Litvyak's profiles

[Litvyak]

In 1984, the yellow lettering on CA aircraft was replaced with black, but otherwise the painting schemes remained unchanged, retaining the overall green on aircraft based in Canada; this scheme was in use for only four years, being replaced by the loviz scheme in 1988. Seen here is 118765, a CH-118F that spent most of its life in Alberta.


As on the Canadian-based aircraft, the yellow lettering on overseas-based CAA aircraft was replaced by black in 1984. The scheme remained in use until 1988, when it was replaced with the overall-green loviz scheme, doing away with a separate camouflage scheme for aircraft based overseas. 118711 shown here was a CH-118F based at Fort Lahr, West Germany, until 1991. Instead of returning to Canada when the deployment to Germany ended, it was sold to the newly-formed Slovenian Air Force, along with the other Lahr-based CH-118s.


Following the Navy's lead, the CA replaced the white/dayglo SAR scheme with an overall yellow scheme in 1980, as illustrated here by CH-118F 118704. This was the last SAR scheme worn by CA Hueys, retained until the type's retirement in 1995.


In 1988 the CA introduced the overall-green low-visibility scheme shown here, which was applied to all CA helicopters regardless of whether they were based in Canada or overseas. 118699 seen here was the last of the Fleet-built CH-118E variant off the production line in 1974, which was basically a CH-118D but with improved armour around the engine and the pilots' cabin. This improvement was made as a direct result of experience in Vietnam, and was rushed into production. However,  the engine - the same as in the CH-118D - proved insufficient for the heavier, new airframe, and only 19 of the E variant were built between November 1973 and January 1974, before production was halted for three months to allow completion of the development of the CH-118F, which had not only a more powerful engine suitable for the E model airframe, but made several other improvements over the D and E models. 118699 was delivered in SEA camo and deployed to Vietnam. Its service there was brief, however, and in 1975 it returned to Canada after the Canadian withdrawal from Vietnam. Upgraded to CH-118F standard in 1976, until 1987 it was based in Ontario, wearing overall green, then was repainted into overseas camo and sent to Fort Wonju, South Korea. In 1988 it was repainted into the loviz scheme seen here, and remained in Korea until 1992, when it was retired and sold to a Korean scrapper.

[Litvyak]

In 1965-66, the RCAF received 36 UH-1s from Bell in the US. Identical to the Army's Iroquois AHU.3A-2, the RCAF designated them CH-118 Iroquois (serials 118301-118336). After the AFRP of 1968 incorporated the CA and RCN aircraft into this designation scheme, the RCAF Hueys received the CH-118B designation along with the former AHU.3A-2s. The RCAF's CH-118s were assigned to base flight duties and wore this red/white scheme for the duration of their careers. The RCAF was the last of the three services to operate the Huey, retiring them in 1996.


In 1964, the RCN tacked an order for eight Hueys onto the Army's initial order from Bell for 25. Designated CHTB2 Iroquois (serials 5001-5008), they were operated by HT 40 as training helicopters, having replaced the eight CHTB1 Sioux previously used in that role.


In 1968 under the unification of designation systems under the AFRP, the Navy's Hueys were redesignated CH-118A Iroquois (new serials 118901-118908), the A variant-designator due to their being identical to the Army's AHU.3A1. HT 40 operated the Iroquois as trainers until 1973, when pilot training was centralised at the RCAF's Central Flying School. The CFS only taught fixed-wing operations, however, and pilots due to become helicopter pilots for the Army and Navy transferred from CFS to Sidney (BC), where helicopter training is contracted out since 1973 to Vancouver Island Helicopters, Ltd.


After HT 40 was disbanded and pilot training transferred, the unit reformed six months later as HU 23 and was assigned to HMCS Cape Young (NWT), retaining the eight CH-118s to perform SAR operations in the Arctic, painted in the standard RCN SAR scheme of white and dayglo orange until 1980.


