Biplane Fighters from the Thirties

[dy031101]

Recently I've been on-and-off on thinking a wild what-if: what if, during the Second Sino-Japan War, the ROCN was not so badly annihilated and actually wanted to expand their role in the ensuing riverine warfare...... by introducing a carrier of some sort?  Not to challenge the might of the IJN, but to make themselves more useful in support of ROCA troops beyond gunfire range?

As much as I'd like to go wild as can be (to imagine a flattop), however, a seaplane carrier (based on a light cruiser at best) would have been much more likely.  So...... floatplane derivatives of biplanes and early monoplane fighters with ground attack stores?

What I have in mind so far would be based on either Polikarpov I-16, I-153, or Curtiss Hawk Model 75...... which arrangement would you think as better: twin-float or a central float plus two outriggers?

[Daryl J.]

Central float and outriggers.    See the Mitsubishi "Pete" for example.


How about the I-190 prototype?   It's a rather sleek machine for a radial engined, gull winged biplane.



Regards,
Daryl J.

[jcf]

... which arrangement would you think as better: twin-float or a central float plus two outriggers?

Both have their pros and cons.

Twin-floats (and full flying boat hulls) are more common on the Russian designs and Curtiss used both layouts on the Hawks and Falcons.

The Russian Navy KOP-1 used a center line float as did the float version of the Po-2.

As much as I'd like to go wild as can be (to imagine a flattop), however, a seaplane carrier (based on a light cruiser at best) would have been much more likely.

A large converted steamer, paddle or screw, would make more sense for a Chinese riverine aircraft carrier or seaplane, the Chinese river system is massive.

The US used two converted Great Lakes paddle steamers for carrier training during WWII.

Jon

[Jschmus]

I found myself at work last night, with no access to this site.  I wandered over to Wikipedia, as I often do at night.  I was struck with an odd impulse, to research the Canadian Car and Foundry company.  I didn't have any specific plan; I just wondered what they built.  I was rewarded with the following:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Car_and_Foundry_FDB-1



It made its debut in 1938, which puts it about five or six years too late to be effective at much of anything, but I like the looks of the machine.

[sequoiaranger]

It looks like a bubble-hooded F3F.

Nice find! Though it looks like it would be way outclassed as a fighter, that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to OWN and FLY one!

[GTX]

that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to OWN and FLY one!

Ditto on that!

Regards,

Greg

[jcf]

I have a fair amount of info on Mikhail Gregor's aircraft if anyone is interested, drawings etc.

Jon

[Joe C-P]

Seaplane carrier... 

Ooo, I just had a vision of a pre-dreadnought cruiser adapted to carry seaplanes. P-26s and B-10/12s with floats. 

[sotoolslinger]

To me, the Gregor FDB-1 cries out to be a rectractable gear equivalent of the PZL gull-winged fighters. But, since this is a biplane thread -- how about a sesquiplane?

That is one of the coolest AC ever