Ernie P.
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From: Bealeton, VA, USA
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quote:
ORIGINAL: JohnnyS
Hawker Typhoon?
Right on the mark, JohnnyS; and back to you for the next question. I intended to make this one easy, but you nailed it before we could even get going good. Yep; the Hawker Typhoon, rushed into production to counter the FW-190; which was giving the Spitfires a rough time of it in late 1941 and 1942. Take it away, Sir. Thanks; Ernie P.
Question: What warbird do I describe?
Clues:
(1) Its initial service began in perilous circumstances, and being rushed into production proven nearly as perilous.
(2) A new type of enemy aircraft clearly outclassed existing friendly aircraft. A new type of friendly aircraft was rushed into service, perhaps prematurely, with disasterous results. A number of aircraft were lost to unknown causes, and withdrawing the new aircraft from service was actively considered.
(3) Fortunately, the design team found and partially corrected the problem; although some failures continued to occur until the end of its service life.
(4) It was more than 1-1/2 years before the new aircraft really began to live up to its potential.
(5) The engine was always difficult to start, especially in cold weather.
(6) This new aircraft was very fast at low altitudes; which was the main feature that allowed it to counter the new enemy aircraft.
(7) The problem mentioned in (3) involved the mass balances.
(8) Originally intended to be a medium to high altitude interceptor, a role in which it bever really suceeded, this new aircraft instead proved to be a valuable low altitude interceptor.
(9) It was then found the bomb load of the new aircraft, which had not been even a consideration in its design, was prodigious. The bomb load used was doubled; then doubled again; and this lead the new aircraft into its final role.
(10) With a bomb load exceeding that of light and medium bombers of a few years previous, this fighter made its real mark as an attack aircraft.
(11) Ironically enough, the new fighter being pressed into service as a low altitude interceptor, was very similar in appearance to the very fighter it was intended to counter.
(12) And that lead to some problems with “friendly” anti-aircraft fire. In a round about fashion, the means used to correct the friendly fire problem lead to some of the most recognizeable and iconic aircraft photographs of the second world war.
Answer: The Hawker Typhoon
It was also the first aircraft to use black and white stripes on the bottom of the wings, to distinguish friendly aircraft from hostile.
In 1941 the Spitfire Vs which equipped the bulk of Fighter Command squadrons were outclassed in combat with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 and were suffering heavy losses. The Typhoon was rushed into squadron service (with Nos. 56 and 609 Squadrons) in summer 1941 in an attempt to counter the Fw 190. This decision proved to be a disaster, and several Typhoons were lost to unknown causes. Subsequently, the Air Ministry began to consider halting production of the Typhoon.
In August 1942, Hawker’s second test pilot, Ken Seth-Smith, while deputising for Chief Test Pilot Philip Lucas, was carrying out a straight and level speed test from Langley, Hawker’s test centre. The aircraft broke up over Thorpe, killing the pilot. Sydney Camm and the design team immediately ruled out pilot error which had been suspected in earlier crashes. Intensive investigations revealed that the elevator mass-balance had torn away from the fuselage structure allowing intense flutter to develop, failing the structure and causing the tail to break away. Immediate modifications to the structure, and the control runs, effectively solved the structural problem. (Much earlier Philip Lucas had landed a prototype aircraft with structural failure but this had been due to other failings.) Mod 286 was a partial remedy, although there were still failures right up to the end of the Typhoon's service life. The Sabre engine was also a constant source of problems, notably in colder weather, where it was very difficult to start.
The Typhoon did not begin to mature as a reliable aircraft until the end of 1942, when its good qualities—seen from the start by S/L Roland Beamont of 609 Squadron—became apparent. (He had worked as a Hawker production test pilot while resting from operations, and had stayed with Seth-Smith, having his first flight in the aircraft at that time.) It was extremely fast, tough and capable, and its unplanned bomb load was doubled and then doubled again. During late 1942 and early 1943, the Typhoon Squadrons on the South Coast were finally effective in countering the Luftwaffe's "tip and run" low-level nuisance raids, shooting down a score or more fighter-bomber Fw 190s.
