Your help please with 'Alternative History' backstory !

[MAD]

Gents I am after your help please!

I am at present putting together an 'Alternative History' back-story.
In my story the European country of X, with the fears and concerns of how Europe was deteriorating – with the possibility of a major war looking an unfortunate possibility!
For reasons of politics and diplomacy, Italy – Country X's historical arms supplier and once ally is out of the running, due to its aggressive deplomacy and military act of October 1935.
Due to this moral break in diplomacy Country X, is forced to cancil an expensive and promising arms deal with Italy.   
Its 1935 - Country X under the highest priority has dispatched an 'Arms Procurement Delegation' to search out a advanced modern fighter and light/medium two-engine Reconnaissance/Torpedo bomber design to defend its aerospace and lines of communications.

The Armed Forces of Country X stipulate –
-that these aircraft have to be (then) state-of-the-art technology.
-if possible a common state-of-the-art engine should be incorporated.
-this engine must have the manufactures guarantee of built-in potential to offer more power
output in the future!
-the purchase of both fighter and bomber design must be under the condition that it will be
firstly assembled and then license-built in Country X (as too its engine!!)
-the reconnaissance/torpedo bomber does not have to be designed and built for such a role, if a design shows promise and potential!, but it must have the manufacturers guarantee that it can be easily (and cost effectively!!) modified as such! (with a contract written that any delay past the agreed time of proof flight – will incur a hefty compensation payment to Country X.)
-both fighter and reconnaissance/torpedo bomber design must show/demonstrate the ability upgrade redundancy - for the design too be upgraded easily and cost effective enough in terms of engines types and power output, flexibility in armament adoption, and increase in manufacturers specified max take off weights.
-both fighter and reconnaissance/torpedo bomber design must be able to prove that they are able to be maintained and operated in cold weather and operate from rough airfields!
-both fighter and reconnaissance/torpedo bomber design must be in operational service no later than February 1939 at the latest!!!!!

The aircraft I have in mind are:
Fighters-
Fokker D.XXI fighter
Curtiss Hawk 75A (U.S.A)
Hawker Hurricane (Britain) (although there may be historic political issues!!)
Supermarine Spitfire (Britain) (although there may be historic political issues!!)
Dewoitine D 520 (France)
Bell P-39 Airacobra (U.S.A) (without turbo-supercharger!)
Koolhoven FK.58 (Netherlands)
Messerschmitt Bf-109E-1 (Germany) (although there may be a political issues, as in the case of Italy!)
Avia B-135 (Czech)
??
??
Note - Please for the sake of the real poor devils that had to fly it and the sacrifices they became for the sake of saving money – please do not even mention the name Brewster Buffalo


Reconnaissance/torpedo bomber-
Douglas DB-7 (U.S.A)
Bristol Beaufort (Britain) (although there may be historic political issues!!)                                       
Aero A.300 (Czech)
Bristol Blenheim (Britain) (although there may be historic political issues!!)(Could this be upgraded to carry a torpedo?)
Dornier Do17 (Germany) (although there may be a political issues, as in the case of Italy!)
??
??


I look forward to your opinion and ideas

M.A.D

[Weaver]

Quick first thoughts:


Fighters-

Fokker D.XXI fighter: too slow unless you get involved in redesiging it with a retractable u/c. Limited engine upgrade potential.

Curtiss Hawk 75A (U.S.A): seems like a good choice, with it's source of supply well away from any imminent unpleasantness

Hawker Hurricane (Britain) (although there may be historic political issues!!): seems like a good choice (possible engine supply problems though)

Supermarine Spitfire (Britain) (although there may be historic political issues!!): unlikely to be available for export in sufficient numbers. Licence production might be difficult to negotiate.

Dewoitine D 520 (France): unlikely to be available for export in sufficient numbers. Licence production might be difficult to negotiate.

Bell P-39 Airacobra (U.S.A) (without turbo-supercharger!): Possibly of limited use without the supercharger, depending on what targets you want to engage.

Koolhoven FK.58 (Netherlands): Could be good, if you can get ALL of the manufacturing out of the Netherlands before '39 (and remember, in '35, you don't know exactly when the storm's coming).

Messerschmitt Bf-109E-1 (Germany) (although there may be a political issues, as in the case of Italy!): seems like a good chice if you can square it politically and if you can get enough of them.

Avia B-135 (Czech): Could be good, if you can get ALL of the manufacturing out of Czechoslovakia before '39 (and remember, in '35, you don't know exactly when the storm's coming).

Note - Please for the sake of the real poor devils that had to fly it and the sacrifices they became for the sake of saving money – please do not even mention the name Brewster Buffalo: Well the Finns did okay with them, their's being the export version that wasn't weighed down with extra armour and other gear like the allied ones.

Why not consider the He-112? Heinkel was falling over himself to export these since the Luftwaffe didn't want them, and there were all sorts of souped-up versions, including ones with Db-601 powerplants.

[Geoff]

I would go for the Hawk-75 and DB-7, but the Heinkel 112 would be good as well. Especially if you don't want all your eggs in one basket for your arms supplies. An alternative to the Hawk 75 would be the F4F Wildcat/Martlet, which is what the Finns wanted when they got the Brewsters.

[MAD]

Thanks gents for your ideas and thoughts!
Some valid points there!!

Why not consider the He-112?

Good point !!
I never gave the He-100 or He-112 a thought!
It was supposed to have been superior to the BF-109, from what I've read?

I would go for the Hawk-75 and DB-7

I have given this a lot of thought - especially the ability to have engine compatibility!!
I have also thought about the American's offering the F4F Wildcat (maybe in a de-navalized variant - getting rid of the folding wings, arrester gear, and all else naval - so as to save weight and improve Power-to-Weight Ratio and service ceiling!), but this little chunky tub............

P.S. About the Avia B135 - I have just read -
The former WWI ace Ernst Udet, chief of Luftwaffe armament said after testing in April 1939:
'That´s pity that Me-109 is already in mass production, because I recommend Avia B-135 as main fighter for Luftwaffe........Me-109 and Spitfire Mk.I were inferior to Avia B-135 before WW2'


Thanks blokes keep the ideas and knowledge coming, I'm keen to hear more!!

M.A.D

[Arc3371]

The FK.58 is also a possibility for licence production, it was built OTL in Belgium for France. A re-engined MS.406 could be an alternative if service date is important (an outsider could be the Rogozarski IK-3 perhaps joint development ), The Hurricane was available for licence production (Yugoslavia & Belgium OTL), Sweden wanted the Breguet 69X and Fokker G-1 for the recon role

[MAD]

Thanks I have not thought about the Rogozarski IK-3 design
My major concern is that Yugoslavia has a very short history in aeroplane design and building !
Would they be able to provide the quality assurance and guarantees demanded of Country X??

What do you think?

M.A.D

[Arc3371]

That depends what you mean by short experience,IKARUS AD & ROGOZARSKI AD established in 1923, ZMAJ in 1927. These factories building AVIA BH.33, Breguet XIX, Hawker Fury, Hawker Hurricane and Dornier 17 on licence as well as their own  designs. As for quality, Finland noted no difference in Blenheim parts made by Ikarus compared to original parts