Air Force Archives - Destination's Journey

Bloch MB.480 Floatplane

Designed as a twin-engined torpedo-bomber/reconnaissance floatplane for the French Navy, the Bloch MB.480 first flew in June 1939. Although testing was successfully completed, the Navy had decided to use landplanes for its intended role. The navy placed an order for 68 of the much faster Lioré et Olivier LeO 451 although none of these were delivered before the armistice.

Of the two prototypes built, one was destroyed in a collission with a pier on Étang de Thau on 23 June 1940. The second was placed into storage in Jul9 1940 and later scrapped.

Hughes XF-11 Reconnaissance Aircraft

Hughes XF-11

The Hughes XF-11 was a prototype reconnaissance aircraft designed for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Although 100 aircraft were ordered in 1943, the program was delayed beyond the end of the Second World War, rendering it surplus to the USAAF needs and it was cancelled.

The first of two prototypes (serial number 44-70155) crashed on its first flight on 7 July 1946, piloted by Howard Hughes who was critically injured. The second prototype (44-70156) first flew on 5 April 1947 again piloted by Hughes. This time without incident.

The United States Air Force (USAF) was created as a separate service in September 1947, and the XF-11 was redesignated as the XR-11 in July 1948. The XR-11 continued to fly until mid 1949, after which is was used as an instructional airframe for several months before being scrapped in November.

Hughes XF-11 under construction — Hughes XF-11

de Havilland Sea Vampire

With the development of jet aircraft, the Royal Navy was keen to evaluate their suitability for operation from aircraft carriers. As a result, the third de Havilland Vampire prototype LZ551/G was modified with 40% extra flaps, long travel oleos and an arrestor hook to become prototype Sea Vampire F.10. This aircraft became the first jet to make a deck landing and take-off from an aircraft carrier (from HMS Ocean) on the 3^rd December 1945. It was flown by Lt Cdr Eric “Winkle” Brown.

Despite the success of this trial, there were still many misgivings about the suitability of operating jet aircraft routinely from carriers, particularly concerning landing speed and operational range. As a possible solution an experimental flexible “rubber” deck was proposed, whereby jets would not require undercarriage. A reinforced fuselage and the removal of undercarriage allowed the aircraft to belly land on a rubber deck. This would extend range by allowing more fuel to be carried.

Six aircraft were converted from Vampire F.3s for the trial work as the Sea Vampire Mk 21. The prototypes were fitted with a strengthened fuselage for undercarriage-less trials on the rubberised deck. The trials were conducted at RAE Farnborough and then on HMS Warrior between 1949 and 1953. Despite the significant effort towards developing this idea it was found to be an unnecessary concept following the introduction of angled flight decks

The main Sea Vampire variant was the F.20, which although armed with four 20mm cannon was used mainly by training units for familiarization with jet aircraft. A total of 20 were built (including two prototypes).

The Sea Vampire T.22 of which 73 were built was similar to the land based T.11 but built for the Royal Navy. It was not navalised and was not fitted with an arrestor hook.