In 1980 the RCN replaced the existing SAR scheme with an overall yellow scheme; all eight CH-118s were repainted. One was lost in an accident in 1984, and HU 23 continued operating the remaining seven until 1995, when they were retired and sold.

[apophenia]

Love it all -- especially the RCMP Mil! Good to see the CC-127 Keewatin. Are you going to do the Pegasus version? Or was that too 'out there'? 

[Litvyak]

Here's a little teaser of another alt-history project I'm working on, the Dominion of British Columbia. The starting point of this project is, what if BC never joined Confederation?


British Columbia's air industry (I could give more detail, but I won't, so as not to give away any surprises!) joined the EFA program in 1985. Designated Spitfire F.2 (the trainer variant is Spitfire T.1) by the Royal British Columbian Air Force, they entered service in 2003 and form the backbone of the RBCAF's air defence capability.

Just thought I'd toss this out there as a little teaser... there's lots more AltBC to come! (And, of course, still plenty more AltCan, too!)

[apophenia]

Splendor Sine Occasu!  Love the lo-viz BC roundels 

[Litvyak]

I've been a little quite this past week, because I've been working on something I think will be a bang of an introduction to my "Dominion of British Columbia" althistory after the Eurofighter/Spitfire II teaser.

With lots of help from Apophenia - all credit to the engines (well, except the Wright radials) goes to him, as well as for a plethora of other tips - I've developed a whole family of a WW2 era airplane with a multitude of variants...

Supermarine Aviation Works Ltd. set up a subsidiary in British Columbia in 1921 to manufacture the Supermarine Sea King for the Royal British Columbian Navy. Supermarine Aircraft of British Columbia Ltd. soon expanded, building other Supermarine (UK) designs and local modifications for the Navy and for civilian customers.



After the rejection by the Air Ministry of the Supermarine 224 in 1934, Supermarine BC took over the designs and modified it with the intention of providing a fighter for the RBCAF, who were interested in the 224 from the beginning. The new design replaced the RR Goshawk with the Wright Cyclone F.3, resulting in the Supermarine Skemcis (F) Mk. I ("Skemcis" (pronounced kinda like "skem-heess", the "c" is pronounced similarly to the 'ch' in proper Hochdeutsch "ich" (NOT like "ish" or "ik"!) - /skɛmçis/ for the IPA-minded amongst you) is the Secwépemc/Shuswap word for "grizzly bear"). A single prototype was built and extensively tested by both Supermarine and the RBCAF. These tests were successful, and the RBCAF placed an order for an initial batch of forty aircraft.



The serial version of the Mk. I entered production in 1936 was designated Skemcis (F) Mk. II. These were powered by the Cyclone F.3 and were fitted with six Vickers Mk. IV machine guns. The illustration shows BE*D, the fourth F Mk. II delivered to the RBCAF. Only 14 Mk. IIs were built, however, all of them ending up with No. 1 Sqn RBCAF (unit code BE).


Of the initial order for forty, the first 14 were built as Mk. II, but from the fifteenth unit on, the Vickers machine guns of the F Mk. II were replaced with six Browning machine guns. The remainder of the order - 26 aircraft - were built with this modification, and were designated Skemcis (F) Mk. III. Seen here is Skemcis F Mk. III (s/n 16), the first of the Mk. IIIs. The KS unit code identifies this as an aircraft of No. 3 Sqn RBCAF, which was the second unit to convert to the Skemcis.

Even as the Mk. II entered production, Supermarine BC had begun work on a new variant of the Skemcis...

[Acree]

LOVE the Skemcis - especially the Mk III.  Looking forward to the next variant.  This is my kind of whif!


Chuck

[GTX_Admin]

Oh those do look nice!!!

[Litvyak]

I was debating how to present the rest of the Skemcis family, finally I decided to do it chronologically. So, here goes! :) (And my previous reference to credit for engines going to Apophenia *really* becomes valid from here on out!)

