Ran Skyhawk Alternatives

[Zen]

RAN options are for buying from the UK:-

1. another Colossus/Majestic type, all of which are old, Canada's Bonnie is a possible.

2. Centaur modernised in 1965

3. Victorious in 1967.

Those are for CTOL, the others really are'nt an option unless your thinking STOVL.

Of these CTOL options, 1. is rather limited to similar constraints as Melbourne, 2 has the options of either a major or minor modernisation, and 3 gives the greatest potential in aircraft types.

[GTX]

Err, weren't we talking about aircraft acquisitions not ship acquisitions???

Regards,

Greg

[GTX]

What about a navalised Northrop F-5A?

Regards,

Greg

[Maverick]

I've done a couple of SLUFs for the RAN, but I'll add an RNZAF example to the list.  I've also noted the others and will work towards them for the RAN.

Regards,

Mav

[Zen]

The ship limits what aircraft can be selected, so one cannot utterly divorce the ship from the aircraft it can carry.

[bluntie]

Hey Mav, i'm blowed if i can find those RAN Slufs  
sorry for the breif hijack there Greg.......

[Thorvic]

What about a navalised Northrop F-5A?

Regards,

Greg

Actually a Navalised F-4 was propossed for the RAN as an alternative to A4. Evans the one to ask on this.

G

[Maverick]

Steve

Short of going thru 167 pages, the search engine gave no joy, so here u are in Hi Viz....

[Maverick]

And Lo-Viz.... (please note - fictional Sqns)

[GTX]

The ship limits what aircraft can be selected, so one cannot utterly divorce the ship from the aircraft it can carry.

But in this case the ship was fixed - the HMAS Melbourne.

Regards,

Greg

[GTX]

Actually a Navalised F-4 was propossed for the RAN as an alternative to A4. Evans the one to ask on this.

I assume you mean F-5, given that the F-4 was already navalised (so to say) and probably way to big for the Melbourne.

I think a Naval F-5 is just added to my "to be built list"!

Regards,

Greg

[dy031101]

But in this case the ship was fixed - the HMAS Melbourne.

In that case...... we'll have to see if there is any refit/upgrade that would have allowed the CVL a wider variety of aircraft......

There is some mentioning over the net of a N-156NN that was to have "a configuration similar to that of the Grumman F9F and was intended for use from US Navy escort carriers and similar-sized ships such as those operated by the Royal Navy"...... is the navalized F-5 that you mentioned the very one?

[GTX]

Researching further, I see the N-156D was a carrier version of the N-156 (which was in turn developed into the F-5A). Supposedly it had a larger wing, more fuel, greater payload, strengthened arrestor gear and was offered in 1965 to the Australian Navy.

Regards,

Greg

[dy031101]

Researching further, I see the N-156D was a carrier version of the N-156 (which was in turn developed into the F-5A). Supposedly it had a larger wing, more fuel, greater payload, strengthened arrestor gear and was offered in 1965 to the Australian Navy.

Silly (and possibly annoying) question- is it safe to assume that the offer was made with keeping Melbourne in mind?

(Or would they have come with...... an ex-USN Essex class carrier?)

[bluntie]

Brilliant as usual ! thanks John.
Yep the search engine ran out of puff on me too....