The ancient Airfix kit sits on the cluttered bench, awaiting the indignities that I will thrust upon it. Here's the basic idea:
RAF Coastal Command gets the respect it deserved at the start of the war, rather than being the poor cousin to the rest of the service, as was in real life. This results in re-equipping with better aircraft than the motley collection of Avro Ansons, Vickers Vildebeests, Saro Londons, Supermarine Stranraers, and some Sunderlands, the only really capable aircraft of the bunch. While waiting for even better aircraft, it was decided to improve the Fairey battle, which had not proven worthy as a light bomber in RAF service.
Radial engine, probably a Bristol Pegasus XXII swiped from the Matchbox Vickers Wellesley. This causes a loss of about 20hp, but it obviates the need for liquid cooling, so the weight saving may even things out.
With a range of 1,000 miles versus 790, a service ceiling of 25,000ft versus 19,000, a bomb load of 1,000lbs internal or 1,500lbs external versus 360lbs, and a speed of 257mph* versus 188, this makes it far superior to the Ansons that Coastal Command were utilising.
*This was with the Merlin II, what the speed would be with the Pegasus is unknown, but I'll assume it's about the same.
Coastal Command uses it as a land-based adjunct to flying boats, with a combination of bombs and depth charges. Armament is increased with the addition of a second wing-mounted .303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine gun.
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