Even as the Mk. II and Mk. III were getting into production, Supermarine BC was busy at work on a new variant of the Skemcis, with retractable undercarriage, four Hispano Mk. II cannon and - important especially for operation outside of southwestern BC - an enclosed cockpit. Not one but two prototypes were built and tested in 1937...


Designated Skemcis (F) Mk. IV, the first of the prototypes retained the Wright Cyclone F.3 of the previous versions. The XS "unit code" on this and other prototype aircraft wasn't truly an RBCAF unit code, rather the air force assigned X(x) ID codes to aircraft being tested by or for the aircraft; the second letter of the code identified the manufacturer, thus "XS" can be defined as "eXperimental Supermarine".

Vancouver-based Hoffar-Beeching Shipyards got into the aero engine business in 1923, quickly establishing a division, Hoffar Aero Engines, to specialise in the manufacture and development of aircraft engines. In 1934, HAE obtained a licence from Société Lorraine to manufacture the Mizar and Algol radial engines in BC, which established a relationship between Hoffar and Lorraine. In 1936, HAE introduced the HLV-12A Petrel, a North Americanised version of the Lorraine 12H Pétrel glycol-cooled upright V-12, which developed 1700 hp, had direct fuel injection, 5.71" x 5.71" bore and stroke and had a dry weight of 1090 lbs.


The second of the prototypes, the Skemcis (F) Mk V was identical to the Mk. IV in all respects, except it replaced the Wright radial with Hoffar's latest version of the Petrel series, the HLV-12A-2. Instead of fuel injection it had an updraught Bendix carburettor and developed 800 hp, but was otherwise identical to the 12A (though the 12A-2 was 10 pounds heavier).

The RBCAF evaluated both prototypes, and was quite pleased with both. In the end, it was decided that the Petrel-engined variant was the better option; it was not an insignificant factor in the decisionmaking process that the Petrel was built in BC, and not sourced from a foreign - and potentially hostile (given tensions over the Alaska-BC border) - source.


The RBCAF thus placed an order in early 1938 for eighty Skemcis F Mk. VI fighters from Supermarine. Slightly different from the Mk. V prototype, the Petrels fitted to the production F Mk. VI were rated at 880 hp, and revised the armament fit to two Hispano Mk. II  cannon and four Browning machine guns. Seen here is a Mk. VI of No. 2 Sqn RBCAF some time between 1938 and 1941.


The Royal BC Navy had been watching the progress of the Skemcis project with great interest as well, and after the RBCAF decided on productionising the Hoffar-engined Mk. V prototype, the FAA commissioned Supermarine to devise a floatplane variant for use by the RBCN as a patrol fighter. Supermarine's long experience with seaplane design and its long-standing relationship with Hoffar made this project go smoothly and quickly, and the first prototype Sea Skemcis SF Mk. I was ready inside six months. It was fitted with the same Petrel engine as on the RBCAF's F Mk. VI, but it retained the four Hispano cannon of the Mk. V prototype. A two-float version was briefly considered, but in the end Supermarine's engineers decided a single, main central float with smaller pontoons under the wings would be a more suitable layout for a fighter. The Navy was well pleased with the prototype and promptly placed an order for twenty, with delivery starting in May of 1939. The production version was designated SF Mk. I B; the first ten were stationed at Skidegate on the Queen Charlotte Islands and operated as part of the RBCN's "White Fleet" (the RBCN divided its operations into two regions, North Coast and South Coast; the North Coast operations were designated "White Fleet", while the south coast was "Blue Fleet"), while the second ten operated out of Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. The SF Mk. I were used to patrol the central and north coast where sparser population or other conditions made it difficult or undesirable (for various reasons) to establish permanent air force or navy bases. Operating out of Skidegate, the fighters were able to quickly respond to occasional American harassment of BC fishing boats in disputed waters, and for a time (that is, until the USN could respond by posting float-fighters of their own in the area), BC fishermen took all advantage of the air superiority, oftentimes going into water that even the BC government acknowledged as Alaskan (and claiming navigational error if called out on it). This activity - and harassment by both sides of the others' ships - was reduced significantly after the arrival of USN Vought Kingfishers to Alaska.

