Dunkirk

  

The miracle of Dunkirk was that Hitler passed

on the opportunity to destroy the British army.

He wanted Britain off the continent but he didn't 

need Yankee imperialists and Japanese warlords

inheriting for free the sprawling British Empire.

The dagger at Britain's throat.

After the humiliating drubbing Nazi forces delivered 

to the Brits, Hitler believed London would quickly

agree to his offer for peace demands.

First, he'd take control of the western Mediterranean

with England giving him Gibraltar.  A present of

British oilfields in Iran and Iraq would give Germany

much needed energy independence.

This, too, would be part of any deal guaranteeing

Britain's safety.

Churchill calls Hitler's bluff.

With his troops from Dunkirk home safely

Churchill drew his line in the sand:

There will be no negotiations with Hitler.

If he wants anything from us he's going

to have to come and get it himself.

The Few.

An invasion of Britain requires the German 

Luftwaffe to have control of the air.  

Transporting ten German divisions across 

the channel to England's shores requires

an air force that can hold off the mighty 

Royal Navy.  The Royal Air Force, though,

must first be destroyed.

Air Minister Dowding

Churchill wants more fighters sent to France.

Dowding say, No.  It's a losing cause.

The Royal Navy wants the RAF to defend 

shipping in the English Channel.

Once again, Dowding says no.  

Take the train.

 

Luftwaffe bombers headed for England.

England's survival depends upon fighters fending off

an overwhelming number of Nazi warplanes

with precious few pilots of their own.

This is the challenge that takes up all of 

Air Minister Hugh Dowding's time.

And he thinks he has it figured out.

* * * * *

©  Tom Taylor

OVER EASY

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Harrier / AV-8

Harrier / AV-8B

BAE Systems Harrier

Sea Harrier FA.2

First Flight:                          1988, September 19

Power:

                                                Rolls-Royce Pegasus 106 turbofan

                                                9765kg / 21,500lb thrust

Armament:

                                                AIM-120 AAM (4)

                                                  Or

                                                AIM-120 (2)

                                                AIM-9 Sidewinders

                                                  Optional

                                                30mm / 1.18in Aden cannon (2)

                                                2270kg / 5000lb bombs, rockets, anti-ship missiles

Size:

                Length:                 14.17m / 46ft 6in

                Height:                   3.71m / 12ft 2in

                Wingspan:             7.7m / 25ft 3in

                Wing area:             18.7m² / 201ft²

Weights:

                Empty:                  6374kg / 14,052lb

                Max take-off:      11,880kg / 26,200lb

Performance:

                Max Speed:        1185kph / 736mph @ sea level

                                             1328kph / 825mph @ high altitude

                Cruise Speed:    850kph / 528mph @ 10,975m / 36,000ft

                Ceiling:                 15,555m / 51,000ft

                Range:                  1300km / 800 miles

                Climb:                   15,240m / 50,000ft per min @ VTOL weight

                Take-off run:          305m / 1000ft @ max takeoff weight, no ‘ski jump’

AAM      -              air-to-air missile

V/STOL -              vertical / short take-off and landing

Vertical landing possible without heavy ordinance

AV-8B Harrier II Plus

Powerplant:

                                                Rolls-Royce F402-RR-408A (Pegasus 11-61)

                                                Vectored thrust turbofan engine

                                                10,600kg / 23,800lb thrust

Armament:

                                                6003kg / 13,235lb Max ordinance

                                                4 pylons under each wing

                                                                AIM-9 Sidewinders

                                                                AIM-120 AMRAAM

                                                                Mk 7 cluster bomb dispensers

                                                                Mk 82/83 bombs

                                                                LAU-10/68/69 rocket pods

                                                                AGM-65 Maverick

                                                                AGM-84 Harpoon

                                                                CBU-55/72 fuel-air explosive

                                                                Mk 77 fire bombs

                                                Centerline hardpoint

                                                                ALQ-167 ECM pod

                                                Two fuselage packs

                                                                Five-barrelled 25mm GAU-12 cannon (port)

                                                                300 rounds (starboard)

Performance:

                Max speed:        1065kph / 662mph @ sea level

                Climb:                   4485m / 14,715ft per min @ sea level

Original 1960 prototype prior to Harrier

President Dwight Eisenhower’s defense policy during the Cold War was based heavily on nuclear deterrence because the World War II general believed that any direct conflict with the forces of the Soviet Union would quickly escalate to a strategic nuclear exchange making conventional armed forces irrelevant.  It also saved U.S. taxpayers a lot of money if the Pentagon wasn’t caught up in a needless conventional arms race with their Soviet counterparts.  Eisenhower’s successor, John Kennedy, was chilled by the thought that his only military option would be all-out thermonuclear war.  He believed this all-or-nothing posture lacked credibility and he instituted measures that called for a graduated response to hostilities.  This meant NATO must now be able to defend itself against the conventional forces of the  Warsaw Pact in the event of European war.  The men, armor and planes required for a credible conventional defense  would mean writing new government checks for a lot of money.  It also meant reconsidering NATO’s tactical strategy.

Spain one of purchasers of Harriers

At the outbreak of hostilities the air forces of the two, large opposing armies would quickly rise to the air and attack, among other targets, the large air bases of their enemy.  NATO military planners knew these attacks on their air arm could potentially devastate their defensive ability.  It would be ideal if aircraft didn’t require long runways.  They could be easily dispersed and hard to find.  This would require a jet that could take-off like a helicopter or, at the very least, become airborne after a running start using a short piece of land.  The technology barely existed in 1960 but the British were committed to developing it.

