"Enemy at the Gates: Panic Fighters of the Second World War"

[robertino]

...

thanks for the advice

I know Mr. Miklusev

Since I deal with the subject as a historian, I'm pretty familiar with 2.ww

happy New Year

 

[gatoraptor]

Justo Are you preparing next book " Aircraft of Dying Rising Sun " ?

The book is being translated right now. It might be published before summer if Fonthill give it priority.

​

I'm surprised that your listing includes the A6M Zero-sen but not its Army counterpart, the Ki-43 Hayabusa. Why is it omitted?

 

[Justo Miranda]

omitted?

The Japanese Aggressor (January 28, 1932 to August 15, 1945)

Nakajima Ki.43 Hayabusa (Oscar)

​

The excellent results obtained by the Nate during the early years of WWII delayed the decision to replace it with a more modern, more expensive aircraft and of a more difficult maintenance. Therefore, when the manufacturing of the Ki.43 started, all Oerlikon FFL cannons, produced under license in Japan, had already been assigned to the IJN as standard weapons for the Zero fighters. Throughout its whole operational life, the Oscar was armed with only two machine guns.



In the course of combats against American planes, the Japanese aircraft exhausted all its small-calibre ammunition without obtaining an appreciable effect on the target. The armour and robust construction of the airframe of Airacobras, Curtiss, Fortress and Liberators operating in the Far East were responsible for the little success of the Japanese units. The IJA pilots, veterans of the China and Khalkin-Gol combats against the Soviet fighters using ‘Taran’ tactics, were forced to perform ramming attacks to achieve results, especially when fighting the four engine bombers.



On March 26, 1943, a Beaufighter of the 27th Sqn RAF was rammed by an Oscar of the 64th Sentai, piloted by Lt. Sanae Ishii, over Shwebandaw-Burma. On May 1, a B-24 of 492nd BS was rammed by a Ki.43 of the 64th Sentai piloted by Sgt. Miyoshi Watanabe over Rangoon. On the 8th of the same month, the B-17 "The Fighting Swede" 41-24520 was rammed by a Ki.43-II of the 24th Sentai piloted by Sgt. Tadao Oda, near Madang. On the 19th of that month, the Liberator 41-24269 was rammed by an Oscar of the 24th Sentai, piloted by Sgt. Hikoto Sato, over Karkar Island. On October 8, Sgt. Satoshi Anabuki, of the 50th Sentai based in Mingaladon, shot down a B-24 near Rangoon using a ramming attack. On the 26th, another Liberator of the 436th BS was rammed by a Ki.43 of the 64th Sentai piloted by Cpt. Tomio Kamiguchi, over Rangoon. On December 27, a Ki.43 of the 25th Sentai piloted by Cpt. Nakazaku Ozaki, rammed a P-40 of the 14th AF on Suichan-China. On June 6, 1944 an Oscar of the 50th Sentai, piloted by Sgt. Tomesaku Igarashi, rammed a P-38 of 459th FS over Burma. On August 4, 1944, a Ki-43 of the 25th Sentai rammed a B-25 over Hengyang-China.



On November 2, the IJA ordered all air defence Sentais formed a Shinten Seiku Tai unit to be specialized in ramming tactics to confront the American heavy bombers. A group of selected pilots received special training in the Army Flying Schools of Akatsuki (1st Hakko Tai), Hitachi (2nd and 10th Hakko Tai) and the 244th Sentai (4th Hakko Tai), mainly using Ki.43 and Ki.44 fighters.



On December 7, the B-29 Georgia Peach 42-63356 was rammed over Manshu-Mukden by a Ki.43 of the 4th Training Sentai, piloted by Lt.Fumiro Sou. On day 21 of the same month, another Superfortress, the Old Campaigner 42-24715, was rammed by an Oscar of the Manchurian Air Force piloted by WO Takei Matsumoto over the same area.



The emphasis placed by the Japanese designers in the lightness of the airframes of their fighters, to save weight and gain manoeuvrability, acted against all attempts by Nakajima to equip the Oscar with a more powerful armament. The wing structure simply could not resist the vibrations produced by the recoil of the cannons of 20 mm.



By mid 1944, some launch tests were conducted at the Army Aero Test Department using 10 cm air-to-air rockets Ro-San Dan Ro.3 suspended under the wings of a Ki.43-III-Ko. The Ro.3 was a scaled down version of the 12 cm AA naval spin-stabilised rocket barrage fired from a wire basket made of welded wires or from an iron tube. As happened with their German counterparts Föhn and W Gr.21, the launch tests from airplanes showed that this type of rocket, without fins, lacked the precision necessary to be effective in air-to-air combat.



