de Graaf DB-1A "Cutlass" (alias Aichi D1A1)
Prior to the introduction of the Cutlass the Royal South African Navy had used foreign designs to test carrier doctrines on their first carrier RSAN Wim Kraash. However, with the Navy´s first purpose-build carrier nearing completion the Navy Air Arm asked for their own design for a carrier-borne strike aircraft, using all the experience they had gained by testing planes of various origin. The de Graaf Company, a small manufactor of civilian single and double deaters known to be very robust, was ordered to delivers such design based on their experience. As a result de Graaf presented the DB-1A, her designation reflecting her intended role as dive bomber. The prototype was promising and after 5 month of trials with a series of 6 pre-production planes an order for 56 DB-1As was placed. De Graaf handed over the first batch of 12 Cutlass´ early enough to form the Navy Air Arms first strike squadron when RSAN Hammer completed her trials in November 1927. Orders later increased to over 120 planes as more squadrons received their Cutlass´ and loss due to accidents had to be compensated.
Most likely an early pre-production planes as her cowling differs from later mass-production planes.
A flight from RSAN Forge during SAINT Exercises 1932
First Flight: 27.8.1926
Type: Dive Bomber
Power: 1x 570PS 9-cyl.-engine (radial)
Crew: 2
Vmax: 309km/h
Vcruise: 250km/h
Range: 930km
Weapons: 250kg bombs, 3 7,62mm MG
de Graaf DB-1C "Cutlass" (alias Aichi D1A1)
The C variant features a more powerful engine for increased performance, a 15mm MG replacing her forward armament and and a more modern radio set. Several old DB-1A have been modified to C standards.
First Flight: 14.9.1928
Type: Dive Bomber
Power: 1x 650PS 9-cyl.-engine (radial)
Crew: 2
Vmax: 332km/h
Vcruise: 260km/h
Range: 950km
Weapons: 250kg bombs, 1 15mm MG, 1 7,62mm MG
Snider Type 24 "Shark" (alias Vought Vindicator)
The Shark was inteded to replace the aging Cutlass which had been outclassed by more modern foreign designs in the early 30s. The rapid development and introduction of more and more advanced technologies lead to specification 31/33 asking for a
metal-build monoplane to replace the DB-1A as standard dive bomber. Snider offered their Type 24 which, on paper, seem to perfectly match all requirements. The Air Ministry soon placed an order for 10 prototypes and work at the Snider plant in Kimberley began. Everybody was expecting a stunning success but the plane turned out the opposite. During first flight Major Berkin nearly crashed and also during following flights the handly of the new aircrafts proofed difficult at beast. Modifications to her tail and rudders showed some effect and trial continued. Driven by COnfidence in their enginner and a soon to come order by the Government Sniders management decided to begin production for parts in preparation of mass-production in autumn 1932. However, trials with the now so-called Shark remained difficult and her pilots discribed her as a "real beast to fly" and critizised the cockpits position making it impossible to see any markings on a carriers deck. The Air Ministry then decided to stop the failed project. Snider, having spend all their money into proparations for mass-produciton, placed a last offer hoping to avoid insolvency. Using parts already produced about 40 planes could be ssembled and were bought by the Navy as some kind of stop-gap until a more successful successor to the Cutlass could be aquired.
The first Type 24 prior to her maiden flight
Showing her profile...
Line drawing of the Shark
First Flight: 4.11.1931
Type: Dive Bomber
Power: 1x 825PS 9-cyl.-engine (radial)
Crew: 2
Vmax: 404km/h
Vcruise: 280km/h
Range: 1000km
Weapons: 450kg bombs, 2 7,62mm MG
de Graaf DB-7A "Stinger" (alias Hawker Henley)
Following the disaster with the Snider Type 24 the Royal South African Navy was still in the severe need for a new dive bomber to operate from their carriers. A new specification was handed out to several designers. Hartig and de Graaf were ordered to build a prototype and both planes were compared. The de Graaf design won the contest due to the experience the company already had with carrier-borne aircrafts and - then labelled "Stinger" - 90 planes were ordered for immediate delivery. The Hornet is an ordinary plane with an emphasis on robust design. The prototype used a LMF1200 VII inline engine with 960PS but for mass production the slightly more powerful LMF1200 IX which provides 1050PS will be used. Heavily armed with a 500kg bomb, two machine guns of 7,62mm calibre in her wings and a single rear-firing 7,62mm MG the plane reached a top speed of 438km/h during trials but manoeuvrability was limited. The first run of these new bombers will be available for duty in summer 1935.
First Flight: 10.3.1934
Type: Dive Bomber
Power: 1x 1050PS 12-cyl.-engine (inline)
Crew: 2
Vmax: 438km/h
Vcruise: 310km/h
Range: 1200km
Weapons: 500kg bombs, 3 7,62mm MG
Foller Fo 137 Mk I "Vulture" (alias Blom & Voss Ha 137)
The Fo 137 Vulture was designed as the RSANs new carrier borne fighter plane. A heavy and solid undercarriage was deemed necessary for the plane to survive heavy shocks during flight operations from a carrier. A powerful radial engine was chosen because designers expected such an engine to be more reliable than an inline engine. Resulting from these to features was a rather high aerodynamic resistance which impaired the planes performance negatively. However, the plane was still an improvement over the elderly and fragil biplanes then still in use with the navy and thus it was decided to order a first batch of 80 Fo 137s.
