Ramp-Rat
Monthly Donor
Just an idea that has been bouncing around in my head for a while, what if instead of the DC3 being the principal transport aircraft, both the British and Americans had developed something better?
To this end I have come up with what I believe is a possible time line.
July 1936 Gibraltar.
Squadron leader X, returning to Britain after two years in Mesopotamia, aboard a P&O steamer is met at the gang plank by a messenger asking him to report to the garrison commanders office. Once there he is given a coded telegram from London ordering him to stay until relived in Gibraltar and monitor the opening rounds off the Spanish civil war. While not a trained intelligence officer, he was the only man available at the time, there being no RAF base in Gibraltar at this time.
While out in a navel motor launch along with his colleges from the navy and army, they we to observe the air lift by the condor legion of troops from morocco to the main land. Over the coming weeks he would engage in heated discussions with the army officer regarding the inability of the RAF to carry out anything on a similar scale.
X who had served in bomber/ transport squadrons in both India and Mesopotamia was well aware off the RAF’s failing in the regard. He had taken part in the airlift from Kabul and knew off the desperate measures that had needed to be taken to achieve this. He knew that the British lacked a decent transport air craft, the older Vickers Victoria and Valentia, were out of date, and the new Bristol Bombay wasn’t in truth a lot better.
One night as these three men once more came round to discussing this problem in a quiet corner of the mess, they were interrupted by a Major in the RASC. He told them that he was sick of hearing them talk about something they didn’t have a clue about and it would be nice if just once someone would talk to a transport officer about what was needed. X was not amused at this he was a pilot and had extensive experience in this field, what could some Pongo tell him. Exasperated by this he asked sarcastically what it was the RASC would want, to receive the reply drawn on a spare peace of paper.
What was drawn was an army AEC 10ton 6 wheel lorry with wings engines and a tail plane added on top. That said the Major is what is needed, a flying lorry, one that can take a decent load and has doors/tailgate to big enough to load cargo through. Stunned by what he saw, and the realization that maybe just maybe this chap may have a point, X invited him to join them. These two would over the next few nights thrash out together the needs of such an aircraft.
As luck would have it the Major an X, would be on the same ship going home, X’s relief had arrived on the rock and the Majors time was up and he was posted back to England. On the boat going home the two were sitting in the ships library with pencil and paper trying to work out just what was needed and playing with a few ideas, when they were approached by a civilian. Have in introduce himself and handed over his card, he was an engineer with Short brothers, he told them he had heard their discussion and could he be off help, he was returning to Britain after an inspection tour of facilities for the new Short S23 C flying boats. In fact wouldn’t this aircraft be the best bet for a new transport plane, it could carry a much heavier load than anything else that was around, faster and further than anything else too; he was trying to drum up sales.
Invited to sit and join them once more the discussion was started, the first thing emphasized was magnificent as his plane was a flying boat was not the answer, what was wanted was a land plane. With this the original drawing made by the major was dragged out and shown to him. Then as a joke X drew a picture of a flying boat with the six wheels of the army lorry stuck on the bottom of it.
The discussion now got more serious as the engineer asked why the features asked for were needed. The wheels were so it could operate off improvised airfields, the large side doors so soldiers could board with full kit and the large tail door so military loads could be carried. Asked what sort of military loads they were thinking about, the Major replied, small motor vehicles and field guns. How big a rear door and hoe big a space inside the aircraft were they talking about? Not less than 9ft by 9ft and a least 30 ft long, and don’t forget the floor had to be strong enough to take the loads in mind.
That night alone in his cabin the engineer got to work, sheets of drawing paper were soon covered in sketches, until finally he came up with what he thought off as an acceptable design. Based on the S23 C the boat hull was gone and a flat hull replaced it, there was one large door forward of the wing on the port side for boarding and covered by clamshell doors in the tail a large door there. Fitted with a fixed tricycle undercarriage, (much like that on the Blackburn Beverly in OTL) the new aircraft was a land plane.
After much heated debate in London, an order for fifty of these aircraft is placed with Short Brothers, and so is born the short Samson, the first of which is delivered in 1939.
Short Samson Mk I, built by Short Brothers, as specified 50, in service 1939.
Mk II built Handley Page, new double slotted flaps to improve take offs and landings, Bristol Hercules engines giving better performance, two new side doors, opening inward for paratrooper dispatch, clamshell doors that had had to be removed to allow cargo drops, replaced by split tail ramp, in-service January 1941, 200.
Mk III again built by HP, fuselage length increased by 10ft, 5ft plug both before and aft the wing, more powerful Hercules engines fitted with a four bladed prop; tail ramp now hydraulic not cable operated, again 200 built, in service September 1942.
Mk IV built by Short Brothers, wing area increased by 10% fixed undercarriage replaced by retractable in sponsones, an idea coped from the Americans, fitted with the new Bristol Centaurs engine, whose development had been pushed for this aircraft, hold now 45ft long. This model is the first to be fitted with a radar altimeter making parachute drops far safer. Its more powerful engines and cleaner shape give it increased range and speed, over 1000 would eventually be built, entering service in mid 1943.
Boeing have been given access in 1940 to British designs, and allowed to examine one of the MK I’s in America; proceeded to carry out a similar conversion of their Boeing 314 flying boat. The major difference was the use off a retractable undercarriage from the start making use off its sponsones to achieve this.
