WesWorld

This was provoked a bit by a thought-provoking comment Hood made late last week. Since we've been haggling over aircraft development and such the past few days, I thought it might be worthwhile to write this up and acquire some comments.

Currently, the Fuerza Aérea de Chile is something of a bloated and inefficient organization, lacking direction and strategic purpose. General del Aire Sergio Pellegrini has been recently promoted to command the FACH and presents, in June 1939, a reorganization plan ("The Chilean New Model Air Force") to streamline the air force.

1937 OOB

General Pellegrini's reorganization plans call for the creation of a number of New Model squadrons.

Quoted

New Model Fighter Regiment
- Regimental Command
- Staff
- 2x fighter squadrons (16 fighters each) + 4 spares
- 1x technical squadron (4 trainers (ENAER Coatis), 2 transports (Constelacion Condors), 3 light liaison planes (Fanaero Alpacas))
- 1x supply battalion
- 1x support and communications battalion
- Total: 32 fighters, 4 Coatis, 2 CA-3 Condors, 3 FC-1 Alpaca (45 planes)

Quoted

New Model Bomber Regiment
Standard Bomber Regiment
- Regimental Command
- Staff
- 2x bomber squadrons (12 bombers apiece) + 3 spares
- 1x technical squadron (4 trainers (ENAER Coatis), 2 transports (Constelacion Condors), 3 light liaison planes (Fanaero Alpacas))
- 1x supply battalion
- 1x support and communications battalion
- Total: 27 bombers, 4 Coati-T, 2 CA-3 Condors, 3 FC-1 Alpaca (36 planes)

Quoted

New Model Mixed Regiment
Standard Bomber Regiment
- Regimental Command
- Staff
- 1x heavy fighter squadrons (16 twin-engine fighters apiece) + 2 spares
- 1x bomber squadrons (12 bombers apiece) + 2 spares
- 1x technical squadron (4 trainers (ENAER Coatis), 2 transports (Constelacion Condors), 3 light liaison planes (Fanaero Alpacas))
- 1x supply battalion
- 1x support and communications battalion
- Total: 16 fighters, 12 bombers, 4 Coati-T, 2 CA-3 Condors, 3 FC-1 Alpaca (41 planes)

Quoted

New Model Transport Regiment
Standard Bomber Regiment
- Regimental Command
- Staff
- 2x transport squadrons (12 transports apiece)
- 1x technical squadron (6 light liaison planes (Fanaero Alpacas))
- 1x supply battalion
- 1x support and communications battalion
- Total: 24 transports (Constelacion Condors), 6 FC-1 Alpaca (30 planes)

Quoted

New Army Cooperation Squadron
- Squadron Command
- Staff
- 4x spotting planes (Fanaero FC-1 Alpacas)
- 2x transports (Constelacion Condors)
- 2x liaison (Fanaero FC-1 Alpacas)
- 1x supply company
- 1x support and communications company
- Total: 6 FC-1 Alpacas, 2x CA-3 Condors (8 planes)

These squadrons will be organized into four Air Brigades and a number of smaller supporting regiments and squadrons. The Brigades will hold the majority of the FACh's striking power, including the most modern aircraft. One brigade will be composed of three light bomber regiments (SP-21M Vanquishes), two brigades will be composed of two fighter regiments and a mixed regiment, and one brigade will be composed of three fighter regiments. A fifth brigade will exist as a core formative unit to bring in reservists and pilots in case of war. Additional smaller and more independent units will be: one Recce Regiment (24 recce planes), one Strike Fighter Regiment (32 twin-engine fighters), two transport regiments (24x Condors, 6 Alpacas), and eighteen army cooperation squadrons (2 Condors and 6 Alpacas).

I Brigade (Strategic Air Supremacy) will be equipped with new-built I-02 Pulqui fighters), and will be based in the Santiago and Valparaiso region. II and III Brigades (Tactical Air Command) will be based in Iquique and Conception. IV Brigade (Tactical Light Bombing) will be based in Antofagasta along with the Strike Fighter Regiment. This leaves some gaps in the territorial coverage, particularly in the regions south of Puerto Montt, and in Chilean Bolivia.

