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Canadian Cobras

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apophenia:
Canadian Cobras (Part One - Elsie MacGill, Queen of the Cobras?)

First a bit of 'Real World' Canadian history. During WWII, the Royal Canadian Air Force tried to standardize its fighter force on locally-built Hurricanes. Licenced by the Canadian Car & Foundry (CCF or CanCar), Hurricanes were built in Fort William, Ontario (now Thunder Bay) under the guidance of Elizabeth Muriel Gregory MacGill.

A graduate of MIT, Vancouver-born Elsie MacGill was the first accredited female aircraft designer. Lured away from Fairchild Canada in 1938, MacGill joined CanCar as their Chief Aeronautical Engineer. For her fighter work, Elsie MacGill was celebrated during the war as "The Queen of the Hurricanes".

But priority for CanCar Hurricanes (and Sea Hurricanes) was given to British requirements. As result, the RCAF decided in mid-1941 to concentrate available Hurricanes in its Eastern Air Command. Since most Canadian aircraft makers were occupied producing aircraft for training and overseas use, the RCAF looked to US makers to provide fighters for RCAF Western Air Command. Their choice was the Buffalo, New York-built Bell P-39 Airacobra.

As most people know, the RCAF never got Airacobras. Instead, the Kittyhawk was used to bolster Western Air Command as the Japanese menace neared the shores of British Columbia. But what if the RCAF had got its Airacobras and, instead of imports, they were built by CanCar? Elsie MacGill would have become "The Queen of the Cobras"!

To be continued ...

apophenia:
Canadian Cobras (Part Two)

By mid-1941, the RCAF had determined that it would require 144 Airacobra fighters to equip its Western Air Command. The RAF was just in the midst of receiving its own Airacobra (then called the 'Caribou'). RCAF Rockcliffe was able to flight test an RAF aircraft (AH621) in November 1941 prior to its delivery to UK. These trials (flown by F/L RB Middleton) were generally satisfactory although, ideally, the RCAF would have liked to be in a position to request detail changes. Their chance came a month later.

With America's entry into the war, it became clear that Bell's output may not be sufficient to provide for both USAAF and RCAF needs. Alternatives such as the Curtiss Kittyhawk were considered. In January 1941, a radical proposal was presented to the Department of Munitions and Supply's Aircraft Production Branch by the management of Canadian Car & Foundry.

CanCar would re-organize its aircraft plants to accommodate Airacobra production in Canada. Under this scheme, Hurricane production would be moved to CanCar's eastern facilities (wings at Turcot, QC; fuselage and tails at Amhearst, NS; with assembly at an enlarged Dorval, QC facility). This re-organization would free CanCar's largest and most westerly factory at Fort William, ON to focus on building Airacobras.

The production plan was simple. Components such as engines, propellers, undercarriage, etc. would be imported from the US. As many unchanged P-39 components would be imported from Bell suppliers for assembly in Canada by CanCan and it's major sub-contractor, Fleet Aircraft (chosen, in part, for Fleet's proximity to Buffalo). Components requiring major changes to suit the RCAF would be manufactured at Fort William.

After ensuring that some of CanCar's eastern Avro Anson trainer production could safely be reallocated, the Aircraft Production Branch agree with CanCar's proposal. Put in charge of organizing Canadian Airacobra production and integrating RCAF design modifications was CanCar's Chief Aeronautical Engineer, Elizabeth Muriel Gregory MacGill.

Caption: The RCAF's test Airacobra Mk.I (AH621, on loan from the RAF) in formation with the sole Allison Hurricane conversion (a testbed for CanCar's proposed Model 76 Hurricane).

To be continued ...

apophenia:
Canadian Cobras (Part Three)

When Canadian Car & Foundry proposed building the Bell Airacobra at its Fort William plant, management was already aware that the RCAF wished to incorporate a number of improvements into the design. Commonwealth radio and armament changes had already been incorporated into RAF Airacobras so few major challenges were anticipated. However, the full extent of desired RCAF modifications came as a shock to CanCar's chief engineer, Elsie MacGill.

The RCAF was not satisfied with armament changes examined on AH621, insisting on a Hurricane-like eight-gun wing armament while retaining a 20mm Hispano M2 cannon firing through the propeller hub. Extensive changes were thought necessary to suit the aircraft for Arctic conditions. Buried radiators made overnight coolant draining overly complex and a tricycle undercarriage was seen as most ill-suited to landing on snow-covered airfields.

Rather than tackled this avalanche of modification requests head on, Elsie Gregory MacGill recommended the simpler expedient of adapting Bell's Model 5 (XFL-1 Airabonita) airframe to RCAF requirements. The Model 5 already featured a tailwheel undercarriage and twin underwing radiators. The RCAF accepted this recommendation pending US Navy trials with the XFL-1.

In the meantime, Elsie MacGill began adapting the airframe to RCAF needs and Canadian operating conditions. The largest change was accommodating the desired powerplant. In place of the Allison V-1710, the RCAF requested the Packard Merlin 28 (as used by the contemporary Hurricane XIs) modified to direct-drive for the Airabonita.* Other proposed changes were a clear-view canopy and an extended rear fuselage (allowing the tailwheel to be shifted aft).

US flight trials with the Airabonita did not go as smoothly as anticipated, with the twin radiator installation producing considerable drag. Alternatives considered were a Hurricane style ventral bath as well as a chin radiator beneath the propeller driveshaft. Neither of these proposals were examined in depth because, once the Aircraft Production Branch became aware of developments, a stop-work order was issued. The APB had agreed to building a least changed Airacobras in Canada, not 'productionized' Airabonitas!

* For Reverse Lend-Lease purposes, this Merlin was designated V-1650-E1

To be continued ...

Litvyak:
I'm loving this! :)

Alvis 3.1:
Awesome idea, so close to reality.

Alvis 3.1

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