I've got 2 words for ya. Supermarine Seafire. I definetely like the Spitfire and the Seafire was basically a Spitfire with folding wings. There were a few other modifactions as well, but that's basically what it was. The Seafire was used extensively in the Meditereannean. I thinkk that the lack of really good British Carrier based fighters is what puts the Seafire on top. It wasn't very durable...

Lets see what you think

[ 03 October 2002, 09:44 PM: Message edited by: Mustang ]

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The Seafire was an excellent plan but IMHO, The Swordfish, especially for its successes, albeit despite horrific losses, against the German battleships on the High Seas, and more notably, against the Italian Fleet at Taranto, rates as one of my favourites-and by assessing their success, despite being ailing, vintage craft, proved their worth above and beyond...

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Mustang, the Seafire was also used in the Pacific, with the British Pacific fleet( also known as Task Force 57 )
[img]smile.gif[/img]

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I'd have said Swordfish but this post says Fighter.

But then again that's to misunderstand British Carrier Doctrine. The RN only regained control of it's aircraft production in 1936, hence the obsolescence of FAA aircraft. The RN expected to operate within the range of land based fighters (of either side) or none at all. They felt that it wasn't really possible to build a carrier fighter able to match a land-based one anyway. People will point to the Japs, but everyone seems to forget how much they were underestimated.

The Swordfish was an outstanding aircraft, it's utility in all weathers was incredible.

Jumbo

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The best British carrier plane was.... The Corsair!!! That's right, good old American metal! Nothing else comes close!

Matt

I didn't know that the Corsair flew with the RN. I guess you learn something new everyday. I would say the Corsair too, but I'd like to know what you think the best British carrier based fighter was.

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Yes the Brits purchased some Corsairs for thier carrier squadrons since they didn't really have a good carrier figher at that time. At that time the US decided that the Corsair was too dangerous for carrier duty and made it strickly a land based fighter. However since the Brits used it successfully off of carriers, the US navy didn't want to be out done, so they decided to use the Corsair on carriers as well. The Brits came up with the idea of turning into the carrier upon landing. This greatly improved vision for the Corsair pilots. However the last second they still were basically blind to the carrier, and had to cut thier engines, and just "feel" for the deck! It took a lot of balls, and if you talked to any navy Corsair pilot they'll tell you it was nerve racking!

Matt

Seafire? Must be it because of its fame... Well, I really don't know much about this... But I will put my money on it just because of its brother...

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Mp38, that must've taken a lot of balls. I hear that the Seafire was even harder to land though. Wouldn't doubt it. Simply because it's brother was so fast.

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The other issue for Corsair landings was that the RN designed it's bridges to reduce air eddies and make them as aerodynamic as possible, reducing turbulence on deck. Helpful with a flighty bird like the Corsair.

Jumbo

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Didn't know that either Jumbo. Thanks for the info. I still think that the Corsair would still be easier to land than a Seafire.

Starting to think that the Corsair was the best carrier based plane that the British had. Not the best British carrier based plane though.

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Sorry, pal, Hawker Sea Fury was too late for the war, so it doesn't count! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Seafire was a great fighter in the air, but had relatively weak and narrow-track landing gear compared to other naval fighters so wasn't ideal for drop-it-on-the-deck style carrier landings. But it was the best British-built carrier fighter of WWII.

I totally agree with vonManstein. The lack of extroadinary British made carrier based fighter planes is probably what puts the Seafire on top.

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