In Chilean Bolivia, the low quantity and quality of aerial opposition means that fighters need not be "frontline" quality and should be inexpensive to acquire and operate. While a number of options have been investigated, General Pellegrini supports a plan put forward to acquire more heavily armed ENAER Coati trainers as inexpensive fighter-bombers. These planes will be new-built with more machine guns and bomb capacity, though it's uncertain if a two-seat layout will be retained at present. (The FACh wants a single-seat Fighting Coati; ENAER doesn't want to redesign it if a two-seat layout will still work.) As the Coati is currently used as an advanced trainer, the so-called "Fighting Coati" should be an easily-accessible aircraft for reservist pilots to master.

The Magellanes and Tierra del Fuego regions will no longer fall under FACh control, but will instead be assigned to the Armada de Chile's Aviation Arm, with that organization left to determine the proper means, if any, of defending it against attack.

Proposed Order of Battle for implementation by June 1940:

Quoted

[SIZE=3]I Brigade[/SIZE] - Santiago
1st Fighter Regiment
- 100th Fighter Squadron (I-02 Pulquis)
- 118th Fighter Squadron (I-02 Pulquis)
- 500th Technical Squadron
2nd Fighter Regiment
- 101st Fighter Squadron (I-02 Pulquis)
- 102nd Fighter Squadron (I-02 Pulquis)
- 501st Technical Squadron
3rd Fighter Regiment
- 104th Fighter Squadron (I-02 Pulquis)
- 110th Fighter Squadron (I-02 Pulquis)
- 502nd Technical Squadron

[SIZE=3]II Brigade[/SIZE] - Inquique
- 300th Reconnaissance Squadron
4th Fighter Regiment
- 106th Fighter Squadron (I-01-IIB Buchons)
- 107th Fighter Squadron (I-01-IIB Buchons)
- 503rd Technical Squadron
5th Fighter Regiment
- 108th Fighter Squadron (I-01-IIB Buchons)
- 109th Fighter Squadron (I-01-IIB Buchons)
- 504th Technical Squadron
2nd Mixed Regiment
- 115th Heavy Fighter Squadron (Spartan Sp-34 Cutlasses)
- 200th Light Bomber Squadron (Spartan Sp-21M Vanquish-IIs)
- 509th Technical Squadron

[SIZE=3]III Brigade[/SIZE] - Conception
- 301st Reconnaissance Squadron
6th Fighter Regiment
- 105th Fighter Squadron (I-01-IIB Buchons)
- 111th Fighter Squadron (I-01-IIB Buchons)
- 506th Technical Squadron
7th Fighter Regiment
- 112th Fighter Squadron (I-01-IIB Buchons)
- 113th Fighter Squadron (I-01-IIB Buchons)
- 508th Technical Squadron
1st Mixed Regiment
- 114th Heavy Fighter Squadron (Spartan Sp-34 Cutlasses)
- 201st Light Bomber Squadron (Spartan Sp-21M Vanquish-IIs)
- 505th Technical Squadron

[SIZE=3]IV Brigade[/SIZE] - Antofagasta
- 302nd Reconnaissance Squadron
1st Light Bomber Regiment
- 202nd Light Bomber Squadron (Spartan Sp-21M Vanquish-IIs)
- 203rd Light Bomber Squadron (Spartan Sp-21M Vanquish-IIs)
- 511th Technical Squadron
2nd Light Bomber Regiment
- 204th Light Bomber Squadron (Spartan Sp-21M Vanquish-IIs)
- 205th Light Bomber Squadron (Spartan Sp-21M Vanquish-IIs)
- 514th Technical Squadron
3rd Light Bomber Regiment
- 206th Light Bomber Squadron (Spartan Sp-21M Vanquish-IIs)
- 207th Light Bomber Squadron (Spartan Sp-21M Vanquish-IIs)
- 507th Technical Squadron

[SIZE=3]V Brigade[/SIZE] - Santiago
Paper unit with two paper fighter regiments (10th and 11th), one paper mixed regiment (3rd), and one reconnaissance squadron (323rd).

Strategic Aircraft Reserve - Nominally part of 5th Brigade
- 124 F-12 Aves
- 36 B-3 Vanguards

[SIZE=3]Independent Regiments[/SIZE]

1st Reconnaissance Regiment - Valparaiso
- 303rd Reconnaissance Squadron
- 304th Reconnaissance Squadron
- 510th Technical Squadron

8th Fighter Regiment - Antofagasta
- 116th Heavy Fighter Squadron (Spartan Sp-34 Cutlasses)
- 117th Heavy Fighter Squadron (Spartan Sp-34 Cutlasses)
- 513th Technical Squadron

9th Fighter Regiment - Potosi
- 103rd Fighter Squadron (Frontier) (Fighting Coatis)
- 119th Fighter Squadron (Frontier) (Fighting Coatis)
- 512th Technical Squadron

1st Transport Regiment - Santiago
- 400th Transport Squadron
- 401st Transport Squadron
- 515th Technical Squadron

2nd Transport Regiment - Concepcion
- 402nd Transport Squadron
- 403rd Transport Squadron
- 516th Technical Squadron

Army Cooperation Division
Squadrons 305 through 322 equipped similarly.

