Re: Spinners' Strike Fighters Thread

[SPINNERS]

Bristol Basileus Mk.I - No.74 'Tiger' Squadron, RAF Fighter Command, 1937

The challenging Air Ministry Specification F.7/30 issued in 1931 called for a new interceptor-fighter for the Royal Air Force and demanded a top speed of at least 250 mph and an armament of four machine-guns. Going against the grain, two competitors boldly decided to ignore Air Ministry advice to use the new Rolls-Royce Goshawk evaporatively cooled in-line engine and proposed aircraft powered by alternative engines.

Gloster elected to develop the SS.37, essentially an advanced version of the Gauntlet with a fully enclosed cockpit, single-bay wings, a cantilever main undercarriage and powered by an advanced version of the Bristol Mercury radial engine. First flown in September 1934 the SS.37 would become the Gloster Gladiator gaining an initial order for 23 aircraft to Specification F.14/35 in December 1934 followed by a more substantial order for 180 in September 1935.

Meanwhile, Bristol chose to eschew their own Bristol Mercury radial engine (and also their Goshawk powered Type 123 design) and develop their advanced Type 125 design featuring the proposed Fairey Prince V-12 liquid-cooled inline engine in a clean, streamlined biplane design featuring an open-cockpit with single-bay wings and with all four machine-guns mounted in underwing gondolas. However, the adoption of the Prince engine would initially prove to be a nightmare for Bristol leading to them always running several months behind their rivals at Gloster. Nevertheless, the Prince engine was installed and test flown in a Fairey Fox II biplane in 1934 and then transplanted into the prototype Type 125 just in time for a maiden test flight from Filton on December 31st, 1934. During 1935 the Type 125, now named Basileus, slowly started clawing back some of the time lost to their nearby rivals up the A38 in Gloucester and Bristol were rewarded with an initial order for 60 production aircraft to Specification F.14/35 in March 1935 and with a further order for 140 aircraft in September 1935.

Entering service with No.74 Squadron in March 1937 the Basileus was the last open-cockpit biplane fighter to enter service with the Royal Air Force and was quickly replaced in the home service by the faster. more heavily armed Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire fighters but two Basileus squadrons were used in the unsuccessful Norwegian campaign of 1940. The Basileus was also used with great success against Italian opposition during the North African campaign during 1940 and early 1941 before being withdrawn from service in April 1941.













A spiffing Bleriot-Spad S.510 was released recently by the DAT group of modders and included a blank white/grey/silver skin which has allowed me to give the pre-war RAF the Bristol Basileus Mk.I and the chance to go nuts on a backstory! I'm not completely happy with the upperwing markings but will do another pre-war squadron at some time in the future and get them angled a bit better. Serial number K7286 was not issued for some reason (quite rare in those times) whilst the rest are from a batch of Hawker Fury II's.

[SPINNERS]

Bristol Basileus Mk.1 - No.604 Squadron, RAF Fighter Command, 1937











I'm loving this handsome looking pre-war French fighter!

[SPINNERS]

Fairey Gannet AS.1 - Irish Air Corps, 1960









A smashing Gannet AS.1 was released recently by the DAT group of modders who are really on fire at the moment and who have thoughtfully provided a blank silver skin. My first 'what if' for the Gannet is a simple decal job to create a maritime patrol aircraft for the Irish Air Corps. But when firing up the game I started off on a Royal Navy carrier so I've included that piccie below as it doesn't really belong in the above photo set unless the Irish Air Corps were doing cross-deck operations with the Royal Navy. Note the RN Alize's. Oh, the irony!

[SPINNERS]

Waco (Fairey) A2W-1A Gannet - NARW-77, US Naval Reserve, 1957







A bit rougher than I'd like and I stopped short of adding orange reserve bands but this gives a hint at what a USN Gannet would look like.

[SPINNERS]

Saab J25A - F21, Flygvapnet, 1951

















A nice Kyushu J7W1 'Shinden' was released recently by 'Veltro2K' who is brilliant at bringing the lesser known aircraft to 'Strike Fighters'. The J7W1 thoughtfully includes a blank silver skin so the radical shape has steered me towards making it a Saab design and an early post-war Swedish fighter.

[SPINNERS]

Bristol Basileus Mk.1 - No.64 Squadron, RAF Fighter Command, 1937











Back to the Bristol Basileus this afternoon and some markings I really wanted to try out - the No.64 squadron red/blue diamonds but tapering to suit the fuselage. This took a while to work out how to do it neatly but I'm glad I stuck at it and I must try to use these markings on something post-war at some time (F-84??).

