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I found this while researching something I'd heard for the next project. This is a modified P-51D (tailhook and the like) on USS Shangri-La in 1944.

No, we will not see that type of plane on RN carriers. Hawker would sue me.
 
Melikes it. *Thumbs up

Eagerly waiting for update time.
 
The way I heard it when after the Doolittle Raid FDR was asked where the bombers had started from he said that it was from the new, secret base ad Shangri-La. Apparently someone in the Navy Department then decided to make that real.
 
´I'm BAAAAACK! That being said, I might have to disappear again for an extended time in a month or two, but for the moment I'm at your disposal.


Chapter 344
The Canadian Prime Minister stood behind the microphones that had been placed in the ballroom of a Toronto Hotel. The men before him were not MPs but rather businessmen. It irked him that he had to hold this speech at all and behind what was essentially closed doors but there was little he could do about it.

So without further ado he began to speak.

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“My fellow Canadians.

Five years ago misguided members of our society and citizens of this great Dominion rose in arms against their fellows. Four years ago we answered the call from our relatives across the sea and joined a war that is righteous and just.

One year ago another enemy of freedom and democracy joined the ranks of our enemies and added yet another burden to all those already heaped upon those standing shoulder to shoulder in that cause for which we are fighting.

During this time we have seen great defeats and even greater triumphs, but for all that we have suffered, much has been accomplished.

The Royal Canadian Navy is battling the U-Boat menace in the North Atlantic even as we speak, Her Majesty's Canadian Ships Vimy Ridge and Bonaventure are facing the might of the Japanese Fleet in the pacific. The Royal Canadian Corps of Marines is spearheading the assault into South-East Asia. The First Canadian Army, together with our Australian, New Zealand and Romanian Allies is defending that country from constant Soviet attack.”


First_Canadian_Army_formation_sign.png

“Our factories produce materials of war that our soldiers at the front and our allies so desperately need. Tanks, aeroplanes, ships, artillery, engines, munitions, bombs, electric machines and thousands of other times pour from our factories and are carried by Canadian ships to wherever they are needed, guarded all the while by Canadian ships and that of our allies.

Why are we doing this some ask. We are doing this because all too many of our friends are either under constant attack or must see their homelands under the dark veil of tyranny. Even if they do not, some do not have the means to produce what they need.

The Republic of Poland.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The Kingdom of Belgium.

The French Republic.

The Republic of Ireland.

The Commonwealth of Australia.

The Dominion of New Zealand.

And yes, even the British Empire herself.

They need what we can produce in safety. They need these goods even more than our gallant fighting men already at the front.

But the men and women in our factories are just as important as to our war effort and victory as the men at the front.”

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“There are those who claim that this government is sending Canadian wealth broad without getting anything in return.

Clearly this is false as the security of Canada is not only defended here at home but also abroad, wherever Allied soldiers are fighting by land, sea and air. For those at home, in the fields, the mines, the steel mills, the factories I say that this work is at least as important.

Canada is more than a proud member of the Allied Pact, the Commonwealth of Nations and the Communities of Democracies standing together against darkness. Oh no.

Canada is a nation that has the moral and civic duty to aid those in need with all that of our wealth and might that can be brought to bear towards this great and noble undertaking upon which we are engaged, for we are more than a nation, for we are the Great Arsenal of Democracy.”


~**---**~

“Squadron Leader Fisher, Royal Australian Air Force. Welcome to Australia, Sir.”

He shook the other officer's hand.

“Edgar Schmued, Avro Canada.”

He patted the sweat from his hand and wondered why the company had insisted that he accompany the first shipment of Mustangs for the Australians, and he hated ships! But there was little he could do, and at least he had had the time to work on what he hoped would end up being an improved version of the current plane, and admittedly, the Panama Canal was an engineering achievement that he would not forget soon.

The factory had been very impressive too, or rather it would be. Co-owned by the Commonwealth Aircraft Factory and Avro Canada it would produce future examples. Looking at a map he could see why the Australians were so interested in that range. If they could produce the Mustang in numbers then they would be able to escort raids to...well, very far away. The range of the Mustang under combat conditions hadn't really been tested but with droptanks they had tested the range in northern Canada and if those figures, kept secret until it was confirmed out here promised to turn around the last vestige of the Bomber barons, a plane with the performance of a fighter but the range of a heavy bomber.