Presidential Flight - Santiago/Valparaiso
- 1x Royal Condor
- 1x Twin Condor (backup aircraft)
- 1x Float-equipped Twin Condor

Acquisition Priorities:
- Complete acquisition of I-02 Pulquis for I Brigade (108+ on order for 1939-1940)
- Replace Sp-34 Cutlasses with Caracaras. (The Caracara is a license-built Petlyakov Pe-3bis with Spartan-1500 engines, developed jointly with Atlantis. It is currently uncertain if ENAER will build the Caracara, or will assemble kits made in Atlantis.)
- Equip reconnaissance squadrons with Caracara reconnaissance versions.
- Replace Sp-21M Vanquish-IIs in Mixed Regiments with Caracara-B light bombers.

Long-Term Design Team Schedules:
ENAER - Alexander von Ahrens (ENAER senior designer)
- January 1937 to January 1940: Work with Accrisius on ENAER Alicanto / Accrisius Avenger (Project leader)
- January 1940 to July 1940: Fighting Coati design.
- July 1940 to September 1940: Educational tour, Europe and Americas.
- September 1940 to January 1941: Alicanto upgrades (if applicable).
- January 1941 to March 1941: Conceptual project development.

ENAER - Eduardo Wolff (ENAER junior designer)
- October 1938 to January 1940: Work with Petlyakov and Spartan on Caracara / Pe-3bis license work. (Project leader)
- January 1940 to December 1940: Educational tour, Europe and Americas.
- January 1941 to March 1941: Conceptual project development.

ENAER - Friedrich von Ahrens (ENAER apprentice designer)
- October 1938 to January 1940: Work with Petlyakov and Spartan on Caracara / Pe-3bis license work. (Secondary designer)
- January 1940 to September 1940: Work on MZ-03.
- October 1940 to December 1941: Work on MZ-03-II
- January 1942 to March 1942: Educational tour, Europe and Americas.
- April 1942 to April 1943: Project Sun Blind.

Constelacion - Dr. Rodrigo Loyola (Constelacion senior designer)
- January 1939 to March 1940: Design work on Serie-300 Twin Condor. (Project leader)
- March 1940 to April 1940: Concept work with Jorge Sepúlveda for MZ-02 project (oversight).
- April 1940 to September 1940: Educational tour, Europe and Americas.
- September 1940 to January 1941: Concept development for Serie-400 Twin Condor and Constelacion T442.
- January 1941 to January 1944 (est): Design work for Constelacion T442 (project leader).
- January 1942 to June 1942: Design work on Serie-400 Twin Condor (concurrent with T442 work).

Constelacion - Jorge Sepúlveda (Constelacion apprentice designer)
- January 1939 to March 1940: Design work on Serie-300 Condor (secondary designer)
- March 1940 to December 1940: Design work on MZ-02 (project leader, with initial oversight by Loyola).
- January 1941 to January 1944 (est): Design work for Constelacion T442.

Austral Engines - Fernando Pernet-Sharpe (Austral chief engineer for aviation)
- January 1937 to July 1940: Test/development work with Austral Incitatus. (Work with Roth-Packard.) Low-level work with Austral Malacara.
- July 1940 to September 1940: Educational tour, Europe and Americas.
- October 1940 to June 1943: Austral Malacara development. (Project leader, work with Roth-Packard.)
- October 1941 to June 1943: Austral Shadowless

Finally, here are two proposals for the aforementioned Fighting Coati. It's intended to remain as close as possible parts-wise to the Coati trainer to ease supply and production concerns.

The Option One is my favorite; it would look somewhat akin to the CAC Boomerang or the NAA P-64. Option Two is based off Hood's preferences, retaining far more commonality and a navigator/gunner. It would retain the current Coati look, which is to say some sort of mutt mashup of the T-6 Texan, Arado Ar-196, Kingfisher, and Miles Master.

