Spitfires over Pearl Harbor

[Alvis 3.14159]

>This model came about from using the Spitfire decals on my He-113...<

Any photos of THAT?? I am a He-100/113 buff, if you had not already guessed that, from my own build:

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,26949.0.html

Cheers!

Ohhh, my bad, I meant to type He-112...http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,29769.0.html


Alvis Pi

[sequoiaranger]

Your backstory would make extra sense if the US also started building Rolls-Royce Merlin engines under license earlier. Maybe the Allison-powered Mustang would have been equipped with a Packard-built Merlin from the start!

[Alvis 3.14159]

Ford refused to build the Merlin under licence, due to  variety of reasons. (Not leaast of which was that Old Man Ford himself was a grade A nutter). So, if Ford had gotten on the ball sooner there was a chance Merlins might have been available years earlier.
The Merlin was a great engine, but the design was awfully complex, and the USAAC was looking for engines that were field servicable. it took a while for them to get past that idea. Since this IS What-If, however, we can assume somebody had a brain in their head many years in advance and got Merlins into US production before 1940.


Alvis Pi

[sequoiaranger]

>Ford refused to build the Merlin under licence, due to a variety of reasons. (Not least of which was that Old Man Ford himself was a grade A nutter). So, if Ford had gotten on the ball sooner there was a chance Merlins might have been available years earlier.<

Maybe, but it was the Packard Motor Car Company, not Ford, that eventually produced the licensed Merlin engines. They produced marine V-12 engines for boats, as well. Packard hit on hard times 1938-1940, so might well have been looking for some "income" producing Merlins earlier.

Maybe you could have North American, rather then Northrop, building the Spits under license, then use the same Packard Merlin for their own domestic NA-73 design (Mustang).

Hey--it's a WHIF!!!

[Alvis 3.14159]

Ideally, Ford would not have been my choice to build anything aircraft related in WWII considering how they managed to pooch up the B-24! Their B-24s leaked like seives, and Ford has always struck me as more mercenary than other companies at the time. Of course, they were likely in the best position economically at the end of the 30s likely in no small part of being mercenary in the first place...it is business after all, not being nice.
I'd read somnewhere Ford was offered the rights to the Merlin first, and turned it down. It may have been they knew they couldn't meet the tolerances required? In any case, Packard did a fine job on the Merlin.
NAA would be a good choice, as long as Brewster, Bell and Curtiss were kept away, it might have had a chance of success. I finally decided upon Northrop as I've always had a soft spot for that company...no idea why. Not like I've got shares in them or anything!

Alvis 3.1