In the summer of 1945 tests were made with two prototypes of the Ki.43-III-Otsu with extensive modifications on wing and fuselage structure and two Ho-5 cannons mounted, theoretically suitable for propeller synchronization, without obtaining good results. To improve the destructiveness of the Oscar, it was also tried to use Ta-Dan bombs. They were submunition containers, originally designed to bomb airfields, produced for the IJA in two versions (HE and Hollow Charge) that were widely used in air-to-air bombing tactics by the Ki.43, Ki.44, Ki.45, Ki.46 and Ki.84.

On February 14, 1944, a Ki.43-II of the 59th Sentai, piloted by WO Kazuo Shimizu, destroyed three Mitchell bombers over New Guinea, using Ta-Dan bombs. He repeated the attack on a Thunderbolt that was also destroyed the next day.

 

[Justo Miranda]

Hi

 

[gatoraptor]

omitted?

The Japanese Aggressor (January 28, 1932 to August 15, 1945)

Nakajima Ki.43 Hayabusa (Oscar)​

Thank you for that, though if you look at your table of contents in post #77 above, you'll see that the Ki.43 is missing. I'm glad that it will get the coverage that it deserves.

 

[Justo Miranda]

 

[riggerrob]

My copy arrived yesterday.
What a fascinating book!
After the "Panic Fighter 1938" thread on www.alternatehistory.com, we thought that we had mentioned all the known panic fighters, but Justo Miranda found another dozen more!
Wow!
It will take months to digest all the new data in this book.
The only panic fighter not mentioned is the Gregor FDB-1 prototype built by Canadian Car and Foundry in Canada.

 

[Justo Miranda]

Please see gregor info

 

[riggerrob]

Thanks Justo.
Your Gregor FDB-1 graphics are up to your usual high standard.
I will forgive you for not mentioning an obscure, Canadian prototype. Canadian Car and Foundry only built a single Gregor Fighter because it was a company one-off, not in line with RCAF plans to buy Hurricanes. Gregor's Fighter is also off-to-the-side of the Eur-asian theme of "Panic Fighters."

Were the Bell XP-77, etc. Curtiss CW-21, etc. covered in your book on US experimental fighters?
... er ... have you written a book about American aircraft? Are you planning to write a book about American airplanes? Can you recommend a book on American Panic Fighters?

 

[Justo Miranda]

I am currently working on a new book tittled ‘Ultimate Allied Fighters of the Second World War’.

Content of the U.S. seccion is:

The American Fighter

Curtiss P-36 and P-40 evolution

Curtiss H.75R

Curtiss XP-42

Curtiss XP-37

Curtiss YP-37

Curtiss YP-40F

Curtiss XP-40N

Curtiss XP-40K

Curtiss XP-40Q

Curtiss P-40 twin-engine mock up

Curtiss XP-53 and XP-60 evolution

Curtiss XP-53

Curtiss XP-60

Curtiss XP-60A

Curtiss XP-60C

Curtiss XP-60D

Curtiss XP-60E

Curtiss XP-62

Curtiss XF14C

Curtiss XP-55 evolution

Curtiss XP-55

Curtiss CW 24-C jet powered project

Lockheed L-133 and XP-80 evolution

Lockheed L-133-02-01

Lockheed XP-80

Lockheed XP-80A

North American P-51 evolution

North American F.T.B.

P-51 with forward-swept wings

XP-51J

XP-51F

P-51H

ETF-51D naval prototype

North American NAA-133 naval fighter project

P-51D with Ford pulsejets

F-51D with Marquardt ramjets

P-51D rocket-boosted

North American XFJ-1 Fury

North American NAA-140 jet project fighter (October 4, 1944)

North American NAA-140 jet project fighter (August 15, 1945)

North American NAA-140 jet project fighter (April 23, 1946)

North American NAA-140 jet project fighter (October 15, 1946)

Northrop Flying Wings

Northrop N-1M

Northrop XP-56 I and XP-56 II prototypes

Northrop XP-79

Northrop MX-324/334 gliders

Republic P-47 evolution

XP-47H

XP-47J

XP-72

P-47 D-30 with scimitar propeller

P-47 NACA-Langley swept-wing project

P-47 Jet project GOR (11 September 1944)

XP-69 project

Vultee XP-54, XP-68 and XP-81

Davis Manta fighter project

Gluhareff Dart fighter project

NACA Jake’s Jeep Campini fighter project

Allied jet planes comparative

 

[airman]

I supposed that descendants of P-51 are the F-100 with the evolution of North American FJ-1 Fury and Republic F-84 ( descendants ) of Republic P-47.