Quoted

[SIZE=3]ENAER Fighting Coati (Option One, single seat)[/SIZE]
Statistics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 29.5 ft (9m)
- Wingspan: 39.4 ft / 12m
- Height: 9.8 ft / 3m
- Wing area: 236.8 ft² / 21m²
- Empty weight: 4,629 lbs (2,100 kg)
- Loaded weight: 5,732 lbs (2,600 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × ___ (1,000hp - 1,200hp) radial (type undecided)

Performance
- Maximum speed: 290 mph / 466.7 kph (252 knots)
- Max Range: 850 mi (1,367.9 km)
- Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
- Rate of climb: 2,940 ft/min (14.9 m/s)

Armament:
- 3 × 13mm cannon
- 1 × 150lb bomb and 2 × 75lb bombs

Notes
The Fighting Coati is based heavily on the design of the Coati advanced trainer. Although designed by Alexander von Ahrens in 1937 as part of Coati development, the aircraft didn't make it off the drawing board until mid-1939 following the reorganization of the FACH, when the air force decided to order a number of "frontier defense" fighters to cover more remote regions such as eastern Chilean Bolivia and southern Tierra del Fuego. Although slow compared to front-line fighters even of previous generations, the Fighting Coati was well-liked as it largely mimicked the positive handling capabilities of the Coati trainer, making it easily accessible to reservist pilots, and had a spacious and comfortable cockpit.

Quoted

[SIZE=3]ENAER Fighting Coati (Option Two, twin-seat)[/SIZE]
Statistics
- Crew: 2 (pilot, gunner/navigator)
- Length: 29.5 ft (9m)
- Wingspan: 39.4 ft / 12m
- Height: 9.8 ft / 3m
- Wing area: 236.8 ft² / 21m²
- Empty weight: 4,629 lbs (2,100 kg)
- Loaded weight: 5,732 lbs (2,600 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × ___ (1,000hp - 1,200hp) radial (type undecided)

Performance
- Maximum speed: 270 mph / 434.5 kph (234.6 knots)
- Max Range: 850 mi (1,367.9 km)
- Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
- Rate of climb: 2,940 ft/min (14.9 m/s)

Armament:
- 2 × 13mm cannon (wings)
- 2 × .30cal MGs (wings)
- 2 × .30cal MGs (rear gunnery position)
- 1 × 250lb bomb and 2 × 75lb bombs

A few interesting things in there.

Probably wouldn't mix the Coati trainers in with regular squadrons. Why would you use the trainer when you've got a real plane to practice with? Just need something to bumble around in to other airfields. Maybe a larger trainer like the Avro Anson for navigation and TAG training.

Likely a bit optimistic with the design schedules with the aircraft. You usually want the designer (or rather design team) around during manufacture and trials as well. There are going to be modifications to designs needed, especially in this period.

I think I'd go for option two with the Fighting Coati. The extra crewman will be more useful than the increase in the performance when operating in the low threat environment.

Quoted

Originally posted by Red Admiral
A few interesting things in there.

Thank you, glad someone chose to comment. Was beginning to think I'd wasted my time writing it up.

Quoted

Originally posted by Red Admiral
Probably wouldn't mix the Coati trainers in with regular squadrons. Why would you use the trainer when you've got a real plane to practice with? Just need something to bumble around in to other airfields. Maybe a larger trainer like the Avro Anson for navigation and TAG training.

The trainers are not mixed in with the squadrons, but with the regiments; reason they're mixed in at all is because I... "liberated" that section of the ORBAT from some historical Polish fighter regiments (circa 1950s, IIRC).

Regarding the comment about the Ansons - would the Twin Condor not be able to serve in that role?

Quoted

Originally posted by Red Admiral
Likely a bit optimistic with the design schedules with the aircraft. You usually want the designer (or rather design team) around during manufacture and trials as well. There are going to be modifications to designs needed, especially in this period.

Mea culpa. It was almost a spur-of-the-moment addition which I wrote up right when I posted. I tried to provide the appropriate development time for the Alicanto in particular, but I was working merely off my own "best guesses" in regards to development.

Would you perhaps be able to provide an example of a real-life project timeline?

Quoted

Originally posted by Red Admiral
I think I'd go for option two with the Fighting Coati. The extra crewman will be more useful than the increase in the performance when operating in the low threat environment.

That's kinda what I'm getting a feeling for, myself.

Myself, on the issue of the FIghting Coati, I'd probably use the two-seat design, but I wouldn't bother with the flexible armament, and I'd plan to normally fly combat missions with a single pilot. The armament is better for ground attack work, anyway, and the costs are lower.