What had prevented the British from ordering any for service in Europe came from several things, one that the availability of Spitfires in increasing numbers made adopting a wholly new aircraft pointless, the range of the Mustang was not an issue as forward bases sometimes mere miles behind the front were readily available and the armament of six .50 calibre Browning Machine guns was considered too weak.

There had been efforts to fit four 20mm cannons to the plane, but the bottleneck in availability had put paid to that idea. Out here six fifties were enough and range was of primary importance. Other changes had been the re-design of the engine cowling to fit the Merlin better and most importantly the adaptation of the same hood that was also fitted to the Spitfire in order to ease the load on the few Canadian companies that made those implements.

The planes in the crates and that the men were already putting together were in natural metal, painted with generic markings to disguise them, though for what reason was beyond him.

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He knew that one of the rumours was that they were testing a new Naval Fighter for the British Carriers, but he doubted that anyone would buy it.[1]

No.110 RAAF Operational Conversion Unit would have it's hands full with the Mustang as it were. Until two days ago the Squadron had been known as No.110 Squadron RAAF and flown clapped out old Boomerangs for the aerial defence of Adelaide and the surrounding countryside, the most back-end job that could be had on the fifth continent.

Why on earth someone had decided that this was the right unit to be given an aircraft that was at least a generation behind what they'd had previously was beyond him also but it was none of his concern. He was here for...some reason and until he was told to return to Canada he would sit here and observe how his latest product fared in the tropics.

He was about to ask Fisher how the assembly was going when he heard the unmistakable sound of a Merlin Engine catching and then going into a full-throated roar.

“You managed to assemble one already?” Schmued asked, “When I left for the hotel last night your mechanics hadn't even unloaded all the crates.”

Fisher smiled. “You see, we had a little wager going on between two of the hangars and it appears that one of them won. Should we look if they used all the parts?”

“Well, from the sound of it they managed to assemble the engine and the fuel feed system properly at least.”

When coming around a corner they were treated to the magnificent sight of a Mustang, standing still where it was but with the engine running as fast as it could without overcoming the breaks and the blocks on the wheels.

Fisher admired what he saw for a few moments and then said without turning away: “You know, I almost pity the Japanese.”



+-+-+-+-

Comments, questions, rotten Tomatoes?

Short and disconnected, but more meant to get myself back into a writing mood.

[1] For a short time I was tempted to ret-con the Mustang in as a Carrier plane. The tests the American did test the Mustang for their Carriers were successful but between safety concerns (apparently the Mustang is rather temperamental when you fly in a Carrier approach profile) and the availability of strips on Iwo Jima and elsewhere killed the project.
 
Yay, it's back. We've missed you, ol'pal.

And the Mustang ready to shot enemy planes... good, good.
 
King, you wily devil you, stealing speeches from cross-time Americans.
 
Kurt_Steiner Happy to be back for at least some time.

Well, these are only the first few production models. Six to be exact.

ViperhawkZ What can I say, it fits and I like that line.

Agent Larkin The flag is part of the unit insignia of the 1st Canadian Army.

The Japanese aren't doomed (yet) but in the not too distant future some of the long distant raids by the various heavy bomber forces will bring a few friends along.
 
Canadian Great Arsenal of Democracy? My life is complete. *Dies of happiness* :D:D

And Mustangs vs. Zeros? HELL YES! Go forth and cut those SOBs to shreds, I say! :p:p

Marc A

P.S. What year in the TL are we in, Trek? '42? '43?
 
It fits I think. Canada has nowhere near the industrial capacity of the United States but they are in the same general position. Of all the nations Canada has benefited most from the fall of the US. Industry, refugees and most importantly, capital and technological know-how will turn Canada into an economic and technological force to be reckoned with.

Mustangs: The Mustang is my second-favourite aircraft, ever since that airshow I went to recently. Nothing like standing within spitting distance of a Merlin Engine going at full throttle.

The date as of that update is 5th May 1943.
 
I loathe ManU as a symbol for anything that is wrong with professional sports, but I do salute to those that died that day. They played the sport, they played it well by all accounts and no one deserves to die like that...
 
´I'm BAAAAACK! That being said, I might have to disappear again for an extended time in a month or two, but for the moment I'm at your disposal.

