CAC CA-15

The CAC CA-15, also known unofficially as the CAC Kangaroo, was an Australian propeller-driven fighter aircraft designed by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) during World War II. Due to protracted development, the project was not completed until after the war, and was cancelled after flight testing, when the advent of jet aircraft was imminent.

CA-15 "Kangaroo"
Role Fighter
National origin Australian
Manufacturer Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation
First flight 4 March 1946
Retired 1950
Status Scrapped
Primary user Royal Australian Air Force
Number built 1

Design and development
The CA-15 after crash landing at RAAF Point Cook

As the CAC Boomerang became more and more obsolete against the Mitsubishi A6M Zero by 1942, Sir Lawrence Wackett proposed designing a new high performance fighter from scratch with Fred David as the head of an in-house CAC design team.[1] During 1943, following the success of CAC and chief designer Fred David, in rapidly designing and mass-producing the small Boomerang fighter for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), CAC began design work on a fully fledged interceptor and bomber escort. In June 1943 the Royal Australian Air Force approved the design concept proposal and issued design specification 2/43 for work to commence [2]

Although the CA-15 bore a superficial resemblance to the North American P-51 Mustang,[3] the CAC design was not based directly on the American aircraft and had quite different performance objectives and dimensions.[3] For instance, David had been impressed by assessments of captured Focke-Wulf Fw 190s[4] and intended using a radial engine rather than the inline engines used in fighters like the Mustang. In fact, development of the CA-15 was slowed by a recommendation from CAC head Lawrence Wackett, that the company build Mustangs under licence, rather than bear the cost of developing a unique design. By the later stages of its development, it was believed that the CA-15 would have capabilities enabling it to replace the P-51.[5]

At first, the CAC designers planned to use the 2,300 hp (1,715 kW) radial Pratt & Whitney R-2800, with a turbocharger. However, that engine became unavailable,[6] causing further delays in development, and it was decided to fit an in-line Rolls-Royce Griffon Mk 61 (2,035 hp/1,517 kW). Engines for a prototype were leased from Rolls-Royce.[5] It was intended that any production engines would have a three-stage supercharger.

Operational history
The CA-15, piloted by Flt Lt J.A.L. Archer, over Melbourne, photographed from the rear turret of an Avro Lincoln bomber

Development was further slowed by the end of the war, with the prototype flying for the first time on 4 March 1946,[6] and was flown by CAC test pilot Jim Schofield, who also flew the first Australian built P-51. The prototype was assigned RAAF serial number A62-1001. According to aviation historian Darren Crick, it achieved a calibrated level flight speed of 448 mph (721 km/h) at 26,400 ft (8,046 m). Test flights came to an abrupt ending when Flt Lt J. A. L. Archer suffered a hydraulic failure (later found to be a leaking ground test gauge) on approach to Point Cook on 10 December 1946, which left him no choice but to orbit and burn off fuel. The main gear was only halfway down and unable to be retracted or lowered any further but the tail wheel was down and locked. On landing, the tail wheel struck the airstrip first causing the aircraft to porpoise and finally, the airscoop dug in. The aircraft settled back on the fuselage and skidded to a stop, heavily damaged.[5] After repairs at CAC, the aircraft was returned to ARDU in 1948. Archer reportedly achieved a speed of 502.2 mph (803 km/h) over Melbourne, after levelling out of a dive of 4,000 ft (1,200 m), on 25 May 1948.

