Start with Specification being issued same year as the Spitfire and Hurricanes’, 1934. We are limited to engines and armaments then in late development or service. Fix the Napier Sabre or RR Vulture if you please.
Ok, then lets see (he says, blatantly cribbing from his pet Whale).
(1) The Gloster F34/5 is a start, but it needs a number of changes. It needs a good robust undercart, more petrol stowage, and additional naval equipment as well asfolding wings. It was a lihgt aircraft, it will end up in the 7k - 8k lbs range, as with other aircraft with similar specs.But I see no reason why we cant design a similar if bigger aircraft.Some of the Fairey designs would also work, if made single-seat and possibly a bigger engine.
So we end up with something looking like the F34/5, but bigger. Look for a bit longer range than the Hurricane, able to carry big drop tanks.
(2) The F34/5 used the fairly small Mercury. We can use the Perseus (upgraded early to 100 octane). The Taurus isn't going to be ready early enough for an aircraft needed on theproduction line in 38/9. The P&W would work, but would need dollars. The Hercules is going to be rather heavy. Given the time, an enlarged Perseus would be a good bet, giving the extra power to give the plane proper fighterperformance. We dont need a supercharger as we are looking at optimal performance under 20,000ft.
(3)Armament. For a naval fighter, 0.5" is better than 0.303 as we have to bring down some large aircraft in a short time. Cannon would be even better. I would go for 6x0.5", with a change to 2x20mm, 2x0.5" as the cannon come on line. With the FAA needing them, then the stupid RL 12+month delay can easily be avoided.
(4) Production - If we go with Gloster, drop the Gladiator, it wont be ready much earlier anyway. Go straight to the new fighter, and set up a shadown factory ready for it.
(5) It wont use a merlin, so less chance the AM will try and poach it. Given the need for navalisation, it wont be as good as the Spitfire, but should be able to holdits own up till the Zero.Even the Zero is handleable, the Wildcat did well given decent tactics. Although by then, the replacement should be coming off the production line.
So we end up with something like the Wildcat, but prettier and at least as good performance.We should be looking at as least as good as the RAF Hurricane, but not as good as the Spitfire. But the other qualities mean its better in actual use than a Seafire (at least in 1938).
There, sorted. We could call it something like the Gloster Goshawk...