Great! As someone who suffers from terminal bone-idleness I definitely need a cheap cleaner. When can you start?:p - That should teach him to make hostages to fortune like that. ;)

Seriously good to hear you're active on the TL again. Hopefully everything OK?

Canada is a nation that has the moral and civic duty to aid those in need with all that of our wealth and might that can be brought to bear towards this great and noble undertaking upon which we are engaged, for we are more than a nation, for we are the Great Arsenal of Democracy.”

In this case probably very true. Britain will have a larger industrial base but is limited by supplies, blackout and being in the front line. Canada is far enough from the front and rich enough in terms of manpower, resources and space to produce a hell of a lot of material. I suspect a nearby state which is probably producing more military goods might feel a bit unhappy it is implicitly being called undemocratic, which will sting even more because its true.:D


Why on earth someone had decided that this was the right unit to be given an aircraft that was at least a generation behind what they'd had previously was beyond him also but it was none of his concern. He was here for...some reason and until he was told to return to Canada he would sit here and observe how his latest product fared in the tropics.

Presuming its far enough away from any actually combat that they can do tests on the a/c performance in warmer conditions without any run in with enemy forces. Also gives the convicts some experience at operating and supporting the plane in a less tension situation that combat.

“Well, from the sound of it they managed to assemble the engine and the fuel feed system properly at least.”

The advantage of non-verbal communications. This could come across as either a jokey aside on the race between the two hanger teams or a snide jibe at their abilities. I'm presuming the former however since he didn't get a 4p one.;)

[1] For a short time I was tempted to ret-con the Mustang in as a Carrier plane. The tests the American did test the Mustang for their Carriers were successful but between safety concerns (apparently the Mustang is rather temperamental when you fly in a Carrier approach profile) and the availability of strips on Iwo Jima and elsewhere killed the project.

Think you're right here. Like the Spit its a bit too fragile to be a good carrier a/c and too likely to waste a lot of resources and reduce its main advantages in trying to square the circle. Getting a TTL version of something like the Corsair, purposely designed for carrier operation is much better.

Steve
 
Great! As someone who suffers from terminal bone-idleness I definitely need a cheap cleaner. When can you start?:p - That should teach him to make hostages to fortune like that. ;)

Seriously good to hear you're active on the TL again. Hopefully everything OK?

Nothing lethal or anything, just that my life might get very hectic for a time. :)


In this case probably very true. Britain will have a larger industrial base but is limited by supplies, blackout and being in the front line. Canada is far enough from the front and rich enough in terms of manpower, resources and space to produce a hell of a lot of material. I suspect a nearby state which is probably producing more military goods might feel a bit unhappy it is implicitly being called undemocratic, which will sting even more because its true.:D

Again, Canada is of all the Allies probably in the best strategic and economic position. The Canadian electronics industry for example (Raytheon legged it northwards, among others.) is mass-producing Cavity Magentrons and RDF in general that equips a whole freaking lot of Allied ships.


Presuming its far enough away from any actually combat that they can do tests on the a/c performance in warmer conditions without any run in with enemy forces. Also gives the convicts some experience at operating and supporting the plane in a less tension situation that combat.

This is pretty much it, along with relative secrecy. Eventually that squadron will be joined by both more aircraft and a few British aviators that are there for the same purpose.

The advantage of non-verbal communications. This could come across as either a jokey aside on the race between the two hanger teams or a snide jibe at their abilities. I'm presuming the former however since he didn't get a 4p one.;)

It's the former.



Think you're right here. Like the Spit its a bit too fragile to be a good carrier a/c and too likely to waste a lot of resources and reduce its main advantages in trying to square the circle. Getting a TTL version of something like the Corsair, purposely designed for carrier operation is much better.

Steve

Apparently when they tried again in 45 with a modded P-51H it worked relatively well but by that time the entire project was surplus to requirements as they say.

As for the Seafire replacement, something like this perhaps?

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Once again my pig ignorance shines through as I have no idea what that plane is in the second most recent post but it does scream "Carrier Prop" to me.

Also as much of a tolerant forward looking person that I am I find it funny that somewhere in the back of my mind I can hear a heavily accented voice shouting "Burn the flag".....:p
 
That plane is the Hawker Sea Fury, of Bay of Pigs (in-)fame.

And burn the flag? Why, because I also have the Union Flag, the Canadian flag and the RAF Ensign.