B24d

[Raptor]

Since ToD will need an early B24 I thought the best candidate would be the B24D.
I do not believe it would be hard to change the model, it had many glass nose configurations.
Standard B24D glazed nose

Type 2 B24D (Saw action in the PAC)
Similar to the turret on the current B24 in AH.
Did not see action in ETO though.

[SMIDSY]

i love the early nose b24s and 17s. i think they look better.

[Debonair]

I remeber reading one of the early B24s was used for anti sub patrols & was capable of carrying three tordonuts & three 500# depth charges.  A plane with a three torp load option could be quite popular

[Wolf14]

Did the glass nosed D models fly any faster because of a cleaner airstream or was there even a difference?

[frank3]

Originally posted by Debonair
I remeber reading one of the early B24s was used for anti sub patrols & was capable of carrying three tordonuts & three 500# depth charges.  A plane with a three torp load option could be quite popular

I think that was the Privateer, but I believe that one was post-war?

Originally posted by Wolf14
Did the glass nosed D models fly any faster because of a cleaner airstream or was there even a difference?

I doubt it, the later B-24 modells probably had more powerfull engines, so the los of aerodynamics would've been unnoticable

[Simaril]

Originally posted by frank3
I think that was the Privateer, but I believe that one was post-war?


 

Privateer was navy version used during the war -- but use did continue after ww2.

http://www.military.cz/usa/air/war/other/pb4y/pb4y_en.htm

[frank3]

Ah, thank you sir, I did not know that

But still, I don't think the Privateer would fit in the Aces High scenery though

[Hornet33]

We kinda already have it. Look at the VPB skin for the 24's. It's all blue and it's Navy. They were used quite a bit in the Atlantic hunting U-Boats by the U.S. and the British. For the most part though I belive they carried regular bombs with delayed fuses on them.

[Krusty]

Will it need an early b24? Will it really? I don't see why. They can use B17s (which are being redone next I hope) until the time the B24 we have came into service. I think we're going to see more B17s than B24s in this TOD.

[mussie]

Man I want the PBY

Except for that dodgy tail (b-17 envy I think) It had two dorsal turrets and twin guns for the waist gunners

Reminds me of the YB-40

The first XB-40 prototype was produced in November of 1942 by the Vega division of Lockheed. They converted a standard Boeing-built B-17F (serial number 41-24341) to escort configuration by adding a dorsal turret in the radio compartment position carring a pair of 0.50-cal machine guns, a chin turret underneath the nose equipped with a pair of 0.50 cal machine guns, and twin gun mounts instead of the usual single gun mounts at each waist position. The regular top, belly, and tail turrets were retained, bringing total defensive armament to fourteen 0.50-inch machine guns. Additional protective armor was fitted for better crew protection. The bomb bays were replaced by storage areas which carried additional ammunition for the guns. The normal ammunition load was 11,135 rounds, which could be increased to 17,265 rounds if the fuel load was reduced.

[frank3]

The only flaw of the YB-40 was that, after the normal bombers had dropped their bombs, it couldn't catch up with the bombers!

[Simaril]

Originally posted by mussie
Man I want the PBY

Except for that dodgy tail (b-17 envy I think) It had two dorsal turrets and twin guns for the waist gunners

Reminds me of the YB-40

I dont think the PBY would add anything but its good looks, since we dont ahve rescue operations in AH. And, though it had relatively plentiful guns, they werre not nearly as numerous, powerful, or well placed as the YB-40.



In fact, the PBY would be better fighter bait than a goon. Its top speed was low, and its cruising speed -- where it actually flew was jsut marginally better than its take off speed. It was slightly more maneuverable than a house, and its armament was all 0.30's.

Specifications (PBY-5A):
        Engines: Two 1,200-hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp radial piston engines
        Weight: Empty 20,910 lbs., Max Takeoff 35,420 lbs.
        Wing Span: 104ft. 0in.
        Length: 63ft. 10.5in.
        Height: 20ft. 2in.
        Performance:
            Maximum Speed: 179 mph
            Long-Range Cruising Speed: 117 mph
            Ceiling: 14,700 ft.
            Range: 2,545 miles
        Armament:
            Five 7.62-mm (0.3-inch) machine guns


Compare with the C-47:
            Maximum Speed: 230 mph
            Cruising Speed: 207 mph

[Krusty]

Uh... the Pby5a was the Catalina.

This is a Catalina

What we're talking about is the Privateer. (Pb4y2)

This is a Privateer

[Krusty]

Specs according to David Mondey:

Type: Land based maritime patrol aicraft
Powerplant: four 1350hp P&W R-1830-94 Twin Wasp radial pistons
Performance: max speed 237mph at 13750ft; cruising speed 140mph; service ceiling 20700ft; range 2800mi.
Weights: empty 37,485; max takeoff 65000
Dimensions: 110ft wide, 74ft long, 30ft 1in tall, wing area of 1048 sq ft.
Armament: 12 50cal in turrets and waist positions plus 12,800lbs of other weapons.

Now it had 2 dorsal turrets with 2 guns each. It had no belly turret because it flew low to sink subs and attack defenesless ships. It's got 2 guns in tail and 2 in nose, and 2 instead of 1 on each side.

The only armament difference is that the ball was moved to the back and the waist guns got doubled.

Only a small number were used before the war was over. They had a post war calling I believe. Before the PB4y, they used navalised B24s (with superchargers, oval shaped cowlings, and twin tails)

[Simaril]

uhhh.....

allow me to say duhhhhhhhhh.......