New Airplanes in WWI (ISOT)

"Charles Talleyrand" wrote in message
...
Lets suppose you get to give a single new airplane design and a single
prototype
to a participant of World War One. You can offer the Austro-Hungarians
the
design for a B-52 if you wish. However, that might prove a manufacturing
challenge to them (and one can only wonder about their supply of jet
fuel).

Your goal is to change history. You can hope for a German victory or just
that the
Allies win faster. It's up to you.

So, what design do you offer, remembering that this design must be
manufactured, fueled,
and armed by the natives?

My first guess, a Fairey Swordfish in 1914 should be buildable and
dominate the
skies. The speed, range and bombload would be simply unknown at the time.
With a
thousand mile range and a 1,600 lb bomb it would be a great strategic
bomber. It
should hold its own even in 1918 though I would not expect the war to last
so long.
Again, it's no F-16 but it should be buildable.


Hardly, the Swordfish was catchable by most late WW1
fighters and didng have much more disposable load
than a Vimy

Or for a more advanced plane how about a Grumman F-4 without the
turbocharger.
I'm not sure the industry of the time was able to build large complex
machines of sheet
aluminum, but if so this is a nice plane for world war one.



The real challenge is to produce something that
can be built with the technology of the day.

The Hurricane has an airframe that would be
familiar to any WW1 mechanic, especially if
you stick to the fabric covered Mk1

The engine is the real problem, probably something like
the 1930's Hawker Hart would be the best option

Keith




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