Aerial Refueling

The first operational VTOL (Vertical Take-off and Landing) combat jet, the Harrier GR.1, entered service with the RAF in 1969.  Although it was capable of vertical lift the aircraft actually required a runway of nearly a couple hundred meters if it was to carry a worthwhile payload of military ordinance.  Under wartime conditions a short piece of farm road would do, so there was little practical penalty.  The RAF Harrier quickly proved itself to be highly maneuverable, with impressive acceleration and, because of its vectoring nozzles, could decelerate rapidly and make very sharp turns – giving it real advantages as a dogfighter.  It caught the attention of both the Royal Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps.  The aircraft’s short runway requirement meant the fleet could have an air arm without the expense of maintaining large carriers.  This would also benefit the Marines as they could provide close air support for opposed amphibious landings from small decked assault ships nearby.  Once the landing had been secured the Harriers, known as the AV-8A by the Marines, could operate from relatively primitive areas close to the front lines.  This gave them short response time and the ability to provide more frequent missions.  Here was an aircraft truly suited the Marine Corps’ mission.  It proved to be more capable than its own A-4 Skyhawk.

Vector nozzles give Harrier VTOL capability

It was during the Falklands War in 1982 when the world took note of this revolutionary aircraft and its contribution towards England’s victory over Argentina.  In this instance it was the Royal Navy’s Sea Harrier version that made news by shooting down 23 opposing aircraft while losing none of its own to aerial combat.  Among the aircraft lost were eleven Dassault Mirages and eight A-4 Skyhawks.  Such aircraft should have made for more competitive dogfights but while the Argentinian pilots were courageous they didn’t have near the training or the effective tactics of the British flyers.  It also helped that the Sea Harriers were armed with AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles which proved to be far more reliable than their earlier predecessors.

Underside view reveals hard points and vector nozzles

The up-graded Harrier II Plus and the U.S. Marine’s AV-8B became much improved close-air support, ground-attack aircraft with improved radar systems and far more power that enabled it to carry a far greater weapons load.  It is relied upon now by ground troops in this role and will continue to be until it is replaced by the new Joint Strike Force aircraft, the F-35, that is expected to become operational for the Marines in 2015.

US Marine AV-8B during sea operations

Related Topics:

A-10 Thunderbolt / Warthog

F-100 Super Sabre

F-101 Voodoo

F-106 Delta Dart

Spitfire

Spitfire Mk

Supermarine

                                                                  

Spitfire

The bubble canopy seen here was introduced near the end of 1942 with the Spitfire Mk VIII.  The 20 mm wing-mounted cannon had been added earlier to counter the increased use of protective armor used in fighters such as the Focke-Wulf 190.  Cannon use was attempted on the Spitfire Mk I but the natural flex of its thin wing in g force maneuver caused the cannon to often misfeed and jam.   




Crew:                    1

Power:                   Rolls Royce 1478 hp Merlin 45 liquid cooled V-12 engine

Max. Speed:          594 kph / 369 mph
Ceiling:                 11,125 m / 36,500 ft
Range:                  1827 km / 1135 miles
Climb:                    6100 m / 20,000 ft in 7 minutes, 30 seconds

Weight -
Empty:                  2267 kg / 4998 lb
Max. Take Off:     2911 kg / 6417 lb

Size -
Wingspan:            11.23 m / 36 ft 10 in
Wing Area:           22.48 sq m / 242 sq ft
Length:                 9.12 m / 29 ft 11 in
Height:                  3.02 m / 9 ft 11 in

Armament:
                            8 - 7.7 mm / 0.303 in machine-guns

V I D E O

Elliptical wings optimize lift

20 mm cannon became available with the Mk V in 1941 but it wasn't until the introduction of the Mk IX in June, 1942 that the Spitfire gained parity with Germany's FW 190.  The Spitfire became more powerful but the cost was less agility.  

Battle of Britain Map

Not appreciating the significance of radar the Luftwaffe erred early on in not taking out these early warning stations situated along the English coast.  This enabled the RAF to better coordinate their air defense and helped compensate for their 4 to 1 numerical disadvantage in aircraft.  

Dogfight

By September, 1940 the Luftwaffe's focus on targeting RAF airfields was close to attaining Germany's goal of establishing air superiority over the English Channel, enabling Hitler's planned invasion of Britain.  Fate stepped in, though, when a German bomber accidentally bombed London.  Churchill responded with an RAF night raid on Berlin.  Hitler, incensed, redirected Luftwaffe resources to daily targeting of the English capitol.  The tragic attack on the civilian population allowed the RAF the time it needed to regroup and recover.  Hitler's terror tactic was a strategic failure and, with winter setting in, the planned invasion was indefinitely postponed.  

Legendary Aircraft

Spitfires began their epic engagement with Luftwaffe aircraft just over a year following their introduction to the RAF.  They were one of the factors, along with radar and the shrewd decision-making of RAF Air Marshall Dowding, that enabled Britain to end Hitler's string of victories at the shore of the English Channel.  

A V I A T I O N

Related Topics

Messerschmitt Bf 109

P-51 Mustang

Mitsubishi Zero

Boeing B-17

OVER EASY

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