ACH: Naval Strike Fighter In 1940

Is there any reason a purpose designed Sea Hurricane couldn't serve as a fighter/divebomber for the RN in 1940? I realise the Air ministry would probably have to receive a 15" present from the Admiralty first but Gloster could have built them instead of the Sea Gladiators. Range is an issue but there was room for larger fuel tanks.
Sorry for the delay answering but I was thinking about this recently.

I wonder how an aircraft carrier with every plane being both fighter capable and strike capable would do in ww2. For the British who often had numerical inferiority in plane numbers would multirole carrier planes be an option in scenarios where the main role of the carrier is fleet defense.

IE the carrier is expecting major opposition from land based air on a Malta convoy but needs to retain strike capability in case the Italian fleet sorties but this is deemed unlikely. There are sufficient sea hurricanes available to unload all torpedo bombers and replace them with sea hurricanes.
 
Problem with that is you need some Swordfish for ASW. If the RAF cannon armed fighter had gone ahead with a single-engine option, and if the FAA had a version it may well have the capacity to be a Fighter-bomber i.e. able to carry a better load than a Sea Hurricane). It would help, if the air-to-surface rockets were available earlier.
The Blackburn Firebrand (Fighter-Torpedo-Bomber) never did work out, you have to wait some years for either the Sea Fury, or the Westland Wyvern for a good Naval 'Strike Attack' aircraft.
 
That would mean having a spare squadron of Hurricane's and pilot's sitting around waiting. Swordfish pilot's can't just jump into a Hurricane.
 
The Sea Hurricane can be used in the Hurribomber role as well as the Fleet Fighter one but is limited in loaded range and the ability to operate in bad weather/night so you will need a bad weather/night strike type in addition which will have to carry a torpedo, dive bomb and use the carrier location system. There are no types that can do that without fighter escort in daylight so the Swordfish or Albacore are the choices, A mix of Sea Hurricane and Albacores will be as good as you get in the period where the Sea Hurricane can be useful and it would be handy for the Sea Hurricanes could sometimes act (and be trained as) Sea Hurribombers. Bear in mind when wanting to carry a couple of 250lb bombs and larger fuel tanks that you have to be able to get the thing off the deck in low winds. The Fulmar/Firefly have a better dual role capability but unless you abandon the torpedo attack you still need some Swordfish/Albacore/Barracudas.
 
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