The Fairchild TB4Q "Flounder"

[sequoiaranger]

Backstory:

Developed in parallel with the famous “Upkeep” large, surface-skimming depth-charges carried by four-engined “Dam Buster” Lancaster bombers, a smaller, more rounded version known as “Highball” was to be used against warships. The twin-engined DeHavilland Mosquito bomber was rigged up to use two of these novel weapons. Induced backspin and fast forward motion when dropped from sea-skimming altitude would theoretically have the Highball splashing toward an enemy warship like a skipping stone until the weapon hit the side of a ship. The backspin and gravity would see the Highball sink in the water to explode at a pre-set depth against the ship’s hull. The weapon could be dropped at high speed (some 350mph), limiting the time of danger to the aircraft when approaching an enemy warship. The Royal Air Force’s 618 Squadron worked up with them for use against the German battleship Tirpitz, and some Sea Mosquitoes were even rigged for use aboard carriers for the Pacific campaign, but never actually used against warships.

All the above was real-world history, but in my alternative world….

The US Navy was intrigued with the British “bouncing depth-charge” idea for use against enemy warships in lieu of the torpedo, and of bombers so fast they needed no defensive armament. Pained to see lumbering torpedo bombers being slaughtered at Midway in their slow approach, the US Navy sought to license-build Sea Mosquitoes carrying Highball weapons. Too large for all but one of the aircraft carriers currently in service with the US Navy, these twin-engined bombers might be ideal for the upcoming Midway class of large aircraft carriers. The largest carrier in US Navy inventory at the time, the USS Lafayette (converted French liner Normandie), would be ideal to test out the concept.

Fairchild Aircraft Corporation, an under-utilized aircraft manufacturer in the US war economy making only spare parts and gunnery drones, was chosen to adapt the Sea Mosquito for US Naval use. Higher-powered, American-made Packard Griffon engines replaced the Merlins in a new bulged cowling, and “handed” five-bladed propellers would give good acceleration to these speedy, unarmed bombers. The forward fuselage was extended to include a third Highball apparatus, and roller doors were added over the previously open bomb-bay to preserve in-flight airflow. The tailplanes were reduced from the standard two horizontal and one vertical to a new “Vee” tail, much like the little-used French DP-750 “Papillon”. A pair of air-brakes was added to the rear fuselage to slow the plane’s rapid dive descent to launching speed. The crew’s ample Mosquito windscreen was reduced to a small pilot’s bubble with a flat front panel and the bombardier’s bubble not much more than a “fishbowl”. A special, spring-loaded tilt-up cockpit covering (like the hood of a car) aided crew entry, and especially bail-out. Despite Fairchild’s official, tepid “TB4Q Fleetcraft” name, the halibut-like appearance quickly earned the alliterative moniker “Flounder” that was so persistent it became “official”. A beefed-up rear fuselage and tailhook for carrier landings, a single-oleo main landing gear, and folding wings completed the carrier conversion.

Trials aboard the USS Lafayette went smoothly, the only modification being to the deck-edge elevator to accommodate the long fuselage. The normally square elevator was given a “home plate” outboard extension. An experimental version with an additional “tailwheel” in the mid-fuselage and a detachable tail for use in cramped British carriers met with little enthusiasm.

Lafayette was loaned to the British Mediterranean Fleet early in 1943, and Highball-equipped Flounders were used successfully against Italian merchant shipping to test the concept and to perfect approaches to warships more heavily armed. The old, pre-dreadnought battleship San Giorgio was sunk, battleship Vittorio Veneto, and cruiser Bolzano damaged by Highball attacks off Cape Matapan. Flounder #7 of the “Lafayette Escadrille” (“Hat-in-the-Ring”) successfully splashed two Highballs against VV’s side, disabling her for hours, but she limped away from the battle. #7’s personal insignia, a cartoon giraffe with the inscription, “the Highballs are on me!” had the ordnance anatomically placed.

Sailing to the Pacific, Lafayette and the Flounder’s Highballs were most famously used on the large Musashi, one of two enormous Japanese battleship-to-carrier conversions (the other being the Shinano) and the largest carriers in the world in early 1944. At the Marianas sea battle, the pair had been damaged and slowed to a crawl by an evening attack. As the rest of the Japanese fleet left them behind, they knew powerful US forces would attack in the morning. USS Hornet’s new Douglas Decimators, powerful but traditional torpedo bombers, took on the Shinano whilst the Flounders attacked Musashi.

