AHC: Spitfire 2

Cmon, I wanna make the brits happy. How do I make British aerospace strong enough for them to make a modern world-class indigenous fighter? Which, because they are british, must be named the spitfire 2. Bonus points if they make a second high-low theory multirole at the same time and name it Hurricane 2.
 
Cmon, I wanna make the brits happy. How do I make British aerospace strong enough for them to make a modern world-class indigenous fighter? Which, because they are british, must be named the spitfire 2.

The British deciding to designate their Eurofighters as Spitfires instead of Typhoons seems the easiest solution.
 
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The British deciding the designate their Eurofighters as Spitfires instead of Typhoons seems the easiest solution.

I'd say cause the spitfire is Britains most famous fighter, the spit 2 should be very good and British designed just so nobody can go "you (X political party) led Britain so low in world stature that the French designed our new fighter which you want to name spitfire 2"
 
I'd say cause the spitfire is Britains most famous fighter, the spit 2 should be very good and British designed just so nobody can go "you (X political party) led Britain so low in world stature that the French designed our new fighter which you want to name spitfire 2"

The Eurofighter is a very respectable fighter, and it isn't French designed - the French dropped out of the program and went on to create the Rafale instead.
 
The Eurofighter is a very respectable fighter, and it isn't French designed - the French dropped out of the program and went on to create the Rafale instead.

I was just using the French as an example for some hypothetical European airframe. Sorry if it didn't seem like that.
 
Prevent Duncan Sandys from ever having any say in British Aviation to start with.
Sadly even if you butterfly him away the UK aerospace industry would find other ways to foul up. I'd love it to happen but I think you need a much earlier (pre-VE Day) POD to make it happen.
 
Making sure the Ministry of Supply is actually working to further British interests would help. Maybe I'm being overly cynical but I have to wonder exactly what country they were working for.
 
RNSEAKESTRELFRS105_zps07e3b3b0.jpg


If this beauty had been made...
 

FBKampfer

Banned
You'll basically need a stronger British economy right after WW2, and drastically reduced US arms exportation immediately following, all with the goal of loosening the US vice-grip on NATO, as after the Empire slips away, the UK will need new markets, and sources of resources. Either the US, UK, or Germany is going to be filling that role. Make sure its the UK.

Basically you need to keep the UK aviation industry from the severe atrophy suffered in the 60's

If, say in the waning days of WWII, the liberated European nations formed NATO under British aegis, and factories all across the empire started churning out Enfield rifles, Stens and Bren guns to rearm Europe, along with guaranteed ammunition and logistical support for the weapons (at a very small fee of course), the UK has more resources to put into defense. And naturally they'll want Centurions and Meteors to go along with it.

But whatever you do, you need to keep British military aircraft as a profitable venture for companies in the UK.
 
Have the British get back into the carrier game 10-15 year earlier and expand upon the earlier Hawker P1216 Supersonic STVOL fighter as a replacement for SHAR II/Harrier to meet the needs of the new Carrier airgroups (and as a Harrier Replacement)

I think thats the same fighter or in the same ball park as Mr.Wigglemunch has shown above.

Many of the features from this design went into the subsequant F35B
 
Cmon, I wanna make the brits happy. How do I make British aerospace strong enough for them to make a modern world-class indigenous fighter? Which, because they are british, must be named the spitfire 2. Bonus points if they make a second high-low theory multirole at the same time and name it Hurricane 2.

Supermarine Spitfire - one engine, performer, maneuverable, decent to very good firepower, reasonably low cost to purchase/use/mantain, many users abroad.
If modern means 'after 2000' - one engine of 90/150 KN thrust (dry/afterburner), probably in delta-canard configuration, capability for conformal limited weponry for air-to-air combat, avionics and low observability as good as it is technically possible. Basically, a modern day SAAB Viggen.
If we accept the 'classic' wing-then-tail configuration, then a modern F-16.
 
Have the British get back into the carrier game 10-15 year earlier and expand upon the earlier Hawker P1216 Supersonic STVOL fighter as a replacement for SHAR II/Harrier to meet the needs of the new Carrier airgroups (and as a Harrier Replacement)

I think thats the same fighter or in the same ball park as Mr.Wigglemunch has shown above.

Many of the features from this design went into the subsequant F35B

The image is of the P.1214 - the forward swept wing version ;)
 
Perhaps have McDonnell Douglas back the UK team with a view to building the type for the USMC as a replacement for the earlier AV8As with the British building them for replacement of Harrier GR1/3 and the RNs Sea Harriers at the end of the 80s and early 90s - with Britain building its 2 Queen Elizabeth carriers during the late 90s and a 3rd unit for the Indian Navy in the early noughties

Other Harrier operators (India, Itlay, Spain etc) eventually replace their Harriers with either the now BAe built or McDonnell Douglas Built 'Spitfire II'
 
Build the SR 177?
p177rbg_27.jpg

(It does look very Gerry Anderson doesn't it, but it was a real thing ... the Prototype SR 53 actually flew!)
 
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