Thanks EH! I toyed with keeping the '2300 as a horizontally-opposed engine but seemed too much like a Jumo 205 lying on its side
Canadian Cobras (Part Twelve)While CanCar's Advanced Projects Design Group struggled to finalize their Burnelli lifting-body fighter designs, Elsie MacGill incorporated some of their concepts into improved
Cobra variants. Based on the
Cobra test-mule, the '
Laminar Cobra' attempted to incorporate the RCAF's most desired features.
The '
Laminar Cobra' concept was to have an extended version of the the XP-39E/P-76 wing (spanning 39 feet with an area of 250 sq ft). The rear fuselage was to be extended and square-cut tail surfaces fitted. The biggest changes, however, were in the undercarriage layout and gun armament.
An
Airabonita-style tail-dragger landing gear was adopted for the '
Laminar Cobra'. The gun armament was to consist of a 0.9" Motor-Driven Auto-Cannon firing through the propellor hub and two 0.5" Motor-Driven Machine Guns synchronized to fire through the spinning propeller blades (although details of an interrupter gear had yet to be worked out). To preserve laminar flow over the new wings, the
Cobra test-mule's twin annular wingtip radiators were retained.
The RCAF was interested in the '
Laminar Cobra' but only if CanCar was prepared to offer the fighter as a private venture. The request was put to the CCF Board but, anticipating the outcome, Elsie MacGill had already begun work on a more straightforward update of the established
Cobra format.
The CCF Model 102
Super Cobra incorporated the '
Laminar Cobra' extended fuselage and wing but retained the earlier
Cobra's tricycle landing gear. A refined version of the wingtip radiator installation was used (now also including the oil coolers). The initial version of the
Super Cobra would have the same armament as the
Cobra F.Mk.IX.
Negotiations on the Motor-Driven Auto-Cannon had reached a compromise. The
Super Cobra F.Mk.II was to have a 0.8" MDAC (firing 20mm Hispano shells from 'wildcat' 0.9" MDAC cartridges). Unfortunately for CCF, the surrender of Japan brought all these plans to a close. Production of the
Super Cobra F.Mk.I was cancelled in September 1945.
By November 1945, the Aircraft Production Branch of the Department of Munitions and Supply had changed its mind. Rather than pay cancellation costs, the RCAF would accept delivery of 104 of the semi-completed
Super Cobra F.Mk.Is. This order would allow the Canadian Car & Foundry Fort William facility to keep working while supplying the RCAF's newly-formed 'Auxiliary' fighter squadrons with modern aircraft.
To be continued ...