 

[GTX]

I am currently working on a new book tittled ‘Ultimate Allied Fighters of the Second World War’.

Likely release date?

 

[Justo Miranda]

Fonthill has not yet accepted the publishing of my next book

 

[Justo Miranda]

I supposed that descendants of P-51 are the F-100 with the evolution of North American FJ-1 Fury and Republic F-84 ( descendants ) of Republic P-47.

Please see both lineages here

 

[blackkite]

Your activity is surprisingly fast!!

 

[hesham]

What was this ?.

 

[Arjen]

It looks like a Curtiss P-55 Ascender with a jet engine.

 

[Justo Miranda]

Hi

 

[Justo Miranda]

Your activity is surprisingly fast!!

 

[blackkite]

You are surprisingly energetic and handsome Spanish guy.
When traveling to Barcelona, the girl at the front of the cheap hotel was an incredible beauty. Such a beautiful woman has never been seen before.

 

[Justo Miranda]

 

[ninjrk]

I am currently working on a new book tittled ‘Ultimate Allied Fighters of the Second World War’.

Content of the U.S. seccion is:

The American Fighter

Curtiss P-36 and P-40 evolution

Fine, take more of my money. . .

Matt

 

[athpilot]

‘Ultimate Allied Fighters of the Second World War’

An absolute must have! Will it be released after the "Fighters of the Dying Sun"? And will the book about the Luftwaffe Night Fighters be out first (or after it)?
Cheers!
AP

 

[blackkite]

In Madrid, I was shopping for leather goods at my wife's request, but the female clerk there was also very beautiful and attractive. If allowed, I wanted to bring her back to Japan. Toledo was also interesting. La Barracca's gazpacho and paella are very good and one of the best meals I've ever tasted.

La barraca (ビルバオ) の口コミ227件 - トリップアドバイザー

La barraca(ビルバオ)に行くならトリップアドバイザーで口コミ、地図や写真を事前にチェック！La barracaはビルバオで135位(1,199件中)、4点の評価を受けています。

www.tripadvisor.jp

 

[Justo Miranda]

‘Ultimate Allied Fighters of the Second World War’

An absolute must have! Will it be released after the "Fighters of the Dying Sun"? And will the book about the Luftwaffe Night Fighters be out first (or after it)?
Cheers!
AP

Night Fighter's book will take longer to be finished...I must draw many antennae!

 

[Justo Miranda]

In Madrid, I was shopping for leather goods at my wife's request, but the female clerk there was also very beautiful and attractive. If allowed, I wanted to bring her back to Japan. Toledo was also interesting. La Barracca's gazpacho and paella are very good and one of the best meals I've ever tasted.

La barraca (ビルバオ) の口コミ227件 - トリップアドバイザー

La barraca(ビルバオ)に行くならトリップアドバイザーで口コミ、地図や写真を事前にチェック！La barracaはビルバオで135位(1,199件中)、4点の評価を受けています。

www.tripadvisor.jp

I hope to visit Kyoto and Tokyo next year. I also like the Japanese food. I use to go the "47 Ronin" restaurant with my wife, It is expensive but the food is excellent.

 

[gatoraptor]

Justo, I had considered proposing a book called "The Last Piston Fighters" about all the fighter types that actually flew (at least in prototype form) but were too late to see action in WWII. The fact is that some of these appear in "Enemy at the Gates" and others will be in "Ultimate Allied Fighters"! So, in a way, thank you!

 

[Antonio]

After reading the book I'd like to share my experience and thoughts.

Just taking a look at the 12 (!) bibliography pages one can figure out how thoroughly researched it was, aimed to produce the most comprehensive compilation available on the subject.

I strongly recommend it, starting from the excellence of the technical drawings, but also a great reading for those interested in History, in a broad sense. Conquest of the air has deeply transformed Civilization, so their study shouldn't be considered as a minor category. Mr Miranda has a vast background in History and his narrative excells, enriched in precisse data. That helps inserting the aviation facts into the full historical drama. This is much more than a technical work on nuts and bolts.

The book made me think a lot, considering new points of view about the 30's of the XX Century. Books about WWII describe war horrors but "Enemy at the Gates" is about a time when mankind, on inevitable collision course, precipitated into the abyss. Times of uncertainty when friends could unmask as foes almost overnight. Times of panic.

