Submarine hunters

[mosquitoman]

The Barracuda ISN'T UGLY, it just looks like it's on stilts when it's on the ground

[Lightning Guy]

Well it's non-fully-retractable flaps didn't help anything.

[trackend]

I always loved the old stringbag although I think it was as much the skill of the lads behind the stick as the plane but with such a low stall speed
it must have made a really good platform for attacking subs. it didn't do the Italian Fleet much good either at Taranto

[wmaxt]

Two of the very top anti-sub planes:

PBY-5 Catalinas - effective, long range, carried two torpedos and sometimes depth charges or bombs, AND the Brits liked them a lot!

B-24 Liberators - Effective, very long range, radar, search lights, Bombs, Depth charges and torpedos (loadout varied).

[Gemhorse]

I always felt the Sunderland made a great contribution, especially the fact they were so big and hard to miss, as far as U-boat gunners went...

It was a shame they weren't more heavily armed, like the Jap 'Emily' [which was a Jap version of the Short aircraft], where even .50 cals like the Catalinas had couldn't have been as effective as 20mm's...

Unfortunately, the bigger the aircraft, the larger the crew-loss if they were shot down...but Sunderlands, and Catalinas overall service was pretty major, the rescue work they did especially, but I take my hat off to the crews, as in reading of their conflicts, the courage they had to take on heavily-armed subs was extaordinary.....they at least could alight on the water if emergency warranted it, something the Wellington, Whitley, Halifax, Liberator & Fortesses couldn't do, along with the smaller anti-sub aircraft...

But all these aircraft battled-on, gradually reducing the U-boats from predatory wolves to hunted dogs. The Hunter-killer packs of Corvettes, Frigates and Destroyers certainly played a role here too, particuarly in the convoys, the co-operative venture of these ships and aircraft was the winning formula.....

I feel the Avenger was significant in the PTO, as was the Catalina, and in the ETO, MTO also, as both Allies used them...As I understand it, the Swordfish is really in a class of it's own, the only biplane through the War, and the awesome courage and skill of Taranto, but it's replacement, the Albacore, was useful [although not liked by it's crews], but the Barracuda, for all it's wonky undercarriage, gave good service in the last two years of the War, particuarly in attempted sinkings of the Tirpitz [finally sorted-out by 617 Sqn. Lancasters].......

[mosquitoman]

It may havew been put earlier but the Germans called the Sunderland "The Flying Hedgehog" because it could defend itself well. All an aircraft did if the U-Boat was firing back was stay out of range and bring all it's turrets to bear on the sub. Once the deck party were taking heavy losses. the U-Boat captains decided to get the hell out of there, leaving the aircraft with an immobile U-Boat to depth-charge. The fightback tactics weren't completely succesful

[redcoat]

Originally Posted by mosquitoman

It may havew been put earlier but the Germans called the Sunderland "The Flying Hedgehog" because it could defend itself well. l

In one incident a RAAF Sunderland was attacked by 8 Ju88 fighter-bombers, it drove them off after shooting down two of them, with another crash landing on its return to base.

[mosquitoman]

Normally when one aircraft saw a group of U--Boats, it radiodedin for other aircraft in the region to come and assist so the flak was divided, one plane could take the flak while the other came in unnoticed

[KraziKanuK]

mosquitoman,

how does an a/c stay out of range of 20mm yet is still able to fire on the sub with machineguns?

I suggest you read the introduction, as well as the book, Osprey's Sunderland Squadrons of WW2.

[Lightning Guy]

I don't think the Emily was a copy of the Sunderland. Granted the two types looked similar, but I think any relation was only superficial.

I've never seen any information on a B-24 carrying torps. Can anyone document this?

[the lancaster kicks ass]

yes the sunderland was feared by german crews 'cos of her ability to defend herself, and she was the largest combat aircraft in the world on her entry into service..............

[cheddar cheese]

However the Bv-22 was larger, and although it never saw service the Bv-238 was the largest a/c of the war.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

yes but please note i said when she entered service.........

[cheddar cheese]

I did note it, I was just making an addition....

[KraziKanuK]

Originally Posted by the lancaster kicks ass

she was the largest combat aircraft in the world on her entry into service..............

The Tupolev TB-3 was bigger.