As capable as the B-24 proved in fighting U-boats, it was still at heart a high altitude bomber, and in 1943 Consolidated received a contract for a long-range patrol bomber evolution of the Liberator. The PB4Y-2 was much different from the baseline B-24, with a stretched fuselage, single tall vertical tail, and revised nacelles for the R-1830-94 engines. Christened Privateer, the PB4Y-2 was slower than the Liberator, but was well suited top conducting long range sorties over the vast Pacific. Defensive armament was heavy, with two Erco-built waist turrets, another two Martin dorsal turrets, and Consolidated nose and tail turrets. The Privateer served as the launch platform for the Special Weapons Ordnance Device Mk.9 – more commonly known as the Bat. This early example of a “smart” weapon was a high-winged plywood airframe built around a 1,000lb bomb and fitted with an active radar seeker. Bat was first used operationally by VPB-109 in late April 1945, followed by VPB-123 and -124. Some 33 Bats were expended during the war; results left something to be desired, although this was partially attributed to a lack of specialized training and support. A notable success with the Bat was the crippling of the small escort vessel Aguni.

Although supplanted by Lockheed’s P2V Neptune in the postwar era, the Privateer served into the 1950s, especially in the “ferret” role, snooping around the territory of the USSR. The Privateer was actually the last B-24 variant to remain in service with the US military, as a few drone targets were still around to be redesignated as QP-4Bs in 1962. Former USN aircraft were supplied to France, which used them as overland bombers in Indochina. The Nationalist Chinese were also supplied with the type, and as late as 1961 one was shot down by a Burmese Sea Fury. The US Coast Guard also flew demilitarized Privateers as PB4Y-2Gs until 1958.

Although long retired from military duties, a handful of Privateers were retained as civilian “bombers” of a sort well into the 1990s, as Hawkins & Powers Aviation operated a small fleet of PB4Y-2s as fire retardant bombers. These aircraft had supercharged R-2600s from scrapped B-25s, all armament deleted, and tankage added for nearly ten tons of retardant.

Aviation Pages

The first American turbojet-powered aircraft, and one of the first in the world to be built in (relative) quantity, Bell’s Airacomet was too slow and unstable to use as an operational fighter, but at least helped introduce pilots and ground crews to a type of propulsion that had heretofore been the stuff of comic books and pulp novels.

Well before Pearl Harbor, General Electric was supplied with the details of Frank Whittle’s turbojet, and was able to make use of this to develop and American version, the I-16/J31. A pair of these 2,000lb thrust powerplants would be fitted to Bell’s Model 27 airframe design, which would receive the military designation XP-59. This was something of a cover, as the designation had previously been associated with the company’s stillborn Model 16 piston engined design.

The first XP-59 flew, with British-supplied engines, in October 1942, and it was soon evident that the Airacomet was no world-beater, lacking the performance to truly stand out from piston-engined aircraft. The 13 YP-59As had I-16 engines rated at 1,650lbs thrust, with a pair of aircraft being transferred to the USN, receiving the Navy style designation of XF2L-1. The YPs were followed up by twenty P-59As with a single 37mm cannon (vs the two fitted to earlier aircraft) and three .50-cal machine guns. Airacomet deliveries were finished with thirty P-59Bs, with fifty more airframes of this mark being cancelled. the P-59B was visually disnctive by its squared off wing and tail, as well as a ventral strake.

One of the most ill fated American aircraft programs of World War II, Lockheed’s XP-58 Chain Lightning was a potentially formidable design that nonetheless enjoyed none of the success of its predecessor, the P-38. The genesis of the XP-58 project dates back to early 1940, when Lockheed received the Army Air Force’s permission to sell the P-38 to Britain’s Royal Air Force. As part of this deal, the company agreed to develop, as a private venture, a larger version of the Lightning for American use. Although not yet an active combatant, the United States was anticipating eventually having to enter the fight against Germany, a fight that might have to be conducted from the continental US if Britain fell to the Axis. This led to much attention being focused on aircraft able to conduct very long-range operations, one of which would be the new Lockheed design.

