What were the specifications for the Britannia at the time the Centaurus engine possibility was dropped and how would it have compared to the Constellation, DC4/6 etc?

In order to fill an BOAC requirement of Dec. 1946 Bristol suggested using a licence built Lockheed Constellation powered by Centaurus engines. But this was not to be, dollar expenditure was not allowed!
Specification 2/47 was issued calling for a new design. Bristol’s Type 175 looked best but a 32 seater with four Centaurus was thought overpowered so it was enlarged to 103,300 lb with 1,775 sq. ft. of wing and up to 48 seats.BOAC said no to a production order but the Ministry of Supply on 5 July 1948 ordered 3 prototypes. The Napier Nomad compound -diesel and turboprop Bristol Proteus were at this time viewed as possible later alternatives to the Centaurus. Later in 1948 BOAC began to show interest in the turboprop.
The prototype Brittania made its maiden flight on 16 August 1952 with the Proteus fitted. I have not found any details about its Centaurus spec. but expect it to be no worse than the original ‘Connie’ and due to it having cabin pressurisation better to be a passenger in than the DC-4.
Ray

I quote from ‘European Transport Aircraft Since 1910’ by John Stroud. Published by Putnam. Because of the strength of these aircraft, a considerable number of their occupants survived crashes and forced landings which did no more than bend the structure. Nevertheless, one aircraft, G-AAZK operated by Walcot Air Lines, broke up in the air over Meopham in Kent on the 21 July, 1930, killing its six occupants. This led the RAE at Farnborough to conduct the first full scale investigation into the disintergration of a metal monoplane and the pattern of break-up, and the reassembly of the pieces by the RAE led to the knowledge of failure in the F13’s tailplane. No other failures inflight are known. End of quote.
So the F13’s wing was a strong structure and who knows maybe the RAF replaced the one tested to destruction and it survived to be dumped for exposure tests at the end of its cost effective life.
Ray

The use of non alloy or wood for aircraft was used by Junkers in 1915 when thin sheet iron was applied to the airframe of the Junkers J1 , which was nicknamed the ‘Tin Donkey’. first flown on 12 Dec 1915. Six similar aircraft were built in 1916 armed with a 7.9 mm machinegun. All later aircraft were to use light alloy and the J4 had an armoured capsule for the powerplant and crew of two for protection from small-arms fire which made it very popular with its crews. 277 were made.
So the Germans had experience with ferrous metals from the earliest days of aircraft design and for a flying bomb with a powerful drive unit it made sense to utilise it at that stage of the war.

I am still searching for fuel usage which is affected by RPM, JPT and ALTITUDE but the Olympus oil consumption was 1.5 pints per hour maximum.

Have not found any RAF squadron just manned by Danes. Is there no record of Danes fighting overseas in your government archives? The only Dane I know of served in the SAS and died fighting in northern Italy in 1945. Best of luck with your search.

P-51H-1 was a supreme lightweight dogfighter with low wing loadings and the power to disengage from a fight if necessary. They never saw combat and 370 were produced by VJ-Day. Those that were still in ANG service were replaced in 1952-53 by the more numerous F-51 D that was a fighter bomber which was the type used in Korea with such good results.

In ‘RAF Bomber Command in the Second World War- The Hardest Victory’ by Denis Richards on page ONE he quotes from 139 Squadron Operations Book, 3/9/1939 the following. A Blenheim that had been waiting at Wyton, crewed by pilot Flying Officer A McPherson. Naval observer, Commander Thompson and wireless operator/air-gunner Corporal V Arrowsmith took off just after midday and from 24000 feet photo’d German Naval facilities. Because the wireless went U/S, only after they landed could a force of 15 Hampdens and 9 Wellingtons be sent that evening. They failed to see any ships! As they returned they were passed by 10 Whitleys of 51 and 58 Squadrons who succesfully bombed the Ruhr and northern Germany with thirteen and a half tons of leaflets!
Ray

Have just checked Crowood’s aviation series title ‘Ju 87’ by Peter C Smith. The only Stuka’s that may have needed a rearview mirror were the trainers of the ‘H’ series which did not have any rear armament. I think this thread needs knotting now.
Ray