'Threads'
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'Threads' |
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A Philosophical Discussion on the
Notes:
Italics indicate quotations from a previous post. The writer's
word's are indicated by boldface type.
Some comments have also been edited for clarity or to correct known errors)
(There is is post missing here which seems to have discussed a modification involving an 'e' winged Spitfire having its cannon and machine gun positions reversed)
Graham Boak
Gun reversal confusion?
Sat Nov 30 15:54:25 2002
I cannot imagine any possible reason why they should want to do this. They would
be unable to fit the 0.5 Browning without additional modifications, and moving
the cannon outboard would increase the handling and gun aiming penalties of the
wing installation. They would need to obtain different gun panels (to move the
bulge) and have to re-organize the belt feed.
However, before the 'e' wing was available in production, an in-service
modification was issued, where aircraft built with the c armament were converted
to the e. This took place just before D-Day - one such aircraft was the famous
JEJ. I suggest that this is what you are referring to.
Steve Westerby
Yes, that's right.
Sat Nov 30 16:05:42 2002
It is the factory modification kit that I refer to, the same one tested at the
A&AEE, Boscombe Down in Nov 1943.
Without going back and trying to extract all the references to this
modification, I understand that it had in part, something to do with the
carriage of bombs beneath the cannon armament on the c-wing and the structural
fatigue caused with that arrangement.
Graham Boak
Interesting link
Sat Nov 30 16:37:18 2002
I had this rush of blood to the head - I imagined a demand among the squadrons
to have the latest fashion - keeping up with the Joneses (or the Johnsons!)
Johnnie Houghton says that he had this armament at Biggin Hill the previous
autumn - and his armourer agrees! I find this strange but if there was indeed
some link to a common modification to solve the wing failures, that might
explain a lengthy gestation. However, that it was first applied to the
air-superiority units rather than the fighter-bombers would put it in some
doubt. When you do find the time to dig that out I'd appreciate a view.
Steve Sauve
Reversed gun arrangement?
Sat Nov 30 15:30:19 2002
Steve,
I'm quite interested in your statement about the 2 TAF 20 mm gun bay switch for
the 'c'-winged aircraft. Can you cite some documentary evidence of that change,
that I might be able to look it up and see?
Steve Westerby
Reversed gun arrangements
Sat Nov 30 15:48:28 2002
Steve, you would have to ask wouldn't you?
Do you have:
2nd Tactical Air Force by Chris Shores?
Another reference that I can pull out as a quickie came from Neil Robinson in
SAM (don't recall the issue but it states the origin of the modification). I can
scan and email it to you. I don't feel like retyping it all out thanks.
Steve Sauve
I'm deeply ashamed...
Sat Nov 30 16:26:04 2002
to say I don't have the 2 TAF book.
I don't buy SAM all the time, so anything you could scan and send would be
great. I have a high-speed connection, so that's not a problem at my end.
Steve Westerby
No need to be...
Sat Nov 30 16:31:00 2002
Have emailed extract to you for perusal.
Always good to hear from a fellow curious Spitphile.
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