Alternate Aircraft of Nations
- Thread starter Count of Crisco
- Start date
Members of the Royal Australian Air Force are photographed with the Morane-Saulnier M.S. 406's used to defend Darwin against Japanese raiders. Australia began building the M.S. 406 under licence in March 1939.
I would not want to fly one of these against any contemporary japanese fighter.... Would they be better than a Hurricane for that situation though?
Yes and no.
EDIT: Yeah, Bougnas is right, I made a stupid mistake. So even more toasted.
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Ops, yes you are right, I had a brainfart. Teh Hurricane was 40 to 50 kph faster, IIRC I had in mind the first one speed as kilometers and the second as miles per hour, that was my mistake ...
By 1942 the MS 406 would only be good for training, unlike the Hurricane which was still a good ground attack aircraft and a just about adequate fighter in the hands of an experienced pilot.
I still need to find a good book on the technical aspects of the french airforce in the 30s and 40s. From what I could find the Dewoitine D.520 was more or less the best fighter they had and also should have had a development potential comparable to similiar planes used by other nations.
The finns managed to get some succes with the modified 406s they used but I always wondered what kind of development potential that plane had left. If I remember correctly the airframe was rather primitive?
The M.S. 406 actually had quite a decent airframe and was quite maneuverable, but its biggest problem by far was that it was underpowered. It had an ~800hp engine in an era where contemporaries were in the 4-figure club. It was somewhat lightly armed too, with 1 20mm cannon and 2 rifle-calibre MGs, the latter tended to freeze at high altitudes too.
Engine supply was a problem too- Poland and Belgium expressed interest in the type too, but France couldn't even produce enough engines for her own requirements.
There was a 1939 development, the MS. 410, which included a more powerful engine that boosted top speed to 315mph, an extra pair of machine guns with heating, and a better windscreen and gunsight. Existing 406s could also be upgraded into 410s in as little as 2-3 weeks- the French government started to implement conversions and canceled them when war broke out.
IIRC, the 406/410 were easier to mass produce than the Dewoitine D.520 as well.
The TL;DR is that the M.S. 406 is a decent plane in 1938 but without continued improvements, is outclassed by 1940. The biggest problem is watts-through-props.
It's a great McPherson-ism, I hope you don't mind if I borrow it!That. (^^^)
FAA has clear rules about space flight and astro naught qualifications be fore the flights of Star ship galactic 2 and Blue Dream
www.bbc.com
Jeff Bezos and Sir Richard Branson may not be astronauts, US says
The US government has tightened rules on which space-goers can claim their astronaut wings.
www.bbc.com
McPherson
Banned
Same day rules change as the Bezos flight is the "thumb in the eye" "Richard" bureaucratic move. As an American I recognize the timing and the real motive behind the "rules change".FAA has clear rules about space flight and astro naught qualifications be fore the flights of Star ship galactic 2 and Blue Dream
Jeff Bezos and Sir Richard Branson may not be astronauts, US says
The US government has tightened rules on which space-goers can claim their astronaut wings.
How convenient.
Note that?
Timing is everything. Wait until the feat is attempted and then announce, "Nope. I changed the rules. Your rocket ride does not qualify." Even though both billionaires met the "Hamm the Chimp" astronaut wings requirement?
Before the rules change.
That was the rules change. How about "proofing the system" as part of the "Man-rating crew payload"?
How convenient. Can take away an achievement by a mere regulation edit.
Look, I am not a fan of Jeff Bezos at all, but he did climb aboard a flying BOMB and he did man-rate it.
Give him his wings and STFU.
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of Johnson Station with a model of the 'Old Reliable' Orion III Shuttle in the foreground. Picture taken September 10, 2001.
https://finescale.com/sitefiles/resources/image.aspx?item={1950C55E-F4EB-4E20-A21C-5E6B187AFE9A}
https://finescale.com/sitefiles/resources/image.aspx?item={1950C55E-F4EB-4E20-A21C-5E6B187AFE9A}
In late 1941 Australia begins developing an Improved version of the MS 406 using the Rolls Royce Merlin. It is very similar to the later Finnish Morko. Some are sent to Canada for use as advanced trainers and to provide some defence for the West coast in the unlikely event of a Japanese attack.
Unmarked prior to their delivery to the Norwegian air force in 1940 a Vultee Vanguard righter prepares to take off for a test flight. The fighters would Soon see much action against the Luftwaffe during the Norwegian campaign. Catching German craft totally off guard as intelligence failed to notice these fighters being delivered (rather embarrassing as the the Kriegsmarine knew of the delivery but failed to inform the Heer or Luftwaffe) allowing them to achieve surprising results.
The planes had originally been a part of an order placed by Sweden, but the order fell apart due to a number of reasons. The planes eventually being taken by the RAF as part of Lend Lease, and then being donated to Norway as part of a British plan to form an alliance with them during the phony war. In total twenty four of the type would be delivered.
On the December 23rd 1944, the Germans forces where approaching Antwerp, after defeating the British in the First Battle of Waterloo. Churchill, in a panic, ordered any warship and FAA squadrons at their disposal to the North Sea (and if possible, Antwerp), to support the remaining 21st Army Group based there. Several carriers were also send, with all sort of frontlines aircrafts possible (some even with the Far East roundel already painted).
On the 24rd, the most deadly day of the Battle of Belgium, an Rattenkrieg (Rat War)-style of house-to-house fighting occured in Antwerp itself, while the RN battleships and cruisers (including the brand new HMS Lion, and the old "reliable" Warspite) bombard any German unit in range. In the meanwhile, USAAF, RAF, FAA, and other Allied squadrons (including the Greek one) fought against the Luftwaffe**.
*HMS Courageous was damaged by a torpedo in 1939. In 1942, been a "younger" carrier that HMS Furious, it was decided send her to the US and rebuilt the carrier, allowing to handle 55 modern aircraft in comparation to the previous 30 it could handle prior.
**Operation Bodenplatte is cancelled, and all avaiable Luftwaffe squadrons are used to support the Third Invasion of Belgium (first in 1940 and second the allied liberation in 44)
Not top tier but in the right place they could have been devestating. I think in the Norweigan campaign there was a couple times when the Germans used large numbers of unescorted JU-52s to drop paratroopers or rapidly move troops in via captured airfields. Even a Vultee Vanguard would slaughter those lumbering Junkers. A squadron in the right place could kill a couple thousand German troops in the air and devestat the Luftwaffes transport plane force. Do enough damage and something like Crete might be off the table even with the Norweigans conquered.