- Yes
- No
Hello! And welcome to my second suggestion for the Grumman Martlet in UK service (also known as the F4F wildcat). I feel this could come to game to help diversify the British Air Tree at the Lower ranks, which currently lack a lot of historically significant aircraft.
History
Spoiler
As I explained in my last suggestion, the British first received the Wildcat from a French order that was Redirected after Frances Capitulation in mid 1904, these aircraft, dubbed the Martlet Mk.I, had quite a few issues, due to them being built to french designs and then being further modified either back to Standard Spec or to modified british Specifications, which caused engine problems, Jamming issues and the biggest issue for a Naval aircraft, the lack of any wing folding mechanisms.
The UK also found itself in a bit of a predicament in the early stages of the war, most of its carrier based aircraft were quite frankly, terrible aircraft like the Sea Gladiator and Skua were completely outmatched by land based aircraft like the BF-109, which led to the Conversion of many land based aircraft to naval capability (like the Seafire and Sea Hurricane) or simply buying foreign designs whilst proper fighters were developed
The First of these foreign naval fighters to be bought was the Martlet, and shortly after the first Mk.Is were being delivered, 100 units of a slightly modified design was to be ordered, these variants (dubbed the G-36B by Grumman) were to be named the Martlet Mk.II, and featured many improvements over the previous Mk.Is Bringing them up to the performance of the American F4Fs entering Service around the same time, Compared to the Mk.I the martlet Mk.I featured the Slightly improved P&W R-1830-S3C4-G engine over the old Wright R-1820 engine, an armoured cockpit and fuel tanks (something the American F4F also lacked), and the most important development Folding wings.
The First 10 however lacked folding wings, but this was due to the fact that they were already built by the time the final decision on the aircrafts designs were made. These aircraft mainly served on FAA land based training squadrons, however 802 NAS deployed with 6 of them in july 1941 onboard HMS Audacity, this was essentially a Proof of concept to show the Martlets Carrier Capability onboard the smaller Escort carriers, something the Main order was set to be used widely in.
The Martlets Also equipped the air wing of several other aircraft carriers, such as Formidable and Illustrious in May 1942 which operated around Madagascar later that year, they also provided Fighter support for one of the Malta Convoys, the majority of these aircraft saw service in the Middle and Far east, mainly due to the emerging japanese threat and the fact that some far east aircraft in both the RAF and FAA, were from the 1920s.
Images
Spoiler
A Martlet Mk.II of HMS Illustrious preparing for Takeoff
Multiple Martlet Mk.IIs onboard HMS illustrious around Madagascar in 1942
A Martlet Mk.II having just been launched from the Catapult of an Illustrious class carrier
Several Mk.IIs flying in formation
A Martlet Mk.II following a rough landing and receiving damage to the Propeller
Specs/Armament
Spoiler
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 28 ft 9 in (8.76 m)
- Wingspan: 38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)
- Height: 11 ft 10 in (3.61 m)
- Wing area: 260 sq ft (24 m2)
- Airfoil: root: NACA 23015; tip: NACA 23009
- Empty weight: 4,907 lb (2,226 kg)
- Gross weight: 7,423 lb (3,367 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Pratt and Witney R-1830-S3C4 radial engine, 1,200 hp (890 kW)
- Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 331 mph (533 km/h, 288 kn)
- Range: 845 mi (1,360 km, 734 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 39,500 ft (12,000 m)
- Rate of climb: 2,303 ft/min (11.70 m/s)
- Wing loading: 28.5 lb/sq ft (139 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 0.282 kW/kg (0.172 hp/lb)
Armament
Guns
- 4 x 12.7mm Machine guns (300 Rounds per gun)
Place in game
Spoiler
I feel this would be a good aircraft to add to fill the gaps in the British Naval line, currently there are no aircraft between the 2.0 and 3.0 sea hurricanes, which this would help fill, it would be roughly equivalent to the F4F-3 in the American Tree but sacrificing performance for improved survivability.
In terms of BR it would most likely be identical to the F4F-3 at 2.3, and could be placed either between the Sea Hurricane Mk.IB and IC or it could come before them if it was placed in a folder after the Martlet Mk.I that could most likely go around 2.0
Sources