Early plans called for an aircraft that was basically a “big P-38″, to be built in both single and two-seat models. However, this concept soon fell aside, and what eventually took shape on the drawing board was quite different. The Chain Lightning had the same basic planform as the P-38, but was really a completely new design. The XP-58 was more than twice as heavy as the P-38J, and had wingspan nearly twice as wide. Whereas the Lightning’s wings had dihedral from tip to root, those of the XP-58 had dihedral only on the outer sections. The center fuselage pod was also significantly larger to accommodate a second crewmember, whose task would be to operate a pair of turrets that provided rearward defense.

In contrast to the wartime urgency that spurred other designs to make the jump from blueprints to the hardware stage in record time, progress on the Chain Lightning was comparatively glacial. Much of this lack of progress can be attributed to the troubles encountered in developing a suitable powerplant. Originally, Continental IV-1440s were specified, but Pratt & Whitney XH-2600s were later substituted when the -1440 program was canceled. This arrangement was to be short-lived, when the XH-2600 was itself canceled shortly afterward. Wright’s R-2160 Tornado engine was then selected; this 2,350hp powerplant was to give the Chain Lightning a top speed of around 450mph at altitude.

By the fall of 1942, the danger of England succumbing to the Germans had essentially passed. This meant that the Chain Lightning would not be needed for its original mission, but rather than stop the program, the XP-58 was instead recast as a low level heavy attack aircraft fitted with a 75mm cannon to kill tanks. The new role did not last long, as Beech’s A-38 looked to fill this need better. Thus, the Chain Lightning was recast back to the high altitude role as a bomber destroyer, retaining the 75mm cannon. An alternative armament fit would be four 37mm weapons, which would give the XP-58 a very potent punch against even large aircraft.

Progress on the XP-58 remained extremely slow; although the prototype airframe was nearly complete by the early fall of 1942, problems with the Tornado engines stalled the overall effort. Finally, by early 1943 it was decided to scrap the Tornado and use yet another new engine, the Allison V-3420. Rated at 3,000 hp, the -3420 was actually a double engine, being comprised of two V-1710s turning a common crankshaft. By this time, Lockheed had also restarted work on a second XP-58 that had earlier been suspended. The XP-58 finally flew on June 6, 1944, but events taking place on that date half a world away in Normandy guaranteed that this achievement would remain obscure. Although the Chain Lightning had finally taken to the air, there was no hope that the program would progress much farther. Conceived of in the darkest days of the war, the XP-58 was outmoded by the latest piston-engined types, to say nothing of the P-80 jets that were starting to come off Lockheed’s own production lines. By this time, the need for long-range fighters was re-emerging, now driven by the need to conduct very long duration flights over the Pacific. However, the Chain Lightning’s time had come and gone before it ever flew, and new designs such as the Twin Mustang were better suited to the new requirements.

By the fall of 1944, the XP-58 had been transferred to Wright Field for testing, but this was really the end of the road for the Chain Lightning. Although credited with impressive handling, the prototype suffered from turbocharger problems, and service equipment such as the armament and pressurization system were not installed. Although the second aircraft was over half-completed, it was finally canceled for good, and solitary flying example was later relegated to duty as an instructional airframe before being broken up for scrap.

Bibliography:

Bill Norton U.S. Experimental & Prototype Aircraft Projects: Fighters 1939-1945 p.126: cutaway of the XP-58 fuselage pod

While the XP-47J never entered series production, the C-series engine did see operational use, starting with the P-47M. Development of this "hot rod" Thunderbolt was pushed as an interim measure to counter the German jet aircraft and cruise missiles such as the V-1 that were starting to appear. In the early fall of 1944, a quartet of D-models were rebuilt with -57(cs) and CH-5 turbosuperchargers; the D-model wing was retained but modified with air brakes and the deletion of a pair of guns.

Although not as fast as the XP-47J, the M-model could still top 470mph, and 130 examples were turned out to equip the 56th Fighter Group. M-models began arriving in the UK in early January 1945, but serious and prolonged problems with the new engines were soon being encountered. There were several groundings, and at one point there were preparations underway to convert to the P-51, but a concerted effort allowed the P-47M to enter combat by March, and by V-E Day pilots flying the type had accounted for fifteen air to air kills, seven of these being jets.

