OT: Proof

[YankeeAirRat]

Some months back there was questions about the Skyraiders and thier load carrying capability as part of a thread talking future weapons in a post 1946 scenario. Here is a shot from 1949 of a pair of VA-34 (formerly VF-20, listed in the stock scenario as unit 1769) AD-2 Skyraiders on the USS Leyte with three (3) Mk 13 Torpedoes and about 10 HVAR rockets. Just thought it might give some an idea or two [:D]

[witpqs]

Nice pic. Looks like 12 rockets to me. I wonder if the engine was the same as earlier or had been upgraded?

[Dan Nichols]

It would be 12. There are 6 wing pylons on each wing.

[YankeeAirRat]

My bad. I had miss counted the number of rails and didnt have any ready references near me. Still impressive three Mk13's per plane. [:D]

[Dili]

The Airfix Kit have a big load too: http://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/a1h.htm

Now what matters is the weight in fuel to check the range.

[wdolson]

They left off the toilet bomb

http://www.midwaysailor.com/midwayva25bomb/

[DuckofTindalos]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Nice pic. Looks like 12 rockets to me. I wonder if the engine was the same as earlier or had been upgraded?

If those are AD-2s, then it's a Wright R-3350-26W. It had about 500hp more than the AD-1.

[sandman455]

Ah yes, THE BEAST. Said it before, there was nothing better for probably 2 decades.

Sadly, though that pic was most likely a PR event and I'm doubtful you'd ever see her used with 2 torps hung for a naval strike.

Just too much weight for a very risking mission. You can't pickle those torps together. They have to come off one at a time. The strike profile of a torpedo bomber was bad enough. No need to make it worse by taking a lot of mobility and trading it for even more exposure.

And really the issue isn't the plane being able to carry the torps, it is the torps themselves. The Mk13 had some serious limitations that precluded it from every being more effective than just sending in far more bombers to achieve the same results. At least in a historical 1944-45 scenario.

Read about the Hwachon damn strike. It says a lot about the viability of the multi-torpedo configuration. If you aren't going to load up the beast for a strike against a damn, then it doesn't really seem too logical trying to set it up for a multiple torpedo strike against a fictional IJN fleet that has managed to stay partially intact come 1945.

Not saying it can't be done. Just saying that if they were my AD-1/AD-2's, I'd outfit them with bombs. Let the TBF's get mauled. And of course if this were a strike on shipping or at night, the multi-torp mission becomes far more viable. Night strike with 2-3 torps - now that would be fun to mod.

[YankeeAirRat]

Sandman,

I am sure it was PR event. No different then the infamous F-18 with 10 AMRAAM or F-14 with 6 AIM-54's. Done for a PR shot and probably could have done it in real life, but only if it came down to an absoulte emergancy situtation. Well if I had a choice in reality I would have traded the TBM's for AF Guardian's with torpedos and used the AD's or even AM's as the dive bombers. Or even if it was only pratical to carry two torpedos for a strike against ships it would have been interesting. Anyhow, I just thought it was a cool picture and wanted to share.

[Anonymous]

[Deleted by Admins]

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: YankeeAirRat

Some months back there was questions about the Skyraiders and thier load carrying capability as part of a thread talking future weapons in a post 1946 scenario. Here is a shot from 1949 of a pair of VA-34 (formerly VF-20, listed in the stock scenario as unit 1769) AD-2 Skyraiders on the USS Leyte with three (3) Mk 13 Torpedoes and about 10 HVAR rockets. Just thought it might give some an idea or two [:D]

Nice find and it definitively answered my question of the possible max load-out.

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Nice pic. Looks like 12 rockets to me. I wonder if the engine was the same as earlier or had been upgraded?

If those are AD-2s, then it's a Wright R-3350-26W. It had about 500hp more than the AD-1.

It's still impressive, even if it is a later model and only for show.