An earlier Hurribomber (replacing Fairey Battle)

[allanpcameron]

I did a search but didn't find this particular idea, though if it has been done, forgive me and send me the link!

In my Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion ASB TL, knowing the problems faced by the Battles in May 1940, they are withdrawn early. With ASB foreknowledge an early Hurricane with hard points and 20mm cannons replaces them, creating an early Hurribomber. This provides a better ground attack option, and saves a lot of trained aircrew, some of whom can be retrained as pilots.

So... Would this work in a non-ASB sense?
POD 1. During the German offensive in 1918 RAF fighters are used in ground attack roles to blunt the attack.
POD 2. During the 100 Day offensive in 1918, this role is continued and expanded, with some of those who will later be in a position to make Air Ministry decisions involved personally.
POD 3. During the inter war period a number of times this duel role for fighter/bomber aircraft is noted, eg Hawker Harts/Demons.
POD 4. The question of a single engine bomber, which results in the Battle is considered instead in the light of this experience as being a ground attack aircraft, rather than a pure bomber.
POD 5. Camm's Hurricane is noted as a possible duel task aircraft and brought to fruition, building Hurricanes only instead of Hurricanes and Battles. Same numbers, same Merlins.

As I say, just a thought that occurred and wondered what you thought?
Allan

 

[Just Leo]

There's some doctrinal problems and some equipment problems. Hurricanes were built to be defensive fighters, and later required for defense of Britain. Just as Battles were loaned from Bomber Command to the BEF for inappropriate duties, Hurricanes were loaned from Fighter Command. There was no doctrine of combined operations, and fighter pilots had no training for it. The aircraft itself wasn't fit for it, with fabric wings and a fixed prop, they were just adequate as a naked fighter. It was only later, when they received a 50% increase in power, metal wings and a C/S prop, that somebody noticed that Hurricanes didn't get faster, but could carry a load. Thus was the Hurribomber born, slower than the original with bomb shackles, much slower with 40mm guns or rockets.