The Flounder’s normal approach was at medium level, diving down at high speed (over 400 mph) to level off about 60 feet above the water, deploy the air brakes to bring down speed to about 350 mph, side-slip a bit while releasing the three Highballs in sequence to avoid possible interference, then pouring on full speed and banking away. The Highballs were painted dark gray with a single white stripe so that cameras could record the spin rate and effectiveness. Several dozen Highballs slammed into Musashi despite fierce fighter defense, and the numerous underwater holes flooded her quickly. Musashi’s flight deck was awash before the entire attack was over, and she sank on almost an even keel.

The Lafayette missed the big Leyte Gulf battle, being in port for an overhaul, and her Flounders and Highballs were not used again. The moisture-absorbing wooden structure of the Flounder was found to be unsuited to prolonged use at sea, and the metal Decimators and “WHOPPER” standard torpedoes were used aboard the Midways instead. The Fairchild Flounder was dropped from US Navy attack inventory post-war, and the remaining aircraft used instead for reconnaissance work from land bases.

Modelwise: Airfix, Matchbox, and Tamiya 1/72 Mosquitoes were used as a basis, plus aftermarket tailplanes and Vac-formed canopies. A Monogram Twin Mustang and a Matchbox Lancaster provided the nacelles, with Spitfire “Griffon” engine bulges and 5-bladed propellers. Paragon after-market “Highball” ordnance and bomb-bay insert were used on the stretched-forward fuselage. The model depicts a Flounder of the “Lafayette Escadrille” aboard the carrier USS Lafayette in the Mediterranean in the summer of 1943, right after the successful disablement of the Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto. Regular mission markings depict standard bombing/recce missions; the “highball” glass marking denoting actual Highball special-weapons missions. With little room by the cockpit for “nose art”, the individualized “giraffe” motif was put on the fuselage just aft of the wings.

Edited October 19, 2011 by sequoiaranger

[Natter]

Now that's weird. Cool, but weird.

[sequoiaranger]

Now that's weird. Cool, but weird.

Yes, Natter, but when the going gets weird, the weird get going! Thanks for the comment.

[robw_uk]

now that is rather unusual..... Really like it

[Mike DeTorrice]

This is a fascinating and very well done what-if type build. A great story connected to it, too. Excellent work !

Mike

[jimbuna]

She's a beauty.

[Bertie McBoatface]

This is brilliant. The best what-if I ever saw and read. I love the detail in the story as much as the detail in the build, which is excellent by the way. Superb.

Some questions: I assume the butterfly tail was to fit it into the carrier hangars? And please will you post a picture of the Decimator?

[sequoiaranger]

>The best what-if I ever saw and read.<

I'm pleased that you like it.

>Some questions: I assume the butterfly tail was to fit it into the carrier hangars?<

A serendipitous by-product of trying to eliminate one tailfinny protuberance and still have good control.

>...will you post a picture of the Decimator?<

I have a somewhat similar-in-format, illustrated backstory to the Decimator on another website. I will link it here:

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,26149.0.html

and post ONE pic of "The Revenge of Torpedo Eight" here:

Edited October 20, 2011 by sequoiaranger

[Bertie McBoatface]

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,26149.0.html

Bravo!

[sequoiaranger]

Don, MikeDT, robw_uk, and jimbuna---thanks. I have enjoyed making "whifs" for decades (since the early 1970's). Sometimes they get a little crazy, but *I* enjoy them, and that is all that really matters. If others like them, then that is a bonus.

PS---I am also "Admiral U. Furashita" of "Furashita's Fleet", the website with WW II-era warships not-of-reality. (Do we see a "theme" here of "not-of-reality"?? Can "Cloud-Cuckoo Land" be up ahead?)

http://www.combinedfleet.com/furashita/furamain.htm

Many of my whif aircraft take off from the aircraft carriers described therein. I don't restrict myself to naval aircraft, but emphasize them.

[Ian]

Beautiful paintwork, great story and execution.

Ian

[ChancerUK]

Lovely work a truly excellent conversion and a fascinating idea.

[oldhouse]

Very interesting aircraft , like it very much !! Superb paint Job !!!

[sequoiaranger]

Oldhouse, ChancerUK, and Ian,

Thanks for the kind words. At least is isn't a "same ol', same ol' " kind of aircraft. Ain't NOBODY got one like this!