Commonwealth Boomerang
CA-12 to CA-19 Boomerang
(data for CA-12)
Orgin: Commonwealth Aircraft Corportation, Australia
Type: Single-Seat fighter
Engine: 1,200hp Pratt&Whitney R-1830-S3C4G Twin Wasp 14-cylinder two-row radial.
Weights: Empty 5,450lb (247kg), loaded 7,600lb (3450kg)
Performance: Maximum speed 296mph (474km/h); service ceiling 29,000ft (8845m); range at 190mph (304km/h) 930 miles (1490km)
Armament: Normally, two 20mm Hispano cannon and four 0-30in Browning machine guns in wings.
History: First flight 29 May 1942; first delivery August 1942; final deliveries, early 1944.
User: Australia
Development: When Australia suddenly found itself in the front line, in December 1941, it had no modern fighters save a few Buffaloes supplied to the RAF in Singapore. To try to produce a stop-gap quickly the Commom-wealth Aircraft Corporation at Fishermen's Bend, Melbourne, decided to design and build their own. But the design team, under Wing Commander Laurence J Wackett, was severely restricted. The new fighter had to be based on the fimiliar North American trainer series, which since 1938 had served as the basis for the excellent Wirraway general-purpose combat machine and trainer, of which 756 were made by CAC by 1946. Moreover, the only powerful engine available was the 1,200hp Twin Wasp, judged by 1942 to be much too low-powered for first-line fighters elsewhere. Despite these restrictions the resulting machine was tough, outstandingly manoeuvrable and by no means outclassed by the Japanese opposition. Wackett's team worked day and night to design the CA-12 in a matter of weeks and build and fly the prototype in a further 14 weeks. Testing and production went ahead together and, as there were no real snags, the first of 106 CA-12's were soon fighting in New Guinea. These followed 95 CA-13's with minor changes and 49 CA-19's, as well as a CA-14 with turbocharged engine and square tail. Boomerangs did not carry bombs but often marked targets for "heavies" and undertook close support with their guns.
