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apophenia:
De Havilland Comet Inflight Refuellers Down Under - Part Two
From Singapore-Changi, RAAF fighters could readily deploy to forward bases during the final years of the 'Malayan Emergency'. In the opening phases of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam conflict, RAAF Sabres re-deployed to the Royal Thai Air Force Base Ubon. By this stage in the early '60s, the aging Comets had lost their cachet as VIP transports. Well-used Comet A87-101 was retired and sold off. [1] But the remaining three No. 33 Squadron Comets could now be dedicated to IFR and trooping. But, to the surprise of all, inflight refuelling by Comets would play a critical role in RAAF operations in South Vietnam.
In December 1967, it was decided to forward-deploy Sabres at Vung Tau in the Republic of Vietnam to support the 1st Australian Task Force in Phuoc Tuy province. The Sabres were operating in high heat and humidity, while often carrying heavy ground-attack ordnance. Whenever possible, the RAAF fighter took off 'light' and refuelled enroute to targets. Two Comets would trade off doing circuits over SE Vietnam to top-up the Sabres. [2] The pace was relentless. By the beginning of 1970, both the Sabres and the Comets were withdrawn from Vietnam. Having played essential roles in supporting 1 ATF on the ground, both aircraft fleets were worn out. The last Sabre was retired in 1971. The Comets lingered on in storage at RAAF Base Woomera until August 1975 when the surviving trio were sold for scrap.
Image De Havilland DH.106 Comet Mk.4CR of No. 33 Squadron, RTAF Base Ubon, eastern Thailand, December 1967. Inset is a probed CA-27 Sabre Mk.33 fighter. Note the tropical fading of the Sabre's camouflage by comparison with Comet A87-102's newly applied paintwork.
In common with most other RAAF aircraft deployed to SE Asia, large black serials have been applied to the rear fuselage. [3] This dictated the unusual moving of the Australian roundel forward (almost to the nose). An Australian flag is displays above the fin flash but the camouflaged Comets carried few other markings.
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[1] This sale, in part helped provide funds for the purchase of an ex-Qantas Boeing 707-138B. The appropriately-named 'City of Canberra' (VH-EBC, c/n 17698) was returned to Boeing in October 1961. At Renton, she was refitted for the government VIP role and returned to Australia in February 1962.
[2] A third IFR Comet was always kept in reserve in Australia - while usually also undergoing maintenance and repair to keep the overworked RAAF Comet fleet airborne.
[3] The camouflaged Sabres were also exceptional in this. In contrast to the deployed Comets, Canberras, and Caribous, the Sabres worn their 'last three' numerals on their noses. Their roundels remained on the rear fuselage.
Old Wombat:
:smiley:
apophenia:
Over in the Maritime Patrol GB, Jonesthetank mentioned the Blackburn Botha.
-- https://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=10349.0
For some, inexplicable reason, I have a soft spot for the Blackburn Botha. No question that this was a dog of an aircraft (much of that attributable to the specification bloat leading to M.10/36). The question is: was there any potential for improvement?
Bottom: "There's no substitute for horsepower!" A basic B.26 Botha airframe re-engined with higher-powered Bristol Hercules twin-row radials. The larger propellers would necessitate a broader wing centre-section for clearance. I've also extended the outboard wing panels. A beefier undercarriage is fitted and the forward fuselage extended (to improve all-around visibility from the cockpit).
Less obvious is the enlarged rudder - which had a deeper chord than the original B.26 Botha. This aircraft also has the 'North Sea' mod - replacing the Frazer-Nash FN7 dorsal turret with a 4-gunned Boulton-Paul 'A' unit (made surplus by the cancellation of the Blackburn Roc turret fighter.
Top: A more extreme modification of the B.26 Botha airframe. The wing is of the original size but now centre-mounted on the fuselage. The powered turret has been removed to reduce weight and to lessen drag. The navigator's position has been move aft, allowing the 'Nav' to operate one of two Vickers GO guns in Sunderland Mk.I style dorsal stations.
The vertical tailplane has been moved forward ... but just for fun and to look more Blackburn-y.
NB: These sideviews are based on an original profile done by Simon Glancey in 2003.
Jonesthetank:
Nice!
Like the idea of adding the BP turret in place of the original FN one, hadn't thought of that on my profile.
Cheers
Mark
apophenia:
Something I did for the Secret Projects Forum ... a retouch of a Julio López Caeiro profile to show an Hispano Aviación-built Republican D.XXI powered by a Soviet Shvetsov M-25 driving a VFSh-6 propeller. Armament was to be four ShKas machine guns - I have assumed 2 x synchronized cowl guns and 2 x wing-mounted guns.
-- https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/fokker-d-xxi-projets-and-derivatives.3514/page-2#post-536935
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