Caza australiano CAC Boomerang
El CAC Boomerang resultó ser un caza de pequeñas dimensiones
comparado con otros cazas coetáneos. La prioridad al diseñarlo fue la
maniobrabilidad, dejando en un segundo plano la velocidad. El territorio más
propicio para su actuación era la baja cota dónde desarrollaba su mejor valor.
El rendimiento disminuía según aumentaba la altitud con lo que se utilizó para
apoyo terrestre.
El caza estaba fabricado en
metal, de ala baja, manufacturado por la empresa australiana Commonwealth
Aircraft Corporation (CAC) entre 1942 y 1945. Los aparatos fabricados se
encuadraron en las unidades de la RAAF. Esta
se nutría de modelos de fabricación británica pero la industria aeronáutica
inglesa se encontraba tensionada intentando satisfacer las propias necesidades
de la RAF. El otro gran proveedor, Estados Unidos, también redujo sus ventas ya
que tenía que equipar a sus propias unidades. También los envíos estaban
sujetos a retrasos y pérdidas debido al hundimiento de los mercantes que los
transportaban. Cazas como el P-40 o P-39 sirvieron en Australia pero no estaban
en número suficiente. Con este panorama CAC contempló la posibilidad de diseñar
un caza nacional que sirviera de parche hasta la llegada de nuevo material. Por
aquellas fechas tan sólo dos tipos de aeronaves estaban en producción en suelo
nacional, el bombardero bimotor Bristol
Beaufort y el CAC Wirraway, un
entrenador, ataque a tierra.
Durante las primeras etapas de la
Guerra en el Pacífico las fuerzas aéreas aliadas sufrieron
fuertes pérdidas debido a la supremacía aérea japonesa. El Bristol Beaufort no era adecuado para construir un caza monomotor debido a su
falta de potencia. Las miradas se pusieron en dos modelos de aparatos, el North
American NA-50 y el Wirraway, con ellos se esperaba la construcción de un caza
para salir del paso. El NA-50 ya había desempeñado el papel de caza durante la
guerra Ecuatoriano-Peruano en 1941 mientras que el
Wirraway también proporcionaba un punto de partida interesante para la
construcción del caza.
El diseño del
nuevo caza Boomerang comenzó el 21 de diciembre de 1941 bajo la
supervisión del gerente general de CAC, Lawrence Wackett y el jefe de diseño
Fred David. El resultado fue designado oficialmente como CA-12 Boomerang Mk. I.
El primer vuelo lo realizó el 29 de mayo de 1942 y se construyeron un total de
250 aparatos. Estaba armado con dos cañones automáticos Hispano-Suiza HS.404 de
20 mm y 4 ametralladoras Browning de 7´7 mm. Además, podía cargar con hasta 227
Kg en bombas externas para ataque a tierra.
Fuentes:
FRANCILLON, R. “The Commonwealth Boomerang,
Aircraft in Profile number 178” Profile Publications, 1967
LURANC, Z. “Commonwealth Boomerang”
Wydawnicto Avia-Press, 2000
PENTLAND, G. “Commonwealth Boomerang
Described” Kookaburra Technical Publications, 1964.
WILSON, S. “Wirraway, Boomerang & CA-15
in Australian Service” Aerospace Publications, 1991
English version
The CAC Boomerang proved a hunting small compared
to other contemporary fighters.
The priority was
to design maneuverability,
leaving the background rate. The more conducive to his
performance was the lowest point
territory where he
developed his best value. The
yield decreased as altitude increased with
what was used for ground support.
The fighter was made of metal, low-wing, manufactured by the Australian company Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) between 1942 and 1945. The fabricated devices were framed in the RAAF units. This was nourished by British-made models but the British aircraft industry was stressed trying to meet their own needs of the RAF. The other major supplier, United States, also lowered its sales as it had to equip their own units. Also shipments were subject to delays and losses due to sinking of merchant who shipped. Fighters like the P-40 or P-39 served in Australia but were not in sufficient numbers. With this background CAC contemplated designing a National Hunt Patch serve until the arrival of new material. At that time only two types of aircraft were in production on national soil, twin-engine bomber Bristol Beaufort and CAC Wirraway, coach, ground attack.
The fighter was made of metal, low-wing, manufactured by the Australian company Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) between 1942 and 1945. The fabricated devices were framed in the RAAF units. This was nourished by British-made models but the British aircraft industry was stressed trying to meet their own needs of the RAF. The other major supplier, United States, also lowered its sales as it had to equip their own units. Also shipments were subject to delays and losses due to sinking of merchant who shipped. Fighters like the P-40 or P-39 served in Australia but were not in sufficient numbers. With this background CAC contemplated designing a National Hunt Patch serve until the arrival of new material. At that time only two types of aircraft were in production on national soil, twin-engine bomber Bristol Beaufort and CAC Wirraway, coach, ground attack.
During the early stages of the War in the Pacific Allied air forces suffered heavy losses due to the Japanese air supremacy. The Bristol Beaufort was not suitable to build a single-engine fighter due to his lack of power. The looks were placed in two models of appliances, the North American NA-50 and Wirraway, with them building a fighter was expected to get by. The NA-50 had already played the role of hunting in the Ecuadorian-Peruvian war in 1941 while the Wirraway also provided an interesting construction of hunting game.
The design of the new fighter Boomerang began on December 21, 1941 under the supervision of CAC CEO, Lawrence Wackett and chief designer Fred David. The result was officially designated as CA-12 Boomerang Mk. I. The first flight was made on 29 May 1942 and a total of 250 units are built. He was armed with two automatic cannons Hispano-Suiza HS.404 20 mm and 4 machine guns Browning of 7.7 mm. Furthermore, it could carry up to 227 kg in external pumps for ground attack.
Sources:
FRANCILLON, R. “The Commonwealth Boomerang, Aircraft
in Profile number 178” Profile Publications, 1967
LURANC, Z. “Commonwealth Boomerang”
Wydawnicto Avia-Press, 2000
PENTLAND, G. “Commonwealth Boomerang
Described” Kookaburra Technical Publications, 1964.
WILSON, S. “Wirraway, Boomerang & CA-15
in Australian Service” Aerospace Publications, 1991
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