Apart from wing-wagging the Sea Skemcis never got into any sort of entanglement with the Kingfisher (...but in the opinion of this historian, the Grizzlies would've wiped the floor with the Kingfishers! )

[Acree]

 

AWESOME!!!

[Litvyak]

At 9:00 AM Pacific Standard Time on September 4, 1939 - five and a half hours after the Dominion of Newfoundland - BC declared war on Germany. As the armed forces of BC began to mobilise to help Britain with the war, British Columbian industry got itself into gear.

Hoffar had been working on a further development of the Petrel, increasing the bore and stroke to 6" x 6". Fitted with a Bendix carburettor, the new HLV-12A-4B Tern had a dry weight of 1150 pounds and produced 1090 hp when running on 90 octane fuel (1000 hp with 86 octane fuel). The testing of the Tern had begun in July of 1939, and by September it was ready to enter production.

The RBCAF was impressed with the Tern, and placed an order with Supermarine for Skemcis F Mk. VI fighters equipped with the new engine. This became the Skemcis F Mk. VII A. The first unit to equip with the F Mk. VII A was No. 7 Sqn RBCAF, who deployed with their new fighters to England in August of 1940, after the Battle of Britain had begun in earnest. Though the Skemcis performed admirably, losses during the campaign forced the unit to convert to Spitfires, and No. 7 Sqn - which became the first of the nine British Columbian Article XV squadrons as 391 Sqn RBCAF - operated Spitfires for the duration of the war.



No. 9 Sqn RBCAF converted to the F Mk. VII A in November, 1940, deploying to Egypt in early 1941. After receiving desert modifications and the standard RAF desert camouflage, No. 9 Sqn's F Mk. VII As performed well in the Middle East. TR*E seen here was the mount of F/o David Ross of Kaslo, BC; he was shot down in this aircraft in June, 1941. In 1942, No. 9 Sqn became the second BC Article XV unit, redesignated 392 Sqn RBCAF, its unit code becoming M3 at that time. Later that year, the squadron converted to the Skemcis F Mk. IX.



A number of F Mk. VII A were converted to Skemcis PR Mk. I standard in early 1940, following the same general system as was used to convert the first PR Spitfires. The only unit to equip with the PR Mk. I was 111 Sqn RBCAF, who received all 12 aircraft that were converted.



After the German invasion of the USSR, the Soviets were in desperate need of modern aircraft capable of putting up a fight against the Luftwaffe, and so Supermarine BC started producing F Mk. VIIs for the Soviet Air Force. These replaced the Hispano cannon and Browning machine guns with eight 12.7 mm Berezin UBS machine guns, and were given the designation Skemcis F Mk. VII B; in Soviet parlance they were known as "Скемхис" ("Skemkhis") or "Гризли" ("Grizli"). They proved popular with the Russians, who operated them with some success against the Luftwaffe. White 23 illustrated here was the mount of Lydia Vladimirovna Litvyak when she flew with the (men's) 437th Fighter Regiment. She became the first female fighter pilot to score an air-to-air victory when she downed a Ju-88, then some moments later her second kill, a Bf 109G-2. Two weeks later she made ace after downing another Gustav; this was her last kill flying a Skemcis, as she was transferred to an all-female unit operating the Yak-1.

[GTX_Admin]

AWESOME!!!

Ditto!!

BTW, is it just me or does the first one "XZ-F" have a slight Corsair look happening?

[Litvyak]

The gull wings and the radial do give it a Corsair-ish appearance, don't they?

Though, in RW terms: I used Corsair wings to draw the Skemcis wings, though the Skemcis wings are a bit longer in chord than those on the Corsair.

