The Whale Has Wings Vol 1 - Rebirth (38 page)

Italy

While the Italian navy is very slowly building an aircraft carrier, it is obvious that one carrier will simply be a fat target for the Royal Navy. Resources are therefore being given to building up the land-based attack capability, and looking at ways of arranging more and longer ranged fighter escort - the fighters defending the RN forces have showed that it is very difficult to arrange a good attack unless they can be suppressed or distracted, as even a few unopposed fighters can ruin an attack. The problem is the relatively backwardness of the Italian aviation industry. There is some pressure to license German engines, but the Germans want to charge licensing fees and there is considerable resistance to the idea itself inside Italy.

Appendix One

This describes some of the aircraft in use by the Royal Navy and other air forces during the period covered by this book (1932 - 1940). Only naval aircraft or aircraft encountered in actions in the book have been included.

Aircraft in use by the Royal Navy

Gloster Goshawk
(fighter)

The Goshawk is a single-engine fighter powered by the Bristol Hercules engine. Performance is similar to that of the historic Hurricane and Spitfire, coming in between the two. As was the usual practice with carrier aircraft of the period, performance was optimised for under 20,000 feet (since bombing above this altitude was too inaccurate for success against ships). The early versions were armed with 0.5" guns, but by 1940 the armament had increased to 2x20mm cannon and 4 0.5" guns, and the guns would be replaced by an additional 2 cannon as they became available. As with most naval planes, the Goshawk had rather longer range than its land-based equivalents, at the cost of a heavier aircraft (compensated for by the more powerful Hercules engine)

Fairy Swordfish
(TBR - Torpedo, Bomber, Reconnaissance)

Developed in the early 1930's as a private venture, the 'Stringbag' as it was known would be used throughout the war in many different roles. As the war started it was the operation torpedo and bombing plane of the FAA, although it would soon be replaced by more capable aircraft. However due to its versatility and its ability to operate off of very small carriers in all sorts of weather, it would carry on as the antisubmarine plane on escort carriers and conversions throughout the war.

Martin-Baker Cormorant
(Divebomber)

Developed in the 1930's, the Hercules-powered Cormorant was the Royal Navies first dedicated dive bomber. Initial versions carried either a 500lb HE bomb (on longer missions) or a 1,000lb against larger targets. With a later-version Hercules (with more power), it could also carry the 1,600lb AP bomb designed for use against battleships and similarly armoured targets

Boulton-Paul SeaLance
(TBR - Torpedo, Bomber, Reconnaissance)

The replacement for the Swordfish, the SeaLance was an interim deign using the Griffon engine. Faster than the Swordfish, it was much more survivable against defended targets. With its increased performance, the Royal Navy carried on development of its aerial torpedoes to allow them to be dropped at a higher speed and from a greater height, also giving the crews more chance of surviving the attack.

Aircraft in use by the RAF

Hudson
(antisubmarine)

The Hudson was a twin-engine light bomber in use by RAF Coastal Command as a reconnaissance and antisubmarine plane. The aircraft was bought from the USA, where it had originally been designed as a civilian aircraft, modified by the RAF to carry bombs and armed with a quadruple 0.303 gun turret.

Hawker Hurricane
(fighter)

The Hurricane was a single-engines fighter powered by the Rolls-Royce Merlin. The first modern monoplane fighter in service in the RAF, its performance was similar to the Goshawk. Initially armed with 8x0.303" guns, by 1940 production aircraft were being armed with 2x20mm cannon and 4x0.303" guns, giving them more destructive power against German bombers. The plane would be one of the two mainstays of fighter command in 1940, before being phased out. The design did not benefit from a more powerful engine, and it was replaced in 1941 by the de-navalised version of the Goshawk, the Sparrowhawk.

Supermarine Spitfire
(fighter)

The Spitfire was one of the great fighter aircraft of WW2. Developed before the war, it only entered service shortly before the conflict started. By 1940, it was already equal in performance to the best German fighters, and by the Battle of Britain was steadily replacing the Hurricane as the RAF frontline fighter. The airframe was far more capable of increasing performance when fitted with more powerful engines, and its development would continue throughout the war. Like the Hurricane, it was initially armed with 8x0.303" guns, but it was also upgraded to cannon by the time the Battle of Britain started.