[SPINNERS]

[SPINNERS]

Boulton Paul Wulfruna Mk.lb  - No.1 Squadron, RAF Fighter Command, 1943

The 1939 Air Ministry specification F.18/39 (written around the Martin-Baker MB.3) called for a Hurricane and Spitfire replacement and stipulated a maximum speed of 400mph with a main armament of 6 x 20mm Hispano Mk.ll cannon. In early September 1939, at the outbreak of World War 2, Boulton Paul Aviation were approached by the Air Ministry and were asked to submit an insurance design to an essentially similar specification called F.18/40 but with an armament reduced to 4 x 20mm Hispano Mk.ll cannon. Boulton Paul's initial design submitted in January 1940 was a conservative-looking machine very much resembling a single-seat turretless Defiant and powered by the proposed Merlin 45 engine rated at 1,515hp although Boulton Paul soon realised that this was insufficient power for their design and also suspected that availability of any Merlin engine was always likely to be a problem. Boulton Paul bravely asked the Air Minsistry for permission to resubmit a new design to a later timescale utilising the promising new Bristol Centaurus 18-cylinder two-row radial that had been running on the bench since 1938 although development was deliberately slowed due to the demands for Hercules production. Permission was granted and the Boulton Paul designation of P.99 was given to the new design.

Forecasting that production Centaurus engines would not be available until the middle of 1942 Boulton Paul's Chief Designer, John Dudley North, played a slightly longer game and set out to create an advanced fighter aircraft that broke with the traditions of the time. Even though the overall diameter of the Bristol Centaurus was just 6% greater than the earlier Hercules engine, North wanted a low-drag installation quickly settling on a rear-mounted 'pusher' design with engine cooling provided by narrow, obliquely mounted intakes on the fuselage side. The remainder of the P.99 design was equally advanced being of all-metal construction with a canard configuration wing and a retractable tricycle undercarriage. The pilot was seated in an enclosed but roomy cockpit in the centre of the fuselage with good forwards visibility from the cockpit (although largely restricted to the rear by the large main wing, engine and fins) and ahead of the pilot was the powerful four cannon armament in a slightly staggered installation.

Despite the bombing of Boulton Paul's Wolverhampton works in early 1941, P.99 development moved smoothly through the Spring and Summer of 1941 although the advanced engine installation initially proved troublesome as it broke much new ground including the six-bladed propeller and extended drive shaft. Concurrently, Bristol Engines were working miracles in juggling Hercules production alongside development of the Centauraus and were able to ship prototype Centaurus IV engines to Boulton Paul during early 1942. This greatly assisted with design and installation and the Centaurus was especially neatly cowled with air outlets incorporating automatic sliding gills. By the Autumn of 1942 the first P.99 prototype was nearing completion and began ground-running trials during early December leading to the unfortunate discovery that the rear-mounted engine configuration caused cooling problems whilst on the ground - a problem that would follow the aircraft into operational service. Despite this, Boulton Paul were given a production order for 650 production P.99 aircraft and North's innovative design was officially bestowed with the unusual name of 'Wulfruna' as an historic nod towards Boulton Paul's Wolverhampton works.

Continued problems with the Centaurus delayed the first flight of the prototype Wulfruna until February 1943 but the initial test flights were successful except for minor vibration problems with the propeller and extended drive shaft and the aircraft was soon demonstrating level speeds of over 440mph and a very fast rate of climb although the range was slightly down on the official requirements and Boulton Paul's own estimates. Production commenced during the Spring of 1943 and the Wulfruna Mk.l entered service with No.56 Squadron in August 1943 and No.1 Squadron in September 1943 with the latter operating the Wulfruna Mk.1b in the night intruder role during the winter of 1943-1944.











One of my favourite Hurricane kits was the Matchbox IIc with the night intruder scheme and I thought I'd put the Shinden into RAF service as the Boulton Paul Wulfruna and go wild with a backstory! Lol - The photo's are a bit darker than normal due to the twilight nature of the mission start time.

[SPINNERS]

Brewster F4A-1 Seabolt - VF-74, United States Navy, 1945













With no Seversky or Republic naval aircraft for me to know what manufacturer letter they had I've gone for Brewster license-building the P-47N for the US Navy (as they did with the Corsair). BTW I'd forgotten that I've already done a Seabolt - albeit with Fleet Air Arm markings.

[SPINNERS]

Bristol Bulldog llB - Irish Army Air Corps, 1934

Becoming Ireland's first independent air force the National Army Air Service was established in July 1922 and was initially equipped with various obsolete aircraft types acquired from the RAF including six Bristol F2B's and four Martinsyde F4 fighters. Following the reorganisation of the National Army at the end of the Irish Civil War the Irish Army Air Corps was established in 1924 as part of Defence Forces.