[GTX_Admin]

Though of course you take this a little further and maybe have a Skemcis variant with Bristol Taurus or Bristol Hercules or Bristol Centaurus....

[Litvyak]

Stay tuned. Lots more to come yet...

[GTX_Admin]

Well stop wasting time answering me and get profiling!!!  Hurry!!!

[Litvyak]

You don't want to go there. ;P

The profiles are done - it's just the stories/text that need translation from Notespeak (Litvyak dialect) into English!

[Litvyak]

In early 1941, Supermarine began producing a follow-on to the Navy's float-mounted Sea Skemcis fighter. The new Sea Skemcis SF Mk. II replaced the Petrel engine of the SF Mk. I with the much more powerful HLV-12A-4B-1 Tern. The A-4B-1 was itself an improvement over the A-4B introduced the previous year, featuring some revisions to the carburettor over the earlier model. The new engine had a dry weight of 1175 pounds and produced 1100 hp - 210 hp more than the A-2 Petrel that powered the SF Mk. I.



The RBCN FAA introduced a new type in May 1941, a torpedo bomber version of the Sea Skemcis. Like the SF Mk. II, the new Sea Skemcis SB Mk. I was powered by the HLV-12A-4B-1 Tern, but unlike the float-equipped fighter, the torpedo bomber was mounted onto two large floats fixed to the wings, instead of a single large float mounted under the fuselage coupled with underwing pontoons. This arrangement was necessary to allow the aeroplane to carry an 18" torpedo slung under the belly.

The Skemcis F Mk. VII A was followed by the Skemcis F Mk. VII B, which was virtually identical to the VII A but replaced the HLV-12A-4B engine with the HLV-12A-4B-1. The VII C first appeared in the second half of 1941.


Hoffar continued improving the A-4 Tern engine, and several months after the introduction of the A-4B-1, the HLV-12A-4B-2 was ready for production. The new variant of the engine made some adjustments to the electrical system, as that on the A-4B-1 proved less reliable than expected, but was otherwise identical to the previous engine.



In late 1941, Supermarine produced a prototype of a carrier-capable version of the Skemcis, designated Sea Skemcis F Mk. I. The RBCN at that point had no need for the type, but Supermarine built it to offer to the RN. After the opening of the Pacific theatre, this point of view changed, and the RBCN began investigating the possibility of acquiring carriers of its own.



Around the same time as the carrier-capable Sea Skemcis was being built, Supermarine began building the Skemcis F Mk. VIII fighter. This was equipped with the HLV-12A-4C "Tern FI", which replaced the carburettor with an Atlas-Imperial fuel injection system. This provided a noteworthy increase in power output over the A-4B, providing 1150 hp with a dry weight of 1220 pounds. Shown here is an F Mk. VIII of No 5. Sqn RBCAF stationed at RBCAF Terrace from January 1942. No. 5 Sqn was originally slated to be deployed to Europe, but after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, the BC Air Ministry decided that existing RBCAF units would stay at home to defend BC, and only newly-raised units would be transferred to the European theatre.



Along with the F Mk. VIII, a small number of Skemcis PR Mk. II were built between December 1941 and February of 1942. This was the first Skemcis variant purpose-built for the recce role, and featured a fuselage redesigned to carry the cameras, while retaining two Browning machine guns as defensive armament. Twenty were built, with six going to 111 Sqn RBCAF (shown here) and the remainder to 104 Sqn RBCAF. These introduced a new painting scheme for PR aircraft, of overall PRU mauve.

