The Whale Has Wings Vol 2 - Taranto to Singapore (39 page)

HMS Furious

23,000t displacement, 31kt ; 12x20mm. Normal aircraft complement 36

HMS Courageous (sunk Oct 1940), HMS Glorious

27,500t displacement, 30kt ; 8x40mm, approx 8x20mm. Normal aircraft complement 48

HMS Ark Royal, HMS Illustrious

24,000t displacement, speed 31.5kt ; 16x4.5" guns, 64x40mm, approx 20x20mm. Normal aircraft complement 65

HMS Formidable, HMS Victorious, HMS Indefatigable, HMS Implacable

24,500t displacement, speed 32kt ; 16x4.5" guns, 64x40mm, approx 20x20mm. Normal aircraft complement 68

HMS Colossus, HMS Mars, HMS Vengeance, HMS Venerable (sunk April 1940), HMS Glory, HMS Ocean, HMS Edgar, HMS Theseus (renamed HMAS Brisbane), HMAS Melbourne, HMS Unicorn (repair carrier)

13,000t displacement, speed 27kt ; 16x40mm guns, approx 16x20mm. Normal aircraft complement 24 (40 maximum with deck park)

United States Navy

USS Saratoga, USS Lexington

39,000t displacement, 34kt; 12x5" guns
. Normal aircraft complement (pre-war) 90

USS Ranger

17,500t, speed 29kt ; 8x5" guns, 40x0.5" mg. Normal aircraft complement (pre-war) 75 planes

USS Yorktown, USS Enterprise USS Hornet, USS Ticonderoga

22,000t displacement, 32.5kt ; 8x5" guns, 16x1.1"mg, 24 0.5"mg. Normal aircraft complement (pre-war) 90

USS Wasp

16,000t displacement, 29kt ; 8x5" guns, 16 1.1"mg, 24x0.5"mg. Normal aircraft complement (pre-war) 80

German Kriegsmarine

Graf Zeppelin
(sunk 25th April 1941)

28,000t displacement, 35kt ;8x5.9"guns, 16x4.1" guns, 22x37mm cannon, 28x20mm
. Normal aircraft complement 40

Imperial Japanese Navy

HMIJS Akagi

41,300t displacement, 31kt ; 6x8" guns, 12x4.7" guns, 28x25mm. Normal aircraft complement 72

HMIJS Kaga

42,500t displacement, 28kt ; 10x8" guns, 10x5" guns, 22x25mm. Normal aircraft complement 81

HMIJS Soryu

19,800t displacement, 34kt ; 12x5" guns, 28x25mm. Normal aircraft complement 63

HMIJS Hiryu

21,900t displacement, 34kt ; 12x5" guns, 31x25mm. Normal aircraft complement 64

HMIJS Shokaku, HMIJS Zuikaku

32,000t displacement, 34kt ; 16x5" guns, 42x25mm. Normal aircraft complement 72

HMIJS Ryuju

10,150t displacement, 29kt ; 12x5" guns, 24mg. Normal aircraft complement 37

HMIJS Chitose, HMIJS Chiyoda

15,300t displacement, 29kt ; 8x5" guns, 30x25mm. Normal aircraft complement 30

HMIJS Zuiho, HMIJS Shoho

14,200t displacement, 28kt ; 8x5" guns, 8x25mm. Normal aircraft complement 30

Notes :

(1) The displacement is given as a 'normal' displacement. The displacement of a ship varies as it uses fuel and stores, and even the 'normal' displacement is somewhat variable, especially when reported to keep inside treaty limits

(2) The aircraft capacity of a carrier can be quite variable. In addition to the 'complete' aircraft carried, most fleet carriers would also carry a number of replacements, broken down into parts in the hangar which could be used to cover normal operational losses. The US carriers carried the most planes as they used a full deck park - aircraft were held on deck. The RN carriers and the Japanese carriers normally kept all their planes in the hangar, although they could increase the number available by using a deck park if they wished. However there were also practical limitations due to the need to carry the extra flight deck and maintenance crews for a larger aircraft complement.

