Australia's Most Powerful Piston Driven Aircraft

[@henke7864]

One of many aircraft i would love to see in WT.

[@gettinglost316]

Imagion all the versions they could pump out with all the engine changes

[@jettstorm2253]

Oh what could have been... Awesome stuff, Ash

[@majura3743]

Shame this thing never saw the light of day. Incredible plane

[@devonlord99]

It did, unfortunately it was scrapped.

[@majura3743]

@@devonlord99 I meant go into service, my bad

[@devonlord99]

@@majura3743 No worries, and yeah same.

[@Badger13x]

Amazing what CAC achieved in such a short time from building from basically nothing.

[@martijn9568]

Getting denied that many engines is pretty unfortunate.

[@Ratty_Rex]

Awesome plane and amazing vid on it. That armament would have really suited it.

[@aircraftonjacks]

Agreed!

[@piotrekszczepanski5125]

such a cool aircraft! last time I visited the Moorabbin air museum they had the cockpit section of one on display.

[@ferdyahern4355]

Great to see you back ash, these vids always make my day

[@manofbias8113]

i wonder if there's any footage of the CA-15 bouncing on it's gear, would probably be very funny to watch

[@aircraftonjacks]

There might be footage in the Australian war memorial, however I highly doubt that as there is only a handful of pictures with the aircraft.

[@brigidrockne9113]

Great video! What a wonderful plane. I wish it had been put into production, just so I could see one! It really is a beautiful aircraft

[@aircraftonjacks]

Couldn't agree more!

[@tsegulin]

Interesting aircraft with extraordinary prototype performance claims in 1946 that would have been really useful in service in 1943/44. This is a salutary lesson on how Australia has figured in the wartime priorities of the US and Britain. (AUKUS notwithstanding it probably still is). The founding of CAC in the 1930s to provide Australia with its own autonomous airframe design and production capability showed unusual vision for the Commonwealth Government. Pity that did not extend to a similar engine plant (although US Pratt and Whitney radials were license produced in Sydney). High performance aircraft piston engines take typically 5 years from design to service - longer than most airframe designs. I'm a little disappointed there was no mention for the CA-15's designer, Fred David. This bloke had a remarkable story that gave him the design competence to make this aircraft possible. An Austrian Jew (originally Friedrich Dawid) he was trained in Germany and worked there for many years for Heinkel and Fiesler. Ernst Heinkel had such a high regard for David and his mathematical design skills that as the Nazis clamped down on German Jews, he used his personal connections in Japan to get him work at Mitsubishi and Aichi, where he was involved in the design of the Aichi 'Val' dive bomber that played such a vital role in the bombing of Pearl Harbour and Darwin. When CAC offered him a job in 1939, he moved to Melbourne and changed is name by deed poll to Fred David. Under Laurence Wackett was instrumental in designing the CA-12 Boomerang, adapted from components already licensed from the North American Texan which were also being used for the Wirraway. He had the first prototype ready in 3 months from the go-ahead - an achievement I can only recall being matched by the North American P-51 Mustang (also designed by a German expat, Edgar Schmued) and Heinkel He-162 'Volksjager' jet fighter. Despite David being a key worker in the Australian war aviation industry, given his background he was regarded as an 'enemy alien' and had to report to the police weekly! He would go on to teaching and later be involved in the successful Ikara missile project. He seems to have been forgotten these days but in terms of Australian aviation history Fred David might well be worthy of his own video.

[@D_F_A]

We need your influence to make it happen in WT.

[@fennhecker7996]

a new episode!

[@javiartbarreda3851]

great video!

[@sinisterisrandom8537]

More amazing content welcome back :-)

[@aircraftonjacks]

More to come!

[@thefruitdealer4970]

Now that is one good looking plane, reminds me of a kangaroo for some strange reason

[@panzerkampfwagenvdauphine6489]

a yes the aircraft that results of the unholy combination of a firebrand and a mustang

[@manofbias8113]

firecrest wit' no inverted gull wings

[@ronchappel4812]

..after the first two engine knockbacks: "you can supply engines? Great. SEND.THEM.*NOW* THEN we'll build the plane around them😆

[@b0BSh4nk3r]

ayyy finally

[@stevetwede9901]

Nose looks like a P-51 H

[@nathanielb7061]

o7

[@z_actual]

if you dont make your own engines you end up making little or nothing