The Crooked Beat
26-05-2005, 01:54
Crooked Aerospace (CAe) has, in response to Parliamentary requirements, turned out the first prototype of what looks quite ready to become the Crooked Air Force's first jet-powered combat aircraft.
Flight tests have shown promise, and the FB. 1 is almost ready for series production.
http://1000aircraftphotos.com/APS/3013L.jpg
While Crooked Aerospace's Waylayer faces tough competition from Crooked Aeronautics' Ghoul (http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/equip/grfx/equip_gallery/historic_gallery/wallpaper/vampire.jpg), the Ghoul is a much more advanced aircraft and therefore will take significantly longer to develop. The CAF's failure to aquire the Gloster Meteor in a timely fashion has begun to sting, so the Waylayer is intended as something of a stopgap measure.
Essentially a jet-powered CAEr Spiteful, the Waylayer is powered by a Crooked Engines Nene (liscence-built) turbojet supplying a somewhat unimpressive thrust-to-weight ratio but is reliable enough for Crooked field conditions.
The single pilot is equipped with an ejection seat, and the bubble canopy facilitiated quick and easy jettisoning. Four 20mm Hispano-Suiza aircraft cannons are the main armament, but there is capacity for two 1,000lb bombs or eight 5in rockets.
The RCAF is expected to aquire twelve of the type to equip No. 5 border squadron, which is tasked with protecting the disputed western frontier.
CAe has also announced plans to offer the Waylayer up for export, as a replacement for older piston-engined combat aircraft.
The RCAF doesn't have total faith in the type, however, and plans to only equip the squadron that needs them most with them, opting to wait for the Ghoul before touching the battle-tested Spitfire Mk. XII, Spitfire Mk. 24, and Typhoon squadrons. There are currently no plans to replace the Beaufighter entirely, although the air command staff have reportedly looked into the Bristol Brigand.
Flight tests have shown promise, and the FB. 1 is almost ready for series production.
http://1000aircraftphotos.com/APS/3013L.jpg
While Crooked Aerospace's Waylayer faces tough competition from Crooked Aeronautics' Ghoul (http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/equip/grfx/equip_gallery/historic_gallery/wallpaper/vampire.jpg), the Ghoul is a much more advanced aircraft and therefore will take significantly longer to develop. The CAF's failure to aquire the Gloster Meteor in a timely fashion has begun to sting, so the Waylayer is intended as something of a stopgap measure.
Essentially a jet-powered CAEr Spiteful, the Waylayer is powered by a Crooked Engines Nene (liscence-built) turbojet supplying a somewhat unimpressive thrust-to-weight ratio but is reliable enough for Crooked field conditions.
The single pilot is equipped with an ejection seat, and the bubble canopy facilitiated quick and easy jettisoning. Four 20mm Hispano-Suiza aircraft cannons are the main armament, but there is capacity for two 1,000lb bombs or eight 5in rockets.
The RCAF is expected to aquire twelve of the type to equip No. 5 border squadron, which is tasked with protecting the disputed western frontier.
CAe has also announced plans to offer the Waylayer up for export, as a replacement for older piston-engined combat aircraft.
The RCAF doesn't have total faith in the type, however, and plans to only equip the squadron that needs them most with them, opting to wait for the Ghoul before touching the battle-tested Spitfire Mk. XII, Spitfire Mk. 24, and Typhoon squadrons. There are currently no plans to replace the Beaufighter entirely, although the air command staff have reportedly looked into the Bristol Brigand.