Irrespective of the number of planes actually carried, carriers were also limited to how many planes they could launch in a single 'strike' due to deck space. During this period in time it was about 30-35 planes, after which planes would have to be brought on deck, armed, fuelled and placed ready for a second strike, a process which usually took around an hour or so (depending on the skill of the carrier crews).

(3) Armament, especially of the light 20mm cannon which tended to be fitted on wherever they could fit, also varied through the War. The numbers given are those deigned in; where major changes were made these are listed with date

(4) Speed. This assumes the ship is in good mechanical condition and with a clean bottom. During wartime service the actual speed was often lower due to the inability to refit the machinery and dock the ship for bottom-cleaning.

Report of the Committee on the application of airpower to defeat Germany (also known as the Dowding Report).

This report was produced in the Winter of 1940, detailing the current state of British aircraft and projects (both for the RAF and the FAA), and the ongoing tactics and strategy.

*

The committee has looked at the current range of planes in service and in development, and at the issues involved in causing the maximum amount of damage to Germany. Since it is obvious that the resources available are not infinite, consideration has been given to causing the maximum damage and disruption to the German war effort for the minimum cost to us. In addition the committee appreciates that there are political considerations involved in showing the public that we are hurting Germany. We have also examined the possible options for forcing Germany to make the maximum response (i.e. commit the most resources) for the minimum effort on our part, with a view to causing them to waste effort and resources. Finally we have also looked at the need to keep our defence strong, and protect the most critical of our needs such as the convoy system.

First, we have evaluated the planes currently available or being developed. We have also eliminated some current aircraft as obsolete or not filling their requirement (although some of these may well be useful in a training role)

Supermarine Spitfire
. This is seen as our prime fighter/interceptor for at least the next year, and possibly beyond (depending on how far the airframe can be developed). It has effectively replaced the Hurricane in fighter command. Its short range means it is unsuitable (even with drop tanks) for offensive operations except in Northern France, but it is the best and most cost-effective short range fighter we have. Production should continue at as high a rate as practical, and ongoing development should be maintained to increase its performance as undoubtedly the Luftwaffe will be developing their own aircraft further. Now that the issues of operation of the 20mm cannon in the cold have been solved, the fit of 4x20mm cannon should be made standard. Work also needs to continue on the engine, to achieve both more power and better high-altitude (over 20,000feet) performance. It is also suggested that the possibility of fitting the Griffon engine is investigated to improve the performance. The version expected in the new year (the MkV) will not reach the performance of the Sea Eagle fighter when it enters service late next year; it is recommended that once the Mk V is in use development continues immediately on an improved version.

Hawker
Hurricane
. This has now been replaced as our best fighter, but it still has acceptable performance against all but top-line enemy aircraft. It also has the useful ability to be shipped and then put together easily, which makes it a very useful plane for deployment abroad. It also has a possible role as a fighter-bomber, as it can carry a 500lb bomb and defend itself after bombing. It is recommended that the production continues, though at a lower level than before, and that the obvious theatre of operation is North Africa.

Gloster Goshawk
. This fighter will continue to be our main naval fighter until the new generation of aircraft are available in late 1941/early 1942. While production has started on two new aircraft (now that the pause due to the invasion precautions of the summer have been removed), they will not be available until the autumn(of 1941). In addition, the new planes are too large to be used on the escort carriers (and in any case the performance of the Goshawk is adequate against the long-range planes found at sea). Continued development of the Hercules engine will give higher performance until the new planes are available in numbers.

Gloster Sparrowhawk
. This is the de-navalised version of the Goshawk; production was delayed during the invasion, but was restarted in September and the first production planes are expected next year. It is expected that this plane will fill both the role of fighter and attack, although its origins mean it is not optimised for high altitude performance, and so should not be the sole fighter in use where first-class opposition is expected. As its origin as a carrier plane means it is very suitable for temporary and poor-quality airfields, it is expected that this will become our main fighter for use outside the UK and northern Europe, replacing the Hurricane as production permits. This plane is also being produced in Australia; for efficiency in production, it has been agree that Australia will only build this version, and that Goshawks will be supplied by us for their carrier needs. We will need additional supplies of the Hercules for this to take place; production is already established in Canada and Australia as well as in the UK, but consideration should be given to supplies from the USA (as we are already doing for the Merlin).

