[vanir]

I've been going over some historical RAAF unit deployments and found some of the most significant types aren't in il2, which is a shame. We've got all the lesser types employed in relatively small numbers like P-400, Buffalo, Mosquito FB and B and Spit Vc/XIII but as it turns out these flew mainly domestic home defence, training and recon (i.e. civilian morale boosting in a nutshell). P-40E and M (plus pretty much synonymous K) were of course the main fighter type up until 44 but there were only ever small numbers of them. And thankfully now we have the Beaufighter Mark X so the type which was actually used by the RAAF before it was all over is now there.

In significant front line service we're missing:
P-40N Kittyhawk Mark IV (single most numerous type employed)
I hope the difference to the P-40M is obvious, it's lighter, faster and has better pilot view


CAC Wirraway (didn't do too well but was there)


CAC Boomerang (pilots liked it...but look at their choices)


Vultee A-31 Vengeance (primary attack aircraft of the war)


Dornier Do-24K tri-engine (tell me about it, but handled the bulk of transport work for RAAF PNG)


Any of these considered for a future mod would be, well fantastic for RAAF enthusiasts, or New Guinea mission builders.

[RAF_Magpie]

Abso-friggin-lutly +100000000000000000000000000000000 for all of the above...

Particularly the boomerang and the Dornier

[handerson]

A Gloster Meteor would be good.

[Chaoic16]

A Gloster Meteor would be good.

Agreed!










D


Chaoic out...

[Trooper117]

Time to read the previous thread on this... and where are you going to get the parts from??

[GentleKiller]

Time to read the previous thread on this... and where are you going to get the parts from??

there are no real available parts for meteor
so stop asking for the 1000th time
we need a converter to make that plane :wink:

[Scharnhorst1943]

the Avenger would be a great starting base for the Vengance ... just my opinion.

[GentleKiller]

the Avenger would be a great starting base for the Vengance ... just my opinion.

yes
however i think that it has to be lenghtened 8)

[vanir]

For the Vengence, what about a lengthened/deepened SBD which is much closer in fuselage shape (remove carrier equipment), then add Avenger wings (slot in guns) and an enlarged Avenger tail, and base the FM on the Avenger. Is it possible to mate maybe the inner section of a curtiss wing with the outer of the Avenger to get a more authentic undercarriage?

As for the Boomerang, how about a Curtiss P-36 fuselage mounted to an F4F cowling (they shared the Pratt & Whitney engine), with A6M5b wings and undercarriage (two .303" and two 20mm Hispano fitted). FM should be pretty much identical to an F4F-4.

It's funny actually, the Boomerang wasn't a real powrful late war aircraft, but its popularity was probably derived from the fact that it most closely resembled the terrible Buffalo to RAAF pilots, but had the performance of the F4F and the armament of a Spitfire. It's not a bad fighter if it could've gotten into service earlier, and was kind of pretty good for the south Pacific theatre considering combined attacks on merchant shipping kept Japanese resupply (and aircraft upgrades) to a relative minimum.

But sure I'd rather have a Spit or Mustang (which re-equipped front line fighter deployment in 44-45 alongside the P-40N Kittyhawk IV).

The Kittyhawk Mark IV could be made with some simple cosmetic changes to the P-40M and a new FM. This one is totally superfluous without its own slot, but considering it was the Warhawk variant which was the most produced of the entire series and widely deployed in the Pacific, I'm surprised it hasn't been modded and given a new slot already. So much to do I suppose, but I'm sure somebody will get around to it.
The P-40N began deliveries just after the L high performance model (which followed on from the M) in March 43 and had the circa. 1360hp Allison of the P-40K with an improved structure and undercarriage a top speed of some 608km/h. It was the lightest of the Warhawks and had the best range (P-40A-C excepted) of 1350km on internal fuel. Naturally it was designed as a long range fighter-bomber and could carry up to three 500lb bombs under the wings and fuselage (source: warbird alley).
Here's a good pic showing the structural difference of the N variant


The P-40F and L Warhawks would be super duper too just for interest sake (USAAF 325FG used the L for example and both types were prominent in late North Africa), they're the Packard-Merlin versions (1300hp V-1650-1 with two-speed supercharger), early ones with P-40E fuselages and late builds with P-40M fuselage, with of course the smooth upper cowling that signifies the Merlin engine. The P-40L "Gypsie Rose Lee" was the lightweight high performance variant with only four .50" cals in the wings (201 rds pg) and the front wing fuel tanks removed.
Top speed is around 585km/h and 595km/h respectively at 6100m (but the L model accelerated and climbed much faster). Range is 1130km and 565km on internal fuel, respectively.