Sea Spooky

[tigercat]

I was  trying to think of ideas for the 1946 group build and I had an idea of doing a similar concept to the Dakota "Spooky" Gunship but in a  anti shipping / anti u boat role.

How feasible would it be.

[Hobbes]

How different would that be to the WW2 Sunderlands et al?

[Maverick]

Well, for starters with the appropriate airframe you could have sideways firing armament that was considerably heavier than the .303 mgs that the Sunderland carried allowing a greater stand-off distance.  Either that, or revisit the B-17/S-Gun combo.

Regards,

Mav

[The Big Gimper]

You will need some method to carry depth charges. Could be under wing racks/pylons, a ventral bulge (then you begin to cross over to the B-18 Bolo) or a small internal bomb bay. You also need a bomb aimer's position and some extra windows for the spotters. Nothing that can't be scrounged or made.

I think a PBD-2 would be a cool looking A/C in USAAF Atlantic paint scheme.

Would look nice beside this bad boy on your shelf: http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/allies/us/hobbinsseastang.htm

HTH

[Army of One]

What about a B24.....with the high wing....you could fill the bomb bay with weapons firing out of one side....possibility of a slightly bulged bomb bay with a roller door going up the non firing side to house smaller depth charges...?? Maybe a battery of 20mm guns.....not sure how a bofors would fit in the fuselage.......just my thoughts........H

[pyro-manic]

Take one of the existing MPAs (Sunderland, B-24/PB2Y, Wellington, Catalina etc) and upgun their nose turrets from .303 or .50 machine guns to a couple of Hispano or Oerlikon 20mm cannons. If there's only space for one in a turret, put one in the nose and one in the tail or waist positions.

I have a plan in the works for a gunship Sunderland (nicknamed the Mano'War or the Galleon), with a load of side-firing cannon and rockets for just such a purpose. The Sunderland has a nice weapons bay under the wing anyway, and plenty of portholes that can be changed to gunports.

[tigercat]

I was thinking about rockets if a Swordfish can manage 10 how many could a Sunderland or other large aircraft lift.

[Daryl J.]

Feel free to use one of my 1946 ideas:   Grumman's Tracker enters service late 1946 and has obliquely firing 20mm's out of the belly or a forward firing belly pack with a brace of underwing rockets and/or depth charges.   Coastal Command  Med Sea Grey/Br. Slate Grey/White.    I've not done any weight or size calculations yet to know just how many would be feasible but what the hey?   

[kitnut617]

I was thinking about rockets if a Swordfish can manage 10 how many could a Sunderland or other large aircraft lift.

There's photos around showing Wellingtons with the standard 8 RP fit -- I would imaging two-tiered RP's could well be carried

[Army of One]

My thoughts were that the weapons be arranged along one side....Spooky style....and the aircraft would circle the prey and pepper it with whatever weapons it was carrying then once safer......move in and finish with bomb/depth charge/RP.....

[jcf]

Umm, seeing as 'spooky' type aircraft are really only of use in "unconventional" warfare scenarios, the anti-U-Boat model just doesn't work
unless you have a commander who is stupid enough to stay on the surface once the aircraft is spotted.
Forward firing armament is far more effective in the typical WWII active combat scenario.

The more likely (with all the qualifiers one wishes to use  ; ) WWII use is by the Germans, either over the Adriatic intercepting partisan craft operating out of a What-if neutral Italy or over the Black Sea against Allied SOA forces using Turkey as a base. Ditto the Japanese in the China Sea. So perhaps a Ju 52 ala the Vietnam era AC-47?

[Cliffy B]

Best aircraft for this role would be the B-25s used in the Pacific.  Pack around 15 forward firing Brownings, plus 4 more covering the rest of the plane, and you have a very nasty strafer.  Upgrade the nose guns to a battery of 20mms and you have a very heavy hitter.  Add in the parachute bombs or any other ordnance of your choosing and you can lay down quite a bit of hurt in just one pass.  The B-25s had enough speed and were maneuverable enough to be used in that role.  If you want to pick another aircraft, I'd chose another medium bomber, not a lumbering transport like a C-47.  Forward firing armament works much better in this case then side firing.  If you catch a sub on the surface, chances are you're only going to get one pass.  I'd imagine its much easier to line up and make a strafing run then to orient and try to aim from the side.  That's just my thoughts on the matter though.  Looking forward to whatever you come up with 

[Cobra]

Like the Idea the B-24 & B-25 are Good Choices, you could also use some Lancasters,Beaufighters,Blenheims,and Hampdens for that Role too, I think. Also, You'd be Better off using Catalinas with a Quad Mount of 20mms for Sub Hunting & Convoy Strikes! Hope this helps. Dan

[tigercat]

I had given some consideration to a forward firing armament and it seems that the Vulcan 6 barrelled cannon  was developed between 1946 and 49

[The Big Gimper]

How an A-20 / P-70? They had the ventral gun pack. Put some more on the wings or cheeks.