To counter such attacks, Typhoon squadrons kept at least one pair of aircraft flying continuously on standing patrols over the South coast, with another pair kept at "readiness"; ready to take off within two minutes, throughout daylight hours. These sections of Typhoons flew at 500 feet or lower, with enough height to spot and then intercept the incoming enemy fighter-bombers. These tactics were successful during early 1943. For example, while flying patrols against these "nuisance" raids, No. 486 (NZ) Squadron claimed 11 fighter-bombers shot down during two months.
The first two Messerschmitt Me 210 fighter-bombers to be destroyed over the British Isles fell to the guns of Typhoons in late 1942, and during a daylight raid by the Luftwaffe on London on 20 January 1943, five Fw 190s were destroyed by Typhoons.
As soon as the aircraft entered service it was immediately apparent the profile of the Typhoon resembled a Fw 190 from some angles, and this similarity caused more than one "friendly fire" incident with Allied anti-aircraft units and other fighters. This led to Typhoons being marked up with high visibility black and white stripes under the wings, a precursor of the markings applied to all Allied aircraft on D-Day.
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied this requirement. Other external events in 1940 prolonged the gestation of the Typhoon.
Nicknamed the Tiffy in RAF slang, the Typhoon's service introduction in mid-1941 was also plagued with problems, and for several months the aircraft faced a doubtful future. However, in 1941 the Luftwaffe brought the formidable Focke-Wulf Fw 190 into service: the Typhoon was the only fighter in the RAF inventory capable of catching the Fw 190 at low altitudes and, as a result, secured a new role as a low-altitude interceptor. Through the support of pilots such as Roland Beamont the Typhoon also established itself in roles such as night-time intruder and a long-range fighter. From late 1942 the Typhoon was equipped with bombs; from late 1943 ground attack rockets were added to the Typhoon's armoury. Using these two weapons, the Typhoon became one of the Second World War's most successful ground-attack aircraft.
By 1943 the RAF needed a dedicated ground attack fighter more than a "pure" fighter, and the Typhoon was suited to the role. The powerful engine allowed the aircraft to carry a load of up to two 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs, equal to the light bombers of only a few years earlier. The bomb-equipped aircraft were nicknamed "Bombphoons" and entered service with No. 181 Squadron, formed in September 1942.
From September 1943 Typhoons could also be armed with four "60 lb" RP-3 rockets under each wing. In October 1943, No. 181 Squadron made the first Typhoon rocket strikes. Although the rocket projectiles were inaccurate and took some considerable skill to aim properly and allow for the drop after firing, "the sheer firepower of just one Typhoon was equivalent to a destroyer's broadside." By the end of 1943, 18 rocket-equipped Typhoon squadrons formed the basis of the RAF's Second Tactical Air Force (2nd TAF) ground attack arm in Europe. In theory, the rocket rails and bomb-racks were interchangeable; in practice, to simplify ordnance supply-lines, some 2nd TAF Typhoon squadrons (such as 198 Squadron) used the rockets only, while other squadrons were armed exclusively with bombs.
By D-Day in June 1944, 2 TAF had 18 operational squadrons of Typhoon IBs, while ADGB had a further nine. The aircraft proved itself to be the most effective RAF tactical strike aircraft, both on interdiction raids against communications and transport targets deep in North Western Europe prior to the invasion, and in direct support of the Allied ground forces after D-Day. A system of close liaison with the ground troops was set up by the RAF and army: RAF radio operators in vehicles equipped with VHF R/T travelled with the troops, often close to the front line. In situations where air support was needed they were able to call up Typhoons operating in a "Cab Rank", which then continuously attacked the targets marked for them (usually with smoke shells fired by mortar or artillery) until they were destroyed.
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RE: Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz - 
