Hawker Henley in FAA

[ringo]

With no modern aircraft available until after the BoB and the Air Ministry
deciding that it no longer needed a light bomber and the Henley became a target tug.
At the almost the same time the Roc was being built for the FAA however the Roc was not a very good fighter.
Perhaps the Roc should have been sent to RAF for use as target tugs and turret trainer aircraft, Skua target tugs would also be sent to RAF the FAA needs only enough Skuas and Rocs for Ark Royals narrow lifts.
Hawker aircraft were well built, if the Henley were hooked and sent to the FAA as fighter-bombers four MG could be fitted along with navigational equipment, the Henley had a range of almost 1000 miles was faster than the Gloster Gladiator and much faster than the Roc.

Would the Henley have been useful in FAA service, Glorious Courageous Eagle Argus and Furious had large lifts to handle Henley.
What kind of fighter would Henley been in FAA before BoB?

[the lancaster kicks ass]

i don't think it would've worked, she started out in '37 as a light day bomber! as did the battle, and looked what happened to that! maybe she could have served to do a little naval bombing but i don't think she'd be worth the effort to convert for the naval role, cirtainly not as a fighter..........

[merlin]

Yes, it's something I've been thinking of. The Blackburn Skua needed replacing, the Carriers needed multi-role aircraft & the FAA didn't like single-seaters; so a navalised Henley with wing guns ( a mk ll would have two 20mm guns), would make an excellent fighter/dive-bomber. It would have been as good as the Fulmar as a fighter, and more flexible.
Coming into service in mid 1940 it would've made an impact in the Norway campaign, and what a difference it would have made to Taranto, and the Battle of Cape Matopan!
Whether later it would have been re-engined and enlarged, or at least made the Barracuda better by having a Griffon engine, when it replaced it!