First Flight: 25.09.1930
Type: Fighter
Power: 1x 800PS 9-cyl.-engine (radial)
Crew: 1
Vmax: 470km/h
Vcruise: 340km/h
Range: 600km
Weapons: 4 7,62mm MG
Foller Fo 137 Mk II "Vulture II" (alias Blom & Voss Ha 137)
Due to the high drag of both the fixed landing gear and the large radial engine performance of the Mk I was not entirely satisfying. So designers at Foller re-worked the plane. Besides some aerodynamic fine tuning the most outstanding difference was the now used inline engine which not only produce less drag but also increased the pilot´s line of sight forward. The Mk II was superior to the older version in general and the original order was replaced by an order of 100 VUlture IIs.
First Flight: 7.11.1931
Type: Fighter
Power: 1x 770PS 12-cyl.-engine (inline)
Crew: 1
Vmax: 485km/h
Vcruise: 360km/h
Range: 650km
Weapons: 4 7,62mm MG
DeBroek FC-5A "Mercury" (alias Gloster F5/34)
When it became obvious the Vultures performance would fall behind modern land-based fighter planes due to her fixed landing gear a new aircraft was projected. Designed for the brand new 14-cyl. "Hurricane I" engine she also features an undercarriage retracting backwards and partially exposed - apparently this is to give cushioning in the case of a wheels up landing. Planned as a carrier-borne aircraft the FC-5 has excellent range. Her maiden flight was a success but during trials reliability of her new engine proofed a problem. Several times the first and second prototype were nearly lost when the lower cyclinders of the second row overheated. Modifications to the cowling and the oil cooler were necessary that nearly stalled the whole project and caused some delay. Flight characteristics are good and start of production is now planned for April 1935 should all problems with the Hurricane engine be solved.
First Flight: 6.8.1934
Type: Fighter
Power: 1x 1120PS 14-cyl.-engine (radial)
Crew: 1
Vmax: 570km/h
Vcruise: 490km/h
Range: 1400km
Weapons: 2 15mm MG, 4 7,62mm MG
Foller Fo 122 MK III "Kingklip" (alias Yokosuka B4Y1)
The Kingklip, named after an African eel, is a three-seat single engine bi-plane carrier attack airplane employed by the Royal South African Navy on their flattops since 1930. In 1927 the RSAN issued a requirement for a new carrier-borne attack aircraft. Foller, de Graaf and Snider responded to this requirement and each built prototype aircraft. However, none of these aircraft were deemed satisfactory, and the RSAN thus issued a new requirement in 1929 for a more capable aircraft to replace the obsolescent foreign designs then in service. The Fo 122 was designed by Tom Wilms to meet the new requirements. The design produced was a bi-plane with fixed landing gear and an all-metal structure covered with either metal or fabric. The Fo
122 was the RSANs first home-build carrier torpedo bomber. She has a crew of three. The pilot sits in an open cockpit while the navigator and the radio operator/gunner are located in an enclosed rear cockpit.
First Flight: 14.9.1930
Type: Torpedo bomber and reconnaissance plane
Power: 1x 800PS 9-cyl.-engine (radial)
Crew: 3
Vmax: 265km/h
Vcruise: 195km/h
Range: 1580km
Weapons: 800kg torpedo or 500kg bomb, 2 7,62mm MG
DeBroek TB-9A "Petrel" (alias Saab 17A)
The first sketches for the RSANs new torpedo bomber were brought to paper in 1933 but calculated characteristics were not satisfying. So the plane went through several design stages on the drawing boards before DeBroek finally started to build a prototype plane in 1934. Originally designed for a 9-cyl-radial she was altered once more when the 14-cyl. "Hurricane I" engine became available. The half-build prototype had to be scrapped and a new one build which finally had its 30 minutes first flight in March 1935. The plane is a remarkable step ahead compared to the old “Kingklip” she will replace. She features a modern metal-build fuselage and folding mono wings which fold just outside the retractable landing gear. The latter is similar to that of the “Mercury” fighter and allows some cushioning in case of a wheels up landing. The plane can be armed with a standard 800kg torpedo below her fuselage or up to 500kg of bombs inside a bomb bay. Two forward firing machine guns and a third one for the rear gunner add to the “Petrels” armament. Current flight tests have revealed some problems with stalling but due to the situation in South America the RSAN ordered a first batch of 50 planes nevertheless. The first of these planes are expected to be delivered in autumn.
Early Petrel in flight, August 1935
First Flight: 18.3.1935
Type: Torpedo bomber and reconnaissance plane
Power: 1x 1120PS 14-cyl.-engine (radial)
Crew: 3
Vmax: 427km/h
Vcruise: 365km/h
Range: 1720km
Weapons: 800kg torpedo or 500kg bomb, 3 7,62mm MG