When nations felt in danger about an inminent full scale war, it was too late to engage in first class fighter development. Major fighter producers were also set to be involved in the conflict and refused to export their most advanced technology, just to see it falling in enemy's hands. Thus, secondary nations had no choice but to desperate buy or develop anything that could be fielded as quick as possible. Trying to stop German or Japanese most modern aircraft with designs powered by second line engines?. In panic fighter concepts, a lot of creativity, and some ingenuity too, was exhibited. A vain effort, because most of it remained just in early design stages.

"Enemy at the gates" describes fighter technology development, their operational behaviour and air warfare tactics from the 30's until early stages of WWII.
There are lots of interesting technical details about guns, engines, communicatios, tactics, manufacturing methods,... from the different industries. Strenghts and weaknesses. I found myself discovering new facts about France, Soviet Union, Netherlands...
From operational aircraft described, most went to a secondary role after WWII started, so it's fascinating know about them at the peak of their operational careers. I specially like American Curtiss and Brewster's.

While dealing about the nations that suffered agression from the Axis powers, Australia's case was unique. Suffering only limitted attacks allowed time enough to work on a series of designs. Starting in December 1941, from precarious hardware only, like their contemporaries. However access ultimate technology was allowed, thanks to Allied turning the tide in the Pacific, and decided to benefit from it and start a new design. As a result, their panic fighter was flying for the first time in 1946!

Another situation was the case neutral countries. While not involved, there still were in need for fighters to keep control over their skies. Their not alligned status allowed them to buy some very sofisticated aircraft or components for their indigenous designs. Sweeden's effort ended building an extraordinary post WWII aircraft industry.

Finally with Allies fighting Axis back, their former agressors fell into desperation, starting work on their own projects for panic fighters. But that's another story. For information, I recommend reading Mr Miranda's Axis suicide squads, Ultimate piston fighters of the Luftwaffe, The ultimate flying wings of the Luftwaffe, Focke Wulf jet fighters and Fighters of the dying sun (next to be released from Justo Miranda at Fonthill in what is truly becoming a WWII unbuilt projects encyclopedia).

 

[Justo Miranda]

 

[riggerrob]

Czech Aero A. 107 was a proposed )1938) light fighter armed with a 12.5 mm heavy machine gun and powered by a 600 horsepower, inverted, air-cooled, inline engine. It only got as far as wind-tunnel testing.

 

[KHambsch]

Hi Justo, is this one of Gluhareff's designs?...thought he was only helicopter and propulsion.. , K

 

[Justo Miranda]

Hi Justo, is this one of Gluhareff's designs?...thought he was only helicopter and propulsion.. , K

View attachment 651230

Please see https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/gluhareff-sikorsky-dart.1484/

 

[KHambsch]

Hi Justo, is this one of Gluhareff's designs?...thought he was only helicopter and propulsion.. , K

View attachment 651230

Please see https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/gluhareff-sikorsky-dart.1484/

So looks like he's not using pressure jet engine or engines. K

 

[Justo Miranda]

Gluhareff Dart​

The chief of design for the Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft Division of United Aircraft Corporation Michael Gluhareff, made several theoretical studies on the delta wing between 1936 and 1939, building a series of balsa flying models. In July 1941, he proposed to Igor Sikorsky the building of a low-aspect ratio tailless fighter with an ogival delta wing and a sweepback angle of 56 degrees.

The airplane concept was around the future XIV-2220 engine which design and building had been ordered by the US Army Air Force to the Chrysler Company by the beginning of 1941. It was a monstrous power plant with a length of 3.175 m and 2500 hp. formed by two V8 in tandem engines with a combined capacity of 36.38 lt.

Gluhareff estimated that the XIV-2220 was ideal for a very fast pusher fighter with a minimum frontal section, for better weight balance, the engine should be installed in front of the main landing gear, requiring the use of a drive shaft of 2.88 m for the pusher contra-rotating airscrews.

The cooling air intakes were in the wing roots, under the machine guns. The radiator was located behind the pilot and had an auxiliary fan connected to the engine.

For roll and pitch control the wings had elevons (named flippers at the time). The directional control was obtained by conventional rudders mounted on two ventral fins.

The aircraft did not employ flaps, slots or spoilers.

In September 1942, when the heavy fighters P-38 and P-47 started experiencing problems of compressibility buffeting, it was thought that the delta wing could be used to delay the appearance of the undesired transonic phenomenon beyond 0.85 Mach.

Gluhareff ordered the building of a wind tunnel model to the Ludington-Griswold Inc. and the aerodynamic testing, finished in November 1942, looked very promising.

