Confirmation that Bill is prescience.
See attached drawing.
From the beginning of World War 2, Australia realised that its location would lead to supply problems, in regards to its own aircraft needs. To this end, their government pushed the manufacturing companies in the country for types to fulfil the local requirements.
A typical example of this was Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation’s (CAC) P.177 proposal. This design followed a memorandum issued by the Australian Air Board in October 1942 for a transport aircraft of indigenous design.
The P.177 was to be powered by four P&W R-1340 radial engines, as used in the Wirraway. That aircraft’s engine mounts would also be used.
The simplicity of the design also extended in its construction. It was to use a broadly similar shape to the DC-3/C-47 already in RAAF and civil airline service. The fuselage was to consist of steel tubing, covered by fabric whilst the wings and tail unit were to be primarily wood, with again fabric covering.
Two different nose shapes were proposed, one very Stratoliner like, and the other more DC-3.
A unit price of £40,000 was estimated. However both the Department of Aircraft Production, and the Director General of Civil Aviation viewed the P.177 as not sufficient to meet their needs.
A plan for CAC to produce 100 examples of the C-47, in January 1943, virtually spelt the end of the P 177. Even these plans were short lived as General Douglas MacArthur vetoed CAC building anything non combat related.
This was exacerbated by Douglas not being able to assist in that production in any way.