During the late 1920's the Irish Air Corps began a modest re-equipment programme with the Vickers Vespa entering service in the army co-operation role but a modern interceptor fighter was required and Irish Army Air Corps officials cast envious eyes on the Bristol Bulldog after the prototype's first flight in May 1927 and the subsequent successful initial flight testing which demonstrated the type's superb strength and manoeuvrability. By early 1928 Bristol had progressed onto the production standard Bulldog llA but were poorly rewarded by the RAF by an initial production order for just 25 aircraft although this would eventually rise to 360 aircraft. This pitiful initial production order forced Bristol to urgently seek export orders and by April 1928 Irish Army Air Corps officials were approached by Bristol and offered a Bulldog variant powered by the same 490 hp Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar VIC radial engine that powered their Vickers Vespa aircraft. With immediate interest an enthusiastic Bristol set about creating a prototype using their company demonstrator mated to the Jaguar VlC engine and with design and installation largely completed by the Autumn of 1928 the prototype Bulldog MkllB was first flown by Cyril Uwins on Ocober 29th 1928 and, in the following month, Ireland ordered eight Bulldog llB's for delivery before the end of 1929.

Entering service in 1930 the Bulldog served the Irish Army Air Corps well and enjoyed a long service life with seven aircraft still in service in 1937 when the Gloster Gladiator biplane fighter was ordered as a replacement. After the first four Gladiators was delivered in 1938 the Bulldogs began to be phased out of service but this decision had to be reversed when the remaining Gladiators were embargoed by the outbreak of the Second World War and at least four Irish Bulldog's were still in service during 1940.













This Bulldog 3D model from the snappily named SFP1 Dev A-Team is a bit of a hidden gem with lovely detail and rigging. To create this Irish Bulldog I've simply recoloured the rudder stripes, prop spinner and wheel disks and added some markings, electing not to use the roundel in a white square on the fuselage and not to use the underwing stripes seen during the wartime era. I might try some upperwing 'heraldic' markings next.

[SPINNERS]

Bristol Bulldog IIB - Irish Army Air Corps, 1936

[SPINNERS]

Bristol Bulldog IIA - 'D' Flight, No.23 Squadron, RAF Air Defence of Great Britain, 1933

Little or no notice was taken when, in 1926, the restrictions on German airship construction were relaxed by the Locarno treaties. But the first flight of the huge dirigible 'Graf Zeppelin' in September 1928 came as a reminder of the potential military use of such airships and especially when it arrived at Lakehurst, New Jersey on it's 112-hour maiden long-range voyage just one month later. Whilst the United States welcomed the huge airship with confetti parades and an invitation to the White House, the UK Government were much more nervous due to the still vivid memories of the sporadic but devastating airship raids of the 1914-1918 war and watched the situation with suspicion. By 1931 the 'Graf Zepplin' had toured Europe, made an epic tour to Brazil and an impressive seven-day research trip to the Arctic leading to the production of more Zepplins. By 1933 the newly formed Nazi Party had an impressive propaganda tool with the Zepplins displaying the Nazi swastika on their fins whilst loudly playing march music and propaganda speeches to the people.

In October 1933 the UK Government instructed the Air Ministry to come up with a solution to the potential military threat from German airships and whilst acknowledging that such airships would be sitting ducks for the RAF's fighters in daylight they would be a real threat at night. As an interim measure, Air Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham of the RAF's Air Defence of Great Britain instructed all existing day fighter squadrons to immediately create an additional flight within each squadron, all to be named 'D' Flight but universally known as 'Dark Flight'. Painted overall in a flat black paint scheme the 'Dark Flight' aircraft were remarkably unchanged from normal aircraft - except for improved aircraft radios, powerful hand-held lamps and special 'green light' barium salt tracer ammunition (with the tracer ammunition ratio increased to three-to-one). 'Dark Flight' aircraft remained as part of the RAF's day fighter squadrons until July 1936 when Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, head of the newly formed Fighter Command, ordered the immediate disbandment and the creation of dedicated night-fighter squadrons.













A simple inverted silver skin dampened down with a 50% opacity black layer makes quite a convincing black night fighter scheme for the Bulldog. I'm loving this little gem! I'd planned to use plain 'B' type roundels but liked the look of the white outlined roundels seen on Avro 504 night fighters.

[SPINNERS]

Grumman F7F-1 Tigercat - No.14 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1945













A revamped Tigercat was released recently by the SFP1 Dev A-Team and I've taken their USN skin and decaled it up in RNZAF markings using the Kiwi Corsair as a guide. RNZAF WW2 national markings probably changed more than any other air force - the variety is very noticeable. In game, the Tigercat is a very potent attack aircraft.

[SPINNERS]

Grumman F7F-1 Tigercat - Comando de Aviación Naval de la Armada Argentina,1955











I'm amazed that the Tigercat wasn't exported!

[SPINNERS]

Grumman F8F-1B Bearcat - No.18 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1945









Another re-vamp from the SFP1 Dev A-Team who have released the F8F-1 and cannon-armed F8F-1B versions of Grumman's little hot-rod.