Hawker Tornado
. The cancellation of the Vulture engine and the continuing problems with the Sabre have caused Hawker to modify a development plane to be powered by the Centaurus engine. This has proven successful. However the performance of the plane is roughly comparable to the projected Mk V Spitfire, only its maximum speed being somewhat higher. It is therefore recommended that this plane does not enter production, as developments of the Spitfire will have similar performance at lower investment cost. Hawker have requested funding for a research programme to continue development of a land-based fighter with a high-powered engine, and we consider this a sensible precaution in case of failure of other development projects.

Hawker Typhoon
. This aircraft looks like being extremely rugged and fast at low level, once the problems with the Sabre engine are sorted out. It is not yet clear if it will be superior to the Martin-Baker design; as the engine is still not considered suitable for mass production it is recommended that development continue for at least the next 6 months.

Gloster Sea Eagle
. This is the replacement for the Goshawk as the FAA main fighter. It can also carry a considerable bomb load, and may be used in this role instead of the Cormorant (although it does not have the specialist divebombing features of the Cormorant); experience so far has shown that the ability to bomb targets such as harbours and ships at anchor, then act as a top-level fighter, would be useful. The plane is soon to enter production, and the first production models are expected in the Autumn. trials so far have shown that it has superior low-level performance to the Spitfire (assuming the improvements already developed for the next version of the Spitfire are in use by the time it enters service), although the Spitfire still excels at higher altitudes (as a naval fighter, performance has been optimised for under 20,000feet)

Martin-Baker Manticore
. This is the second naval fighter development. As the performance of the Sea Eagle is seen as most satisfactory, and the radial engine is preferred by the FAA, it has been suggested that as production has been set up, that this aircraft is produced to complement the Spitfire, as it has better low-altitude performance and a longer range. However we will need to increase the production of the Griffon before it can be produced in the quantities likely to be necessary if it is to be used in Europe. A decision should be deferred until the details and probably performance of a Griffon-engined Spitfire can be determined.

Fairy Spearfish
. This is the new TBR plane for the FAA, powered by the Centaurus engine. It has better performance than the SeaLance, and in production form will be the first naval plane designed to be fitted with AS radar (although due to shortages it is expected this will initially only be fitted to a limited number of aircraft). It has also been designed to carry the new (and heavier) Mk XV aerial torpedo. This plane will soon enter production, and the first of the production planes is expected in the late summer (of 1941). The Navy has informed us that if (as expected) the performance and handling show it to be better than the SeaLance for carrier use, they would like to standardise on it, making the SeaLance production available for land use. However as not all the fleet carriers have catapults capable of handling it at full load yet, it is expected to continue using the SeaLance at least until mid-1942, possibly later, as there is also a need to increase the production of the Centaurus engine.

Gloster Reaper
night fighter. This has now started leaving the production line, and the first models are just entering squadron service. It is intended to replace the Beaufighter as the main AI-radar equipped night fighter, and when it does the Beaufighter will return to its original role. Due to the need for night fighters, production will continue as planned, although it will require modification once the new centimetric AI radar is operational.

Bristol Beaufighter
. Once the need for night fighters is met by the Reaper, production will resume of the fighter/attack version of this plane. It is intended to have three main roles; long range fighter (although it should be noted that it is inferior to the current best Luftwaffe fighters, it should be adequate in this role in all other areas, torpedo bomber, bomber (although it is not designed as a bomber its power allows it to carry a considerable load as a fighter/bomber - indeed, it carries considerably more load than the Beafort. It has also been suggested that a version with 4x20mm cannon and 4x0.5" guns would make a good attack plane for use against targets such as light shipping and craft, as well as other ground targets. This configuration would also serve for the fighter role, and if needed the machine guns could be removed for better performance, depending on the opposition. A suggestion has been made to test an aircraft with a heavier-calibre cannon such as the 40mm, or even larger. Once production allows we suggest a test aircraft is made available.