By this time, however, it was clear that jet aircraft had far greater potential and no further examples of the CA-15 were built. The prototype was scrapped in 1950, and the engines were returned to Rolls-Royce.[5]

Operators
 Australia

Specifications
CA-15

Data from Commonwealth CA-15: The 'Kangaroo' Fighter[7], [8]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 36 ft 2.5 in (11.036 m)
  • Wingspan: 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m)
  • Height: 14 ft 2.75 in (4.3371 m)
  • Wing area: 253 sq ft (23.5 m2)
  • Airfoil: NACA 66 series[9]
  • Empty weight: 7,540 lb (3,420 kg)
  • Gross weight: 9,500 lb (4,309 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 12,340 lb (5,597 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 220 imp gal (264 US gal; 1,000 l) in two wing tanks + 30 imp gal (36 US gal; 136 l) in one fuselage tank + 2 optional 100 imp gal (120 US gal; 455 l) under-wing drop tanks
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Griffon 61 V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 2,035 hp (1,517 kW) with 18 psi (124.1 kPa) boost
  • Propellers: 4-bladed Rotol, 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) diameter constant-speed propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 442 mph (711 km/h, 384 kn) at 25,600 ft (7,803 m)
368 mph (320 kn; 592 km/h) at sea level
  • Range: 1,150 mi (1,850 km, 1,000 nmi) internal fuel
  • Ferry range: 2,540 mi (4,090 km, 2,210 nmi) maximum fuel at 5,000 ft (1,524 m) at 1,600 rpm
  • Service ceiling: 34,000 ft (10,000 m)
  • Rate of climb: 4,900 ft/min (25 m/s)
  • Time to altitude: 20,000 ft (6,096 m) in 5 minutes 30 seconds
  • Wing loading: 37.5 lb/sq ft (183 kg/m2) normal
48.8 lb/sq ft (238.3 kg/m2)

Armament

  • Guns: 6 × 0.50 in. (12.7 mm) machine guns (250 rounds each)
  • Rockets: provision for 10 × rockets
  • Bombs: 2 × 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs
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gollark: We could have r9k-test and pingchat-test.

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References

Notes
  1. Martin, RL (1994). "The CA-15 Fighter: An Item of Aeronautical Engineering Heritage Australasian Conference on Engineering Heritage (1st : 1994 : Christchurch, N.Z.)". Institution of Engineers, Canberra, 1994: 115-120. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. Martin, RL (1994). "The CA-15 Fighter: An Item of Aeronautical Engineering Heritage Australasian Conference on Engineering Heritage (1st : 1994 : Christchurch, N.Z.)". Institution of Engineers, Canberra, 1994: 115-120. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. Air Enthusiast October 1972, p. 179.
  4. Ross 1995, p. 321.
  5. Crick 2003
  6. Wilson, Stewart (1994). Military Aircraft of Australia. Weston Creek, Australia: Aerospace Publications. p. 216. ISBN 1875671080.
  7. Donald 1996, p. 121.
  8. Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1947). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1947 (35th ed.). London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. pp. 92c–93c.
  9. Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.

Bibliography
  • Crick, Darren. "RAAF A62 CAC CA-15" Archived 8 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine adf-serials.com, 2003.
  • Donald, David. "Commonwealth CA-15: The 'Kangaroo' Fighter". Wings of Fame, Volume 4, 1996, pp. 118–121. London: Aerospace Publishing. ISBN 1-874023-71-9. ISSN 1361-2034.
  • Francillon, René J. The Royal Australian Air Force & Royal New Zealand Air Force in the Pacific. Fallbrook, California: Aero Publishers Inc., 1970. ISBN 0-8168-0308-0.
  • Green, William, ed. "Antipodean Finale". Air Enthusiast, October 1972, Vol. 3. No 4, pp. 178–180.
  • Martin, RL (1994). "The CA-15 Fighter: An Item of Aeronautical Engineering Heritage Australasian Conference on Engineering Heritage (1st : 1994 : Christchurch, N.Z.)". Institution of Engineers, Canberra, 1994: 115-120. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • Ross, A.T. Armed and Ready: The Industrial Development and Defence of Australia 1900-1945. Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia: Turton & Armstrong, 1995. ISBN 0-908031-63-7.
  • Wilson, Stewart. Wirraway, Boomerang & CA-15 in Australian Service. Fyshwick ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd., 1991. ISBN 0-9587978-8-9.
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