Vultee Sea Vengeance

[grayman]

Can't believe how long it has been since I've actually finished a model. I guess that is what work, study and a newly found interest in motorbikes does to you 

Anyways, in early 1945 and the end of the war in sight,  the RAN decided to embark on establishing sea-borne air power to improve capability for defending Commonwealth possessions. Approaches were made to the UK, and with the possibility of the acquisitions of a couple of carriers becming likely, it also set down the path of establishing a naval air force.

Suitable aircraft were hard to come by. Both English and US equipment were somewhat worn out from operational use, and there was neither time or production capacity to support the Australian experiment. However, on the New South Wales central coast, Burlington-Smythe Engineering proposed the navalisation of the Vultee Vengeance for use in the recon, torpedo- and diver-bomber roles. Vengeances were easy to come by, having just been replaced in RAAF service by the Consolidated Liberator. Not all RAAF Vengeances saw active service, so the large number of low-time airframes was attractive. Four aircraft were ordered for conversion; changes included addition of catapult hooks and spools, provision for extra bomb-bay fuel and a torpedo crutch. Folding wings were planned after initial trials.

The experiment was a disaster. Someone forgot to tell the RAN about the incredibly long runway required by Vengeances, their heavy weight, dodgy centre of gravity and lack of structural strength. The first aircraft was written off after failing to gain sufficient height on its first takeoff from Nowra, the second broek its back trying to land with a torpedo on board, and the third had its tail torn off trapping to a land-based arrester cable. The final bird, known as Bargearse to its bemused technicians and pilots only got as far as the Nowra apron before the base commanding officer demanded that the aircraft be moved to the fire dump and set alight.

Burlington-Smythe Engineering returned to their roots in constructing galvanised iron water tanks and went bust in 1979.





A couple of shots that kind of emphasise the size of the Vengeance...



The Vengeance is a plane that has fascinated me for a long time. Large, quirky design, but wartime photos show it having some kind of majesty. The model is the 1/72 Novo (ex-Frog) kit. A nice kit, apparently of marginal accuracy. The interior was scratch built, and somehow I managed to damage the canopy (lots of hairline cracks). Found the kit at a swap meet for $5 a couple of years ago. My biggest goof was to use New Zealand roundels of the upper wing - should have stuck the spare RAAF one I had in the stash.

[Tophe]

fascinating model, yes, congratulations. And I like your colours, peaceful somehow.

[buzzbomb]

neato !!

great scheme

[Weaver]

Nice model, but never apologise for a new found interest in motorbikes! 

[NARSES2]

Nice model  . I was suprised how big the Vengeance was as well. Nice civil Beau as well 

[rickshaw]

Mmm, I think you've done the Vengeance a bit of a disservice.  It wasn't quite that bad an aircraft by the accounts I've read.  It unfortunately never got the fair deal it should have, being something the establishment in all airforces was dead set against.

[Tophe]

Your Vengeance have been a great inspiration for my drawing Vengeance-Mustang half-breeds, thanks a lot!
(result at http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,4461.570.html )