in 1937. The SOC-3 design was the basis of the Naval Aircraft Factory SON-1 variant. The NAF delivered 44 aircraft from 1940.
Initially, the SOC was known as the XO3C-1 from production up through the first six months of service in the Navy. It was changed to SOC when it was decided to merge its scouting and observation roles. The SOC was not called the Seagull until 1941, when the U.S. Navy began the wholesale adoption of popular names for aircraft in lieu of their alpha-numeric designations.
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