[updated:LAST EDITED ON 02-10-02 AT 12:26Â PM (GMT)]I have been trying unsuccessfully to attach a number of photos of the Commonwealth CA-15 to this thread. No doubt some of you will have seen this aircraft before. I wanted to post it because it represented the high-point of Australian aircraft design during World War 2.
There are a couple of things which are interesting about this aircraft. It was originally designed to fly with a Pratt and Whitney R-2800, but was redesigned to take the Griffon when the P&W became unavailable. The original design was quite original, though not very attractive. The Griffon version, however, was quite beautiful and even though it resembles a P-51, was in no way related. When it eventually flew in 1946, it outperformed the P-51 in speed, operating altitude, rate of climb and range.
Unfortunately, like so many things Australian, it was too late and was actually the last piston engined fighter to commence flight trials anywhere in the world. By the time it flew, it had been overtaken by the jet age.
The one and only prototype was reduced to components in 1950. What a damned shame. Its also a damned shame that I can’t work out how to attach the bloody photos!!!!
Wombat
By: JimP - 3rd October 2002 at 11:15
RE: Commonwealth CA-15
Mustang on Steriods is the best description I can come up with for the CA-15, seemed to have lost the finesse of the P-51.
I don’t think I agree with the “sad looking thing” comment on the Woomera, I always thought it had character, much like the Bf-109E, Hurricane, Dewoitine 520 etc, not pretty but somehow attractive in their own way.
Cheers,
Jim
By: Wombat - 3rd October 2002 at 09:07
RE: Commonwealth CA-15
Guys
Thanks for the help and the additional info. Jim, I note that you have stated the CA-15 wasn’t one of the most picturesque aircraft. I have always thought that it was a pretty good looker, masculine, but designed like it meant business. I agree that the Woomera was a sad looking thing, but it’s tragic that neither came to anything.
BTW, if the CA-15 isn’t picturesque, what do you think was?
Wombat
By: JimP - 3rd October 2002 at 04:29
RE: Commonwealth CA-15
Hi Wombat,
Have you seen this site?
http://www.dropbears.com/av/KFXart/articles/ca15.htm
The CA-15 certainly wasn’t one of the most “picturesque” aircraft, but then my favourite Aussie aircraft is the CA-4/11 Woomera and that was just…well…umm 😉
Cheers,
Jim
By: Ant.H - 2nd October 2002 at 18:21
RE: Commonwealth CA-15
G’day Wombat,
There’s a size limit on the attachments you can post up on the forum, I think it’s around 50kb.You can try putting the pics you’ve got through the Windows paintbrush program and trimming them down and resizing them a bit.
Hope this helps.
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October 2, 2002 at 12:14 pm