Short Sunderland
(antisubmarine)

The Sunderland was a long range, heavily armed flying boat, used for antisubmarine patrols. The heavy defensive armament led to it being used in areas like the Bay of Biscay where enemy fighters were encountered, and it was also capable of rescue.

Bristol Beaufighter
(fighter, bomber, torpedo, attack)

The Beaufighter was the first true 'multi-role' plane in service in Britain. A powerful and heavy plane powered by two Hercules engines, it was capable of defending itself against all but the latest enemy fighters. Heavily armed, it was also used as a naval strike plane against light targets, and when carrying a torpedo, against larger ships. Its long range meant it was also used as a reconnaissance aircraft

Aircraft in use by the Luftwaffe

Heinkel
He115 (torpedo)

Developed shortly before the start of the war, the He115 was a fast, twin engine floatplane designed to carry torpedoes and mines. Intended to fly from coastal bases, it was fast for the time and had a long range. However it was never manufactured in large quantities, and its weak defensive armament made it vulnerable to fighters

Messerschmitt Me109
(fighter)

This single-engine fighter was the Luftwaffe's frontline fighter during the first part of the war. Agile and fast, it was the equal of the Spitfire (and in some respects its superior) at this time. Its main disadvantage was its short range and the delicate landing gear - although a version was produced for use on the German carriers, development shows a disheartening number of landing accidents.

Junkers Ju87
(Stuka) (dive bomber)

This aircraft was the iconic dive bomber of the war. A simple aircraft, its ability to dive extremely steeply made it very accurate. The early versions were limited in bomb load, but later versions with a more powerful engine had both a longer range and the ability to deliver a 500kg bomb at effective ranges. Fortunately for the Royal Navy the Luftwaffe neglected the anti-shipping role before the war, and so early attacks by the Stuka were often ineffective.

Junkers Ju88
(bomber)

Probably the best light/medium bomber of the early part of the war, this twin engine plane was fast and could carry a useful bomb load. Its performance was affected by the requirement that it be able to divebomb, a task it was never suited for (the Stuka being far more effective).

Heinkel He111
(bomber)

The standard Luftwaffe medium bomber of the early War years, this twin-engined level bombers was ineffective against ships at sea.

Messerschmitt Me110
(escort fighter)

A heavy twin-engine fighter, in some respects it resembled the Beaufighter. However its role was quite different. Intended as a long-range fighter to protect bombers, it was found incapable f protecting itself against the modern RAF and FAA single-engine fighters. It was also employed as a light fast bomber carrying one or two 250kg bombs.

Aircraft in use by the Italian Air Force

Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
Sparviero
(bomber)

This was a three-engined bomber designed in the 1930's. It had a good performance for the time, and was the main Italian bomber of the war. One feature found useful by the crews in its naval use was that the wooden framework allowed th aircraft to often remain afloat for some 30 minutes. By 1940 its limited defensive armament was ineffective against the modern FAA fighters, making it very vulnerable.

Macchi C.200 Saetta
(Mc200) (fighter)

The frontline fighter for Italy at the start of the war, this plane had excellent manoeuvrability but was slower than the equivalent RAF and FAA fighters, and poorly armed - 2x0.5" guns were not adequate, especially against the robust naval fighters it was to encounter. It also suffered from the common land-based fighter problem of limited range.

Appendix Two

Aircraft Carriers in service

Royal Navy

HMS Eagle

26,000t displacement, speed 22.5 kt

5x4" guns, approx 10x20mm

Normal aircraft complement 21

HMS Hermes

4x4" guns, approx 10x20mm

Normal aircraft complement 20

HMS Argus

6x4" guns, approx 12 20mm

HMS Furious

23,000t displacement, 31kt

HMS Courageous, HMS Glorious

27,500t displacement, 30kt

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 Glory, HMS Ocean, HMS Theseus, HMAS Melbourne

13,000t displacement, speed 27kt.

Normal aircraft complement 24 (40 maximum with deck park)

United States Navy

USS Saratoga, USS Lexington

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

8x5" guns, 16 1.1"mg, 24x0.5"mg

Normal aircraft complement (pre-war) 80

Germany Kriegsmarine

Graf Zeppelin

8x5.9"guns, 16x4.1" guns, 22x37mm cannon, 28x20mm

Normal aircraft complement 40

French Navy

MNS Bearne

8x6.1" guns, 6x3" guns, 8x37mm, 16mg

Normal aircraft complement 40

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.

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.