Catapult-mounted Supermarine Walrus folding-wing biplanes on the heavy cruiser HMS Exeter (1930s)
Posted by Laundry_Hamper@reddit | WeirdWings | View on Reddit | 28 comments
Overall-Lynx917@reddit
Imagine being a German Commander and having the Exeter fire one of those at you! That would be some broadside: 6 x 8 inch shells and a Shagbat!
Yes, I know they're seaplanes, I'm being facetious
ctesibius@reddit
I’m not allowed to call them Shagbat. The father of a friend of mine was put out of the drink by one. Same guy also managed to bend the wings on a Spitfire.
DaveB44@reddit
In that case, Steam Pigeon will do instead!
ctesibius@reddit
String-bag.
DaveB44@reddit
That was the Fairey Swordfish.
Overall-Lynx917@reddit
"Bent the wings of a Spitfire" - now that's a story I'd love to hear.
ctesibius@reddit
He was doing bombing raids in the Western Desert. Two 500lb bombs under the wings, chained together. Apparently when you released them they clanged together like a pair of clackers.
Anyway, the Spitfire altimeter was unusual in having three hands rather than the usual two, with the smallest hand indicating in units of 10,000’. Normally this would not be a problem, but the desert is relatively featureless and he got in to a steep dive and only pulled out of the dive at the last moment. He lost consciousness, and came to considerably higher with the wings bent upwards.
Btw, he had Guy Gibson’s signature in his logbook. I didn’t understand that until I found out that Gibson was a night fighter pilot before going in to bombers.
Overall-Lynx917@reddit
Fabulous story, thanks for sharing
Atholthedestroyer@reddit
Just swap the Walrus with a modernized Kettering Bug
BlacksmithNZ@reddit
They got close to having cruise missiles or guided anti-ship missiles as far back as the end of WW1, so suprised they never took it further and integrated better radio control and radar to give cruisers or capital ships the ability to launch long distance anti-ship missiles or air-launched torpedoes
Atholthedestroyer@reddit
The USN did make limited use of the Interstate TDR, though they never cat launched them.
BlacksmithNZ@reddit
TIL.. nice find
Overall-Lynx917@reddit
I'd forgotten about this weapon.
Could the DH Queen Bee be fitted with a warhead? I know it was designed as an aerial target but I'm sure I remember reading about a version with an explosive payload.
Atholthedestroyer@reddit
Couldn't find anything on the Wiki about an explosive payloaded one, but I couldn't see why not, just fit it where the cockpit is...thought it wouldn't be a huge charge.
Overall-Lynx917@reddit
RAE Larynx is what I was thinking of, I'd obviously got the two mixed up.
Atholthedestroyer@reddit
Cool, never heard of that one.
Laundry_Hamper@reddit (OP)
With a big rubberbandy sound effect for extra intimidation
Overall-Lynx917@reddit
Oh Yes!!
ussUndaunted280@reddit
Named for an animal renowned for its prowess in flight.
I love cruisers and their scout planes, did so much of the work while battleships get more attention
Laundry_Hamper@reddit (OP)
A Supermarine Walrus was used experimentally in the 1940s by a whaling company, United Whalers. Operating in the Antarctic Ocean, it was launched from the factory ship Balaena, which was equipped with a surplus naval catapult. The aircraft used were fitted with sockets to power the electrically-heated suits worn by the crew under their immersion suits. A cabin heater was fitted in the aircraft to help keep the crews warm during flights that could last over five hours. A Dutch whaling company embarked Walruses, but never flew them.
https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/116181/
https://www.seawings.co.uk/images/Articles/Supermarine%20Walrus%20-%20Whaling%20Article%20-%20Flight%20magazine%2010th%20July%201947%20ex%20Brian%20Knock/Supermarine%20Walrus%20-%20Whaling%20Article%20-%20Flight%20magazine%2010th%20July%201947%20via%20Brian%20Knock.pdf
codesnik@reddit
where they were supposed to land?
Harpies_Bro@reddit
A lot of ships in WWI had seaplane facilities aboard -- both catapults for launching and a crane for retrieval -- serving as both spotting for the artillery & torpedoes and defence for their mothership. That and they could carry explosives on their own, like bombs, torpedoes, or depth charges.
The Walrus came into Royal Navy in 1936, with provisions for carrying bombs or depth charges on the lower wings and a pair of .303 Vickers in fore and aft turrets for both self-defence and attacking surface targets.
dcsail81@reddit
In the ocean and then craned back on the boat. Those wheels are retractable, it's a seaplane.
Madeline_Basset@reddit
Little bit of trivia - the Walrus was first British plane fitted with a undercarriage-position indicator on the instrument panel, after a pilot put one down in the harbour at Gibraltar with the wheels lowered and an admiral riding in the back.
The plane was flipped over but happily everybody survived.
Orange-V-Apple@reddit
Aren’t the wheels supposed to be lowered?
pope1701@reddit
In a water landing? No, you want the fuselage to look like a boat. Lowered gear will work like an anchor.
Madeline_Basset@reddit
Not when you're touching down on water.
Apparently it was routine for Walruses to fly with the wheels down, and only raise them for water operation. I guess the pilot forgot.
Laundry_Hamper@reddit (OP)
From above, wings out:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/HMS_Exeter_%2868%29_at_anchor_in_Balboa_harbor_on_24_April_1934.jpg