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de Havilland DH.103 Hornet / Sea Hornet

1946 COLD WAR MALAYAN EMERGENCY WORLD WAR 2

De Havilland DH. 103 History of the Hornet/Sea Hornet

De Havilland DH. 98 "Mosquito" was a huge success for its role in World War II (1939-1945) and barely maintained a useful presence in the postwar period. Nearly 8,000 examples of this type were produced from 1940 to 1950, and the series proved to be one of the most versatile of the entire war. Battlefield roles range from light bombardment and interception to night fighter and reconnaissance.

The "Wooden Miracle" - so named for its heavy reliance on wood in the base-building scheme used - created a legend in the conflict and went on to stockpile the inventories of several key players in the war, as well as for Foreign powers provided services during the Cold War (1947-1991).

This pedigree and war experience gave de Havilland engineers a new design for a twin-engine heavy fighter. As a private venture product, the new plane is intended to be sold to the British military as they anticipate an extended involvement in World War II following the fall of Germany - with a focus on Japan's destruction in the Pacific, of course.

Contrary to DH. Developed for land-based and shipborne operations, the new 98 model is designed for excellent handling at both low and high speeds, and a single-pilot cockpit for good situational awareness (DH. 98 uses two crew members) member).

Storage space also needs to be considered for service on British aircraft carriers that require folding-wing aircraft.

Air Department specification F. 12/43 was the official requirement for the use of long-range fighter platforms in Far East operations, which eventually became DH. 103 "Hornet"/"Sea Hornet" line.

While similar in appearance to the Mosquito, the Hornet brings technological advancements and qualities influenced by the DH design process. 98 and its subsequent manufacturing and operations experience. The wing takes a fresh approach and gets thinner with a new skin on top of the hybrid wood structure. In addition, they include a hinge feature that folds for wearer storage, while having a "truncated" tip instead of the rounded tip seen on mosquitoes. Rolls-Royce "Merlin" series engines were chosen to power the design, and a slimmer cabin was used to accommodate them.

The main-wing aircraft is mounted amidships like the cockpit, with nacelles (mounted under the wings) extending forward on the leading edge of the wing and extending to the trailing edge. A large, unobstructed canopy covers the cockpit, increasing the excellent visibility required by pilots.

Cockpit armor is standard to increase the survivability of the pilot and his machine.

On the tail, the streamlined fuselage leans back gracefully and a vertical stabilizer is added. The horizontal plane is mounted on the fin just below the tailstock. The landing gear is still of a "tail" arrangement, but provides adequate reinforcement for carrier deck service and has a lower height to improve ground operations on the carrier deck.

Unlike previous British twin-engine designs, the DH. 103's propeller units rotate in opposite directions, which has proven to help counteract the naturally occurring torque effects of a single rotating propeller - making the aircraft more stable in flight.

The standard fixed armament became the 4 x 20mm Hispano V-series cannons mounted in the lower part of the fuselage (under the cockpit floor), each providing 190 rounds of ammunition - in a possible shot at any target in the sky Considerable lethality when firing a controlled salvo or on the ground. In later production models, the wings were allowed to carry 8 x 60 lb unguided RP-3 rockets and 2 x 1,000 lb conventional bombs at hardpoints outside the engine nacelles, making the Hornet versatile ability.

On July 28, 1944, the Hornet made its first flight as a prototype of the RR915. At almost 500 mph in testing, the design has proven to be a promising successor to the famous Mosquito.

However, the war in Europe ended in May 1945, followed by the surrender of Japan in August, and the Hornet Line did not officially enter service until 1946, missing an opportunity to truly emerge in the war.

In any case, the design was allowed to live on and didn't. Squadron 64 was the first proud recipient.

Ultimately, from 1946 to 1955, eight RAF squadrons were equipped with fixed-wing Hornets, and 14 squadrons of the Royal Navy (Fleet Aviation) reinforced this with a navalized version of the PX212 prototype, the Sea Hornet. One point is formed.

Total production reached 383 aircraft, including two variants. Although both Australia and Canada evaluated individual examples, the type was never exported.

The original production model became the Hornet F. Mk 1 fixed wing, with 60 built. Bumblebee PR. The Mk 2 is followed by five examples, which represent a photographic reconnaissance platform with adequate cameras but lacking artillery weapons.

The Hornet F. Mk 3 (born from the prototype PX366) was the final fighter-bomber form, with 132 examples appearing and quickly replacing the current F. Mk 1 model. These models differ by adding a rear ledge, increasing fuel capacity (and thus operating range), and bringing in bomb hardpoints or throw tanks.

Hornet FR. The Mk 4 is a hybrid fighter/reconnaissance version, and 12 were produced to this standard. These were characterized by a reduced fuel supply (hence the range) and the lack of cannon weapons in favor of camera equipment.

The Royal Navy (Sea Wasp) branding was led by the folding-wing prototype PX212, which first flew on 19 April 1945. The production Sea Hornet F. Mk 20 (based on the Hornet F. Mk 3) came in 79 copies. Sea Hornet NF followed closely. The Mk 21 is a dedicated two-seat naval night fighter with Merlin 133/134 series engines and ASH radar equipment (the nose). A total of 72 samples were delivered according to this standard.

Sea Wasp PR. The Mk 22 appeared in 23 copies as a photo reconnaissance model.

The F. Mk 3 is the only service mark to see combat action prior to retirement. This happened during the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960), when members of the Commonwealth fought against communist forces. In these skies, the Hornet performed reasonably well, capable of mixed missions aimed at attacking enemy positions with missiles and artillery fire, or more precise strikes with bombardment. These aircraft are still known for their great loitering capability and range, and their Merlin engines perform well in tropical environments (which were designed for the Hornet and developed specifically for the needs of Pacific fighter jets).

By the end of the campaign, Hornet had flown thousands of sortiesthe last Hornet mission was in May 1955.

All Hornets/Sea Hornets retired in 1956. Performance specifications for the Hornet F. Mk 1 include a top speed of 475 mph, a cruising speed of 270 mph, a range of up to 1,480 miles and a service ceiling of 41,500 feet. The climb rate is approximately 5,000 feet per minute.

2 Rolls-Royce Merlin 130/131 engines in the game provide 2,070 hp and drive a four-blade propeller unit.