Bibliography

Steve Evans "Jugg-M-Naut" Model Airplane International May 2006 Building the 1/48 scale P-47M from Tamiya. Includes a page of color profiles.

The last of the new-build production Thunderbolts, the P-47N was created to meet a USAAF need for a long range B-29 escort for Pacific work. The basic P-47D fuselage was mated to a new wing center section that contained extra internal fuel; this design was tested by XP-47K 42-8702, prior to the July 1944 flight of the R-2800-57 powered XP-47N. Production P-47Ns began arriving in early 1945, and by that summer four fighter groups equipped with N-models were operational from Ie Shima and Iwo Jima.

P-47N production was finished out with the -25RE block, which had an improved and more ergonomic engine control system, and flaps & ailerons changed to better tolerate the effects of rocket firing. V-J Day cut short Thunderbolt production, as it had been planned to continue building P-47N-30s at Farmingdale and P-47N-RAs at Evansville. At the dawn of the 21st Century, a pair of P-47Ns (44-90447/N1345B Jackys Revenge and 45-5346/N47TB) were airworthy, although the latter aircraft crashed in March 2002.

The P-47N has been kitted in 1/72 scale by Italeri and Heller, and more recently by Sword.

Some highlights:

Republic XP-44 Rocket illustration XP-47A 3-view (in-line engine, not built) P-47B cockpit details 1/72 scale views P-47C 1/72 plans P-47D insignias and standard markings

Color profiles - P-47C-2-RE 4th Fighter Group P-47D-27-RE Anamosa II P-47M Mrs. K. 56th Fighter Group F-47N Georgia Air National Guard

Color photo section includes USAF & ANG F-47s, F-47N Delaware Guard color P-47D & P-47G cockpit, R-2800 engine, gun bay

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*XP-47 photo * 3 XP-47H photos * XP-47J * XP-47K bubble canopy testbed *P-47N cockpit, rocket installation *P-47N-1-RE 1/72 scale plans

Author: Lou Drendel
Publisher: Squadron/Signal, 1996 ISBN 0-89747-361-2

A nosetip to tail look at the details of the Warhawk airframe, using a combination of WWII era photos and color shots of modern warbirds. Some highlights:

P-40E 3-view and specifications P-40 major component breakdown drawing Exploded view of the prop spinner and hub assembly Hoisting procedure diagram

Color profiles:

P-40L Sawtooth 317th FS P-40 Princess Pat II RNAZF Kittyhawk IV NZ3072 P-40N The Carolina Belle 49th FG

First flown in March 1938 as a replacement for Vought's own Kingfisher as a shipbased observation and spotting aircraft, the OS2U Kingfisher would see service throughout WWII both in its intended role, and in the antisubmarine and rescue roles. Although the Kingfisher could be flown as a landplane, it was generally employed as a floatplane, being catapult launched from cruisers and battleships.

Review: Al Adcock, OS2U Kingfisher in action Squadron/Signal Publications, 1991 Highlights:

• Several photos, a side view diagram, and a color profile of the XOS2U-1 prototype -1 Kingfisher 3-view and specifications Cockpit and observer compartment photos OS2U-3 3-view Frontal shot of a VS-68 aircraft locally modified in-theater with extended wingtips Several pages of photos detailing the XSO2U-1 prototype

Bibliography:

"Spot Welded Airplane" Aviation July 1939 p.54 includes two views of XOS2U-1 0951

Photo: side-view of the XOS2U-1 prototype Popular Aviation August 1939 p.48

Vought-Sikorsky ad, showing a line of Kingfisher forward fuselages Aviation October 1940 p.20

Röhm & Haas Company ad, with a close-up in flight view of a Kingfisher in landplane configuration Aviation February 1941 p.195

Photo: Nine landplane-configured Kingfishers in formation Aviation News November 29, 1943 p.3

"Kingfishers Catch a Big One!" Edo Float Gear ad with artwork depicting a pair of OS2Us bombing a Japanese submarine. Aviation April 1944 p.15

Edo Aircraft Corporation ad, with a front quarter shot of a Kingfisher on a catapult Aviation October 1944 p.15

Photo: bomb-armed Kingfisher on a catapult Flying May 1945 front cover

"always Closer to Nippon" ad for Edo float gear, depicting a Kingfisher being launched from a cruiser Flying August 1945 p.5

Rick Leon "Semper Fi and the Kingfish" Scale Modeler May 1969 Building the 1/72 Airfix Kingfisher kit - includes color profiles, one being a prewar aircraft with wheels.