The design, named Dart was presented to the US Army Air Force for testing in the Aircraft Laboratory and Aircraft Projects Section at Wright Field.

Several reasons influenced the decision of not manufacturing the Dart. The compressibility buffeting problems were solved with the installation of an electric flap under the wings of the P-38 and P-47 and the ban on making certain combat maneuvers.

The XIV-2220 engine was not ready for testing until 1945 and the centrifugal turbojets of the time were too bulky for the available room in the small fighter.

Additionally, the pilots were reluctant to fly in the pusher types airplanes (XP-54, XP-55 and XP-56) due to the hazard of being hit by the propellers in case of bail out and the natural resistance of engineers to incorporate too many novelties in a single design.

On 26 May 1944 the USAAF received a proposal to transform the project in a glider bomb of 906 kg.

The Dart design was patented for civil use after the war.



Gluhareff Dart technical data

Engine: one 2,500 hp Chrysler XIV-2220-11, 16 cylinder, inverted ‘V’, liquid-cooled engine driving a four-bladed contra-rotating airscrew.

Wingspan: 20 ft. (6,096 m), length: 26.5 ft. (8.077 m), height: 6.5 ft. (1.98 m), wing area: 278 sq. ft. (25 sq. m), estimated maximum weight: 6,623 lbs. (3,000 kg), estimated top speed: 500 mph (805 kph), estimated range: 1,120 mls (1,802 kph).

 

[KHambsch]

Gluhareff Dart​

The chief of design for the Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft Division of United Aircraft Corporation Michael Gluhareff, made several theoretical studies on the delta wing between 1936 and 1939, building a series of balsa flying models. In July 1941, he proposed to Igor Sikorsky the building of a low-aspect ratio tailless fighter with an ogival delta wing and a sweepback angle of 56 degrees.

The airplane concept was around the future XIV-2220 engine which design and building had been ordered by the US Army Air Force to the Chrysler Company by the beginning of 1941. It was a monstrous power plant with a length of 3.175 m and 2500 hp. formed by two V8 in tandem engines with a combined capacity of 36.38 lt.

Gluhareff estimated that the XIV-2220 was ideal for a very fast pusher fighter with a minimum frontal section, for better weight balance, the engine should be installed in front of the main landing gear, requiring the use of a drive shaft of 2.88 m for the pusher contra-rotating airscrews.

The cooling air intakes were in the wing roots, under the machine guns. The radiator was located behind the pilot and had an auxiliary fan connected to the engine.

For roll and pitch control the wings had elevons (named flippers at the time). The directional control was obtained by conventional rudders mounted on two ventral fins.

The aircraft did not employ flaps, slots or spoilers.

In September 1942, when the heavy fighters P-38 and P-47 started experiencing problems of compressibility buffeting, it was thought that the delta wing could be used to delay the appearance of the undesired transonic phenomenon beyond 0.85 Mach.

Gluhareff ordered the building of a wind tunnel model to the Ludington-Griswold Inc. and the aerodynamic testing, finished in November 1942, looked very promising.

The design, named Dart was presented to the US Army Air Force for testing in the Aircraft Laboratory and Aircraft Projects Section at Wright Field.

Several reasons influenced the decision of not manufacturing the Dart. The compressibility buffeting problems were solved with the installation of an electric flap under the wings of the P-38 and P-47 and the ban on making certain combat maneuvers.

The XIV-2220 engine was not ready for testing until 1945 and the centrifugal turbojets of the time were too bulky for the available room in the small fighter.

Additionally, the pilots were reluctant to fly in the pusher types airplanes (XP-54, XP-55 and XP-56) due to the hazard of being hit by the propellers in case of bail out and the natural resistance of engineers to incorporate too many novelties in a single design.

On 26 May 1944 the USAAF received a proposal to transform the project in a glider bomb of 906 kg.

The Dart design was patented for civil use after the war.



Gluhareff Dart technical data

Engine: one 2,500 hp Chrysler XIV-2220-11, 16 cylinder, inverted ‘V’, liquid-cooled engine driving a four-bladed contra-rotating airscrew.

Wingspan: 20 ft. (6,096 m), length: 26.5 ft. (8.077 m), height: 6.5 ft. (1.98 m), wing area: 278 sq. ft. (25 sq. m), estimated maximum weight: 6,623 lbs. (3,000 kg), estimated top speed: 500 mph (805 kph), estimated range: 1,120 mls (1,802 kph).

Wow, Justo! You most certainly have all of the goods! Thank you very much for all of the detailed information.
Kevin Hambsch

 

[Justo Miranda]