[Litvyak]

In the event, only a small number of F Mk. VIII were built for the RBCAF (enough to equip one squadron, along with a few going to No. 2 OTU). However, to fill the need for immediately-available aircraft, the US Army Air Corps ordered sixty in March 1942. Before the order could be filled, though, the USAAC asked Supermarine to delay the order, deciding instead to wait for the upcoming Mk. IX. The details of the subsequent deal are lost to history, but the original order ended up being diverted to the Mexican Air Force. After receiving the first thirty, the Mexicans wanted to double the order. However, the Supermarine plant was already nearing capacity building for the RBCAF, the Soviets and the RAF, and the new, larger factory at Kelowna was not yet complete. After the opening of the new plant, however, the order was completed, and Mexico received a total of 110 F Mk. VIII. Interestingly, the only combat that the F Mk. VIII saw during the war was with 201 Sqn of the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force in 1944-45.

[Scooterman]

Those last floaters are SEXY!!!

[Litvyak]

Those last floaters are SEXY!!!

Thanks! I'm very partial to all the SB variants, myself. :)

So, moving on:



After the decision was made to obtain carriers for the RBCN after the opening of the Pacific theatre, the BC Admiralty ordered a batch of of the carrier-capable Sea Skemcis to begin training of FAA crews in carrier operations. An order was placed for thirty productionised variants of the Sea Skemcis F Mk. I. Designated Sea Skemcis F Mk. II, the first series-built carrier-capable Sea Skemcis differed from the Mk. I in the design of the empennage, and it replaced the HLV-12A-4B-2 Tern engine with the fuel-injected HLV-12A-4C that was also used on the Skemcis F Mk. VIII and PR Mk. II. Delivered in March and April 1942, they were assigned to FAA training units, but with the beginning of the Aleutian campaign in June of that year, 14 were quickly deployed to assist US forces in that theatre.

Though introducing a fuel-injected variant, Hoffar continued work on the normally aspirated Tern as well, leading to the HLV-12A-4D which reached production in May, 1942. At 1200 lbs (dry) the A-4D was 25 pounds heavier than its predecessor, the A-4B, but with its improved supercharger it produced 1200 hp - fully 100 hp more than the A-4B2 and 50 hp more than the fuel-injected A-4C.



The first Skemcis to receive the new HLV-12A-4D was the Skemcis F Mk. IX, which began production as soon as the new engine was available. Aside from the engine, the F Mk. IX featured a redesigned tail section. TR*V seen here was delivered to 392 Sqn RBCAF, replacing the F Mk. VII they had previously operated.



Next to receive the new engine was the Skemcis PR Mk. III. This had not only an improved powerplant, but from the cockpit back was completely different from the PR Mk. II. In June of 1942, the RBCAF shifted to an FAA-style of identification, dispensing with squadron codes and using only the unchanging serial of the aircraft. BC23094 seen here was a PR Mk. III of 104 Sqn RBCAF, which took part in the Aleutian operations. The 2 in the serial identifies this as a recce aircraft, while the 3094 is the serial number itself - the 3000-3499 range was allocated to RBCAF reconnaissance aircraft.



The float fighter also benefitted from the A-4D engine: the Sea Skemcis SF Mk. III featured the new nose design introduced with the Skemcis F Mk. VIII, and the tail was based on the newly revised version used on other variants introduced around the same time. The first of the SF Mk. IIIs were delivered to their units in July, 1942. BC53569 illustrated here was based at RBCNAS Bella Coola, and a local Native artist painted the nose in a traditional Coast Salish design representing an Orca. Also of note is the USN-style paint scheme: after it became clear that the RBCN would be operating closely with its American counterpart, it was decided that adopting USN-style paint schemes would help to minimise the risk of friendly-fire accidents.



The Sea Skemcis SB Mk. II was essentially identical to the SF Mk. III, though it retained the key differences - twin floats, torpedo shackle, and 3-man crew. Being classified a bomber, the new aircraft, delivered starting in July, 1942, were painted in the USN's ASW scheme of dark gull grey upper surfaces, light gull grey sides and glossy insignia white undersides, while areas of the fuselage sides in the shadow of the wings were painted non-specular insignia white.

