Several aircraft were built especially for the RAF at the beginning of the war. The likes of the Mustang, Hudson and Ventura.
I know that the MkII Harvard was specifically built with British style contorls like the spade grip and hand brakes rather than toe breaks. Were the early versions of the Mustang, Hudson and Ventura also set up inside with a British layout?
What about the P40B’s and E’s sent to the RAF which fought in the desert, our their early B17’s? Were their interiors redesigned for the British? Or did RAF pilots simply adapt to the different style and layout of US aircraft?
Were any other American built planes originally designed and built specifically for the RAF?
By: Dog House Ldr. - 25th March 2005 at 01:12
Don’t forget about the Baltimore and the Boston 🙂
By: Arabella-Cox - 24th March 2005 at 20:41
The Vultee A-35 Vengeance was also built to French & British requirements, when an invasion of the UK was likely. Many airframes were redirected the the USAAF after Pearl Harbor.
Steve
By: Dave Homewood - 27th February 2005 at 05:54
Cheers Rocketeer. Apologies over the brakes, I got that one wrong.
I wonder if the RAF ran special conversion courses for pilots to change over to the different layout and style of the cockpits when US aircraft started to be bought?
By: Rocketeer - 27th February 2005 at 04:31
Several aircraft were built especially for the RAF at the beginning of the war. The likes of the Mustang, Hudson and Ventura.
I know that the MkII Harvard was specifically built with British style contorls like the spade grip and hand brakes rather than toe breaks. Were the early versions of the Mustang, Hudson and Ventura also set up inside with a British layout?
What about the P40B’s and E’s sent to the RAF which fought in the desert, our their early B17’s? Were their interiors redesigned for the British? Or did RAF pilots simply adapt to the different style and layout of US aircraft?
Were any other American built planes originally designed and built specifically for the RAF?
I have often discussed such things with other cockpit fans. To my knowledge, the Hudson had some UK fittings fitted. The Harvard was the only real anglocised cockpit, however, you are slightly wrong about the brakes. The Harvard had a classic spade grip (normally an AH2242) which has no provision for a bowden cable and brake lever…i.e. the pedals still activated the wheel brakes. I have seen some modellers giving P40 and razorback P51’s spade grips….bit fanciful methinx as I have seen no proof of this.
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February 27, 2005 at 1:39 am