WesWorld

One thing I've been playing with is the desirability of have air cover not tied to a large expensive carrier, or to if there happens to be a functional airstrip- for example to cover the roads where an amphibious force is off loading while the carrier is free to cover the striking force.

So I've come up with two designs. Both are more geared towards dispersing and downing bombers than mixing it up with fighters.

Both are float biplanes with big radial engines, and wingloading is kept under 20 to allow for easier water landings.

I'm leaning towards the second, as both are slower than current fighters, and that has twin 20mm fore and the turreted rear guns.

====================
Aircraft Type or Name:

Fokker D.XVIII-W

General Type:
Airplane = 1
Airship = 2
Orbiter = 3
1

Year of First Flight: 1934

Description

Flying Boat / Seaplane
Biplane
Conventional Fuselage

A fighter seaplane. 1x 20mm Hispano, 4x 7.92mm MGs, 10mm armor disk. Provisions for 2x 50kg bomb/DCs. Performance is without payload.



Characteristics:

Weight (maximum) 5,580 lbs
Weight (empty) 4,612 lbs

Length 26 ft
Wingspan 37 ft
Wing Area 295 sq ft
Sweep 2 degrees

Engines 1
Bristol Mercury XV
Piston

995 hp
at 15,000 ft


Crew 1


Typical cost $0.025 million in 1935
Total number procured 64


Performance:

Top Speed 270 kts = 311 mph
at 15,000 ft
Mach N/A

Operational Ceiling 42,000 ft

Range 454 nm = 523 miles
with 322 lbs payload
334 lbs released at halfway point

Climb 2,637 fpm

Cruise 135 kts = 155 mph
at 15,000 ft

Corner Speed 177 KIAS =
222 kts at 15,000 ft
Mach N/A
Turning Rate 32.2 deg/sec
Radius 1,339 ft



Internal Data:

Intake / Fan Diameter 9 ft

Bypass Ratio 91.35

Engine Weight 1065 lbs
Overall Efficiency 22 percent

Structural Factor 1.00

Number of Wings 1.9
Number of Fuselages 1

Limiting Airspeed 280 kts
Wing Ultimate g Load 10.00 g
Wing Taper 0.3
Wing Thickness at Root 0.8 ft

Tail / Canard Factor 0.4

Number of Nacelles 0
Length 6 ft
Diameter 3 ft
Fullness 0.5

Fuselage Diameter 4.6 ft
Fuselage Fullness 0.4

Pressurized Volume 0 percent
Cargo Decks 0

Cleanness 63.2 percent
Unstreamlined section 2.6 sq ft

User equipment 940 lbs

====================
====================

Aircraft Type or Name:

Fokker D.XVIII-W

General Type:
Airplane = 1
Airship = 2
Orbiter = 3
1

Year of First Flight: 1935

Description

Flying Boat / Seaplane
Biplane
Conventional Fuselage

Fighter Floatplane. 2x 20mm, 2x 7.92mm fore, 2x7.92mm turret aft. Armor, radio.



Characteristics:

Weight (maximum) 7,165 lbs
Weight (empty) 6,049 lbs

Length 34.1 ft
Wingspan 40 ft
Wing Area 359 sq ft
Sweep 3 degrees

Engines 1
Avia Pegasus XVIII
Piston

1,065 hp
at 15,000 ft


Crew 2


Typical cost $0.026 million in 1935
Total number procured 144


Performance:

Top Speed 258 kts = 297 mph
at 15,000 ft
Mach N/A

Operational Ceiling 37,500 ft

Range 454 nm = 523 miles
with 114 lbs payload
119 lbs released at halfway point

Climb 1,914 fpm

Cruise 140 kts = 161 mph
at 15,000 ft

Corner Speed 182 KIAS =
218 kts at 12,000 ft
Mach N/A
Turning Rate 31.0 deg/sec
Radius 1,360 ft



Internal Data:

Intake / Fan Diameter 9 ft

Bypass Ratio 87.3

Engine Weight 1036 lbs
Overall Efficiency 22 percent

Structural Factor 1.00

Number of Wings 1.9
Number of Fuselages 1

Limiting Airspeed 280 kts
Wing Ultimate g Load 10.00 g
Wing Taper 0.2
Wing Thickness at Root 0.9 ft

Tail / Canard Factor 0.4

Number of Nacelles 0
Length 6 ft
Diameter 3 ft
Fullness 0.5

Fuselage Diameter 4.8 ft
Fuselage Fullness 0.4

Pressurized Volume 0 percent
Cargo Decks 0

Cleanness 66 percent
Unstreamlined section 2.7 sq ft

User equipment 1,700 lbs

I suppose one thing to consider is how fast are your opponents bombers: a fighter that cannot catch the bombers it's after has to be ahead of it's targets to engage them. This is sometimes possible in defensive situations, but until radar becomes wide spread it will be difficult........

The conceptual role is two part-
Harbor defense and fighter cover transportable by seaplane to forward bases sans airfields.

The bombers expected are longer ranged medium and large landbased or seaplane bombers. Shorter ranged fighters and divebombers would not be the main foe.
The fastest the Dutch have - the T.VII is 270(?)mph, so they have an edge, but not huge. But good question.

What about a larger version of this? I'd add a tailplane and a power operated turret with 2x13.2mm (or 1x20mm). A Pegasus radial engine giving 1000hp + and you're probably away. Could most likely clean up the strut arrangement as well.

I could always use the Do-17 or a new version of a Do Whal as a aircruiser, but I was looking for something a tad more conventional, with a 20mm cannon or two.

Australia is also working on a new seaplane fighter. I wont reveal any details until the Schneider Races, but Im looking at a P-38 size plane.

In a similar concept. I've toyed with the idea of a G-1 with floats. The G-1B (the radial engined varient) with Hercules VI engines will be available in 1935, and might make a good base for a seaplane varient by affixing floats under the booms and converting the underside of the nacelle to a boatform.

To do it, you'd probably need a fairly high mounting pylon from the floats to the airframe, like on the A6M2-N, to get the props up out of the spray and splash.