WesWorld

Gentlemen,

for the RSAF I need to define a a successor to the DB-4 Mosquito dive bomber (clone of OTL Heinkel 118).

The DB-4 prototype started in 1933, the first serial production a/c were available in early 1835.

I will list several version of the plane but I don´t expect the plane to be in production in 1941 still.

So I need to define a design that could follow her, probably having a prototype maiden flight in 1938 and entry into production in 1940.

What design would you propose? I´d prefer a historical design to make sure stats I use are realistic and I can use line drawings and photos.

Thanks for your help,

HoOmAn

The first thing that comes to mind is to revert one of the upgraded Petrel versions back to dive bombing as the SAAB-17 was designed as a divebomber

Quoted

Originally posted by Vukovlad
The first thing that comes to mind is to revert one of the upgraded Petrel versions back to dive bombing as the SAAB-17 was designed as a divebomber

That wouldn't be a bad idea at all, actually.

Keeping with the inline look, there's the Breda Ba.201 or Caproni 335 from Italy that look a bit more modern and aren't that well known.

Hmmm.... The Saab is not an option to me but I will check those Italian designs.

To look at the issue from a different angle: In 1941+ the RSAF will have a purpose build fighter bomber. Would a fighter bomber render a dive bomber obsolete?

Quoted

Originally posted by HoOmAn
To look at the issue from a different angle: In 1941+ the RSAF will have a purpose build fighter bomber. Would a fighter bomber render a dive bomber obsolete?

Not necessarily. Many air forces continued to operate specific attack aircraft even when having plenty of fighter bombers. Personally, the additional cost of an additional aircraft type likely isn't worthwhile.

Fighter-bombers don't seem to have taken off yet in Wesworld. Several fighters can carry bombs and make attacks but generally they haven't pushed out the dive bomber, craft like the Hawker Henley can lift more bombs than an average fighter and Hs129 is proving to be very useful.

It is true that the Hs129 has proven quite effective in Irish hands in Afghanistan, though there it has not faced effective opposition in the air or from ground fire. How it would fare in a more dangerous environment has yet to be tested.

Focke Wulf is developing a specialist ground attack version of the Fw190 - which will appear some time in late 1941/early 1942 - to replace those Ju87s not replaced by the Hs129.

But generally I would have to agree with Hood - the specialist dive bomber has not yet been displaced by the Jabo - when and if that happens is an open question at this time.

One thing to remember is that national preference often plays a significant role in whether or not a nation prefers fighter-bombers or dedicated attack aircraft. In WWII, the western Allies showed a strong preference for multipurpose fighter-bombers like the Typhoon and the P-47, believing they were more effective overall than dedicated ground-attack aircraft. Western ground-attack aircraft thus often languished in developmental hell On the other hand, the Germans and Russians believed very strongly in dedicated ground attack, as shown by the German use of the Ju-87 and Hs-129 and the heavy Russian use of the Il-2 Sturmovik.

It's also worth pointing out that even in the United States, the different service branches disagreed about the relative importance of ground attack aircraft, with the USAAF preferring fighter-bombers like the P-47 and light bombers such as the A-20, but then the USN went and built the Skyraider, one of the all-time ground-attack greats. The RAF was more united, not having rival services; you got the Hurribombers, Typhoons and the Mossies, and nothing more specialized.

Quoted

Originally posted by HoOmAn
Hmmm.... The Saab is not an option to me but I will check those Italian designs.

To look at the issue from a different angle: In 1941+ the RSAF will have a purpose build fighter bomber. Would a fighter bomber render a dive bomber obsolete?

IMHO the JaBo doesnt make the divebomber obsolete as they are often used in different manners, the JaBo for CAS and the divebomber for precission attacks