Alan W. Hall "Vought Kingfisher" Airfix Magazine December 1972 Includes a 3-view with cross sections of a Fleet Air Arm aircraft, side views of XOS2U-1, OS2U-2s, and an RAAF OS2U-3.

Gary Hatcher "Fishers of Men - Modelling the Airfix Kingfisher" Building the OS2U kit as aircraft FN718 of the Fleet Air Arm Scale Aviation Modeller International September 2000

David Mondey The Hamlyn Concise Guide to American Aircraft of World War II p.243-244 color profiles of a Dutch OS2U-3, RAAF Kingfisher Mk.Is A48-4 and A48-9, postwar A48-13 in a high visibility scheme.

Robert Lawson, Barrett Tillman Carrier Air War in Original WWII Color p.21 large color photo of Battleship Division 3 Kingfishers in prewar high-visibility colors

Jim Winchester Classic Military Aircraft: The World's Fighting Aircraft 1914-1945 p.427: color profile of RAAF Kingfisher Mk I A48-4

Robert Lawson, Barrett Tillman Carrier Air War in Original WWII Color p.21: large photo of Battleship Division 3 Kingfishers in prewar high visibility colors

Peter M. Bowers Scale Aircraft Drawings Vol II - World War II Air Age Publishing, 1991 Kingfisher 3-view drawing with paint & marking detail

Some highlights:

Chapter 1: Early Years and World War 1 Large photo of an AEG GIV bomber with animal mouth art Fokker D.VII with “Seven Swabians” fuselage art Albatross D.III with four-leaf clover Nieuport 17 of Les Cigognes with stork art. USAS Nieuport “Flying Fish” with scales and fish head Color shots of preserved fabric with art form USAS SPAD XIIIs and a VII.

Chapter 2: Interwar and World War 2 Color shot of a BF110 Color photo of Ju87Bs, including one with a sharkmouth Color shot of Spitfire Vb AB875 PV-1 Ventura of VB-135 with Donald Duck art, seen stripped in the Aleutians FM-2 Wildcat Smokey’s Little Witch aboard USS Gambier Bay. P-39D of the 35th Fighter Squadron with artwork of a skeleton riding a bomb. P-40E of the 11th Fighter Squadron with tiger head art Color photo of B-26B Pappy’s Pram Color photo of B-24D The Goon

Chapter 3: Korean and Vietnam Wars B-29s Command Decision, The Outlaw, Sic’ Em!, Honeybucket Honshos F9F-2P with wings folded on hangar deck B-57B Miss Minuki F-4C Broken Arrow F-105D The Mercenary

Chapter 4: Modern Resurgence Tornado GR.1 Armoured Charmer Buccaneers Guinness Girl, the Flying Mermaid, Lynn-JAWS, Sea Witch Debbie, Hello Sailor-Caroline B-52Gs What’s Up Doc?, East Coast Outlaw KC-135E Keystone Lady of the 171st ARW F-14D of VF-31 with Operation Iraqi Freedom mission markings

ISBN 978-1-78274-207-4

382 pages

Combines the Essential Aircraft Identification Guide: Allied Fighters 1939-1945 and Allied Bombers 1939-1945

Capsule histories of the various campaigns of the European air war, with organizational and aircraft strength charts, and illustrated by many color profiles.

Some highlights:

p.201: color of a Dutch DB-8A-3N

p.195: French Martin 167A.3

p.111: USAAF Mosquito RF992

p.69: Kittyhawk MkIII FR243

p.50: Defiant MkII AA436/No 151 Squadron

p.303: B-24H Carpetbagger Black Zombie

p.315-317: B-26Cs of the 387th BG, B-26G of the 394th BG

p.342: VS-41 SBD-3 in Operation Torch markings.