Now given these aircraft, what would be the effect on the conduct of WW II and its outcome?
To this end I have come up with what I believe is a possible time line.
July 1936 Gibraltar.
Squadron leader X, returning to Britain after two years in Mesopotamia, aboard a P&O steamer is met at the gang plank by a messenger asking him to report to the garrison commanders office. Once there he is given a coded telegram from London ordering him to stay until relived in Gibraltar and monitor the opening rounds off the Spanish civil war. While not a trained intelligence officer, he was the only man available at the time, there being no RAF base in Gibraltar at this time.
While out in a navel motor launch along with his colleges from the navy and army, they we to observe the air lift by the condor legion of troops from morocco to the main land. Over the coming weeks he would engage in heated discussions with the army officer regarding the inability of the RAF to carry out anything on a similar scale.
X who had served in bomber/ transport squadrons in both India and Mesopotamia was well aware off the RAF’s failing in the regard. He had taken part in the airlift from Kabul and knew off the desperate measures that had needed to be taken to achieve this. He knew that the British lacked a decent transport air craft, the older Vickers Victoria and Valentia, were out of date, and the new Bristol Bombay wasn’t in truth a lot better.
One night as these three men once more came round to discussing this problem in a quiet corner of the mess, they were interrupted by a Major in the RASC. He told them that he was sick of hearing them talk about something they didn’t have a clue about and it would be nice if just once someone would talk to a transport officer about what was needed. X was not amused at this he was a pilot and had extensive experience in this field, what could some Pongo tell him. Exasperated by this he asked sarcastically what it was the RASC would want, to receive the reply drawn on a spare peace of paper.
What was drawn was an army AEC 10ton 6 wheel lorry with wings engines and a tail plane added on top. That said the Major is what is needed, a flying lorry, one that can take a decent load and has doors/tailgate to big enough to load cargo through. Stunned by what he saw, and the realization that maybe just maybe this chap may have a point, X invited him to join them. These two would over the next few nights thrash out together the needs of such an aircraft.
As luck would have it the Major an X, would be on the same ship going home, X’s relief had arrived on the rock and the Majors time was up and he was posted back to England. On the boat going home the two were sitting in the ships library with pencil and paper trying to work out just what was needed and playing with a few ideas, when they were approached by a civilian. Have in introduce himself and handed over his card, he was an engineer with Short brothers, he told them he had heard their discussion and could he be off help, he was returning to Britain after an inspection tour of facilities for the new Short S23 C flying boats. In fact wouldn’t this aircraft be the best bet for a new transport plane, it could carry a much heavier load than anything else that was around, faster and further than anything else too; he was trying to drum up sales.
Invited to sit and join them once more the discussion was started, the first thing emphasized was magnificent as his plane was a flying boat was not the answer, what was wanted was a land plane. With this the original drawing made by the major was dragged out and shown to him. Then as a joke X drew a picture of a flying boat with the six wheels of the army lorry stuck on the bottom of it.
The discussion now got more serious as the engineer asked why the features asked for were needed. The wheels were so it could operate off improvised airfields, the large side doors so soldiers could board with full kit and the large tail door so military loads could be carried. Asked what sort of military loads they were thinking about, the Major replied, small motor vehicles and field guns. How big a rear door and hoe big a space inside the aircraft were they talking about? Not less than 9ft by 9ft and a least 30 ft long, and don’t forget the floor had to be strong enough to take the loads in mind.
That night alone in his cabin the engineer got to work, sheets of drawing paper were soon covered in sketches, until finally he came up with what he thought off as an acceptable design. Based on the S23 C the boat hull was gone and a flat hull replaced it, there was one large door forward of the wing on the port side for boarding and covered by clamshell doors in the tail a large door there. Fitted with a fixed tricycle undercarriage, (much like that on the Blackburn Beverly in OTL) the new aircraft was a land plane.
After much heated debate in London, an order for fifty of these aircraft is placed with Short Brothers, and so is born the short Samson, the first of which is delivered in 1939.
Short Samson Mk I, built by Short Brothers, as specified 50, in service 1939.
Mk II built Handley Page, new double slotted flaps to improve take offs and landings, Bristol Hercules engines giving better performance, two new side doors, opening inward for paratrooper dispatch, clamshell doors that had had to be removed to allow cargo drops, replaced by split tail ramp, in-service January 1941, 200.
Mk III again built by HP, fuselage length increased by 10ft, 5ft plug both before and aft the wing, more powerful Hercules engines fitted with a four bladed prop; tail ramp now hydraulic not cable operated, again 200 built, in service September 1942.
Mk IV built by Short Brothers, wing area increased by 10% fixed undercarriage replaced by retractable in sponsones, an idea coped from the Americans, fitted with the new Bristol Centaurs engine, whose development had been pushed for this aircraft, hold now 45ft long. This model is the first to be fitted with a radar altimeter making parachute drops far safer. Its more powerful engines and cleaner shape give it increased range and speed, over 1000 would eventually be built, entering service in mid 1943.
Boeing have been given access in 1940 to British designs, and allowed to examine one of the MK I’s in America; proceeded to carry out a similar conversion of their Boeing 314 flying boat. The major difference was the use off a retractable undercarriage from the start making use off its sponsones to achieve this.
Now given these aircraft, what would be the effect on the conduct of WW II and its outcome?