[Litvyak]

Towards the end of 1942, the RN designated a carrier that would be crewed by British Columbians and operated in the Pacific theatre. This would turn out to be HMS Ameer, and though the ship and its crew would be part of the RN (and commanded by RN officers), the air element was to be provided by the RBCN FAA. As such, the RBCN ordered Supermarine to begin construction of an A-4D-powered variant of the carrier-capable Sea Skemcis, which became the Sea Skemcis F Mk. III, and the first of the Sea Skemcis F variants to be built from the outset with combat operations in mind. Aside from the engine, the Mk. III featured improved armour around the cockpit.



After the USAAC had put its order for Skemcis Mk. VIII on hold pending the arrival of the Mk. IX, the first twenty of the Skemcis F Mk. IX built were delivered to the USAAF in May, 1942 and designated P-65A Grizzly*. These were delivered with the old-style roundel that was phased out that month (in fact, the last of the first batch of P-65As was the last aircraft delivered with that style of roundel). This P-65A soon found itself in Alaska, taking part in the Aleutian operations.

* RW note: I know there was RW an XP-50 variant designated XP-65, but in this alt-world, that was designated XP-50B!



The remainder of the original order for 60 F Mk. IXs, and the subsequent order for 80 more, were delivered with the newer style of roundel omitting the red dot. This P-65A, "Leah", belonged to a USAAF unit deployed to Australia and took part in the defence of Darwin.



In March, 1943, a Skemcis F Mk. IX of 392 Sqn RBCAF had to make an emergency landing at a German-held airfield. It was sent to Germany for evaluation, and ended up with the Luftwaffe's "Zirkus Rosarius", which tested the aircraft and used it for various training purposes.

[Empty Handed]

Wow! These Skemcisi are great!!!

[GTX_Admin]

Indeed. :) :)

[Litvyak]

A year after the introduction of the F Mk. IX, Supermarine began producing the Skemcis F Mk. X. This was a considerable departure from the earlier variant, blatantly different even to the untrained observer, what with the bubble canopy replacing the cage-like frame canopy of the Mk. IX and earlier variants. The empennage also underwent some minor revision, while for a powerplant it was equipped with the new HLV-12A-4E. This was a further development of the injector-equipped A-4C "Tern FI". Fitted with Atlas-Imperial direct fuel injection, the A-4E was a significant improvement over both its immediate, normally-aspirated predecessor, the A-4D, and over the A-4C: the A-4E produced 1280 hp compared to the 1200 of the A-4D and the 1150 of the A-4C, while at 1220 pounds (dry) it was only 20 pounds heavier than the A-4D, and identical in weight to the A-4C. BC01268 "Kawak Cayoosh III" ("Flying Horse III" in Chinook Wawa, BC's second official language) was the Skemcis F Mk. X flown by F/o Gary James of No. 10 Sqn RBCAF. Gary James scored his first four kills flying the F Mk. IX (Kawak Cayoosh I and II), while his fifth kill came in 268, making him the RBCAF's first Native ace.



The Royal Australian Air Force received its first F Mk. Xs from BC, and then several hundred more were built in Australia for both the RAAF and the RNZAF.



The Sea Skemcis SF Mk. IV incorporated design changes seen in the Skemcis F Mk. X - the redesigned canopy and empennage, along with the A-4E engine. This was also the first RBCN type to receive the USN 3-tone camouflage scheme as delivered from the factory.



In August, 1943 a new variant of the torpedo bomber was introduced, the Sea Skemcis SB Mk. III. This featured a completely new design for the crew areas, with the pilot and bombardier sitting in the upper cockpit, with an enclosed cabin in the aft section of the fuselage for the radio operator. The empennage was also redesigned, based on a new design that was initially intended for a follow-on to the Skemcis F Mk. X. However, some delays in the F Mk. X project caused the SB Mk. III to be the first to enter service with the new-style tail. The SB Mk. III was the only Skemcis type to be powered by the HLV-12A-4E-1, which was a strengthened version of the A-4E that produced 1300 hp when running on 100-octane fuel.