Submarine Aircraft Carriers

[_Uigi]

I disagree with the op slant that carriers are expensive and vulnerable. First hand experience would reveal a different story. As for the suggestion of sub “carriers”,
just to design a submersible on this scale would be pointless for the following reasons (that I can think of at the moment):

1. The damned thing would bigger than anything ever built; aircraft that didn’t fold up like a pocketknife would have to be stored in hangarbays that contained so much air that ballasting the thing to submerge would (at least) quadruple the overall size, tonnage, and fully surfaced draft to totally unmanageable fiqures.

2. Where would you find a port in the US that’s capable of handling a vessel with a (conservative estimate) draft of what would have to be over 130 feet?

I’ll stick with SLCMs and their very talented follow-on versions that will be fielded very soon at a war near you, and leave air dominance in distant lands to the carriers.

[_Uigi]

*Originally posted by catmandu42 *
**Oh, there were some “drawing board” type of ideas that centered around the idea of a piggyback fighter in the UK, but nothing ever came of it as far as I can determine. I’ve heard rumors that the USSR experimented with it’s own version of the goblin for it’s bear bombers, but they pretty much gave up after killing 2 or 3 test pilots. I think the closest we will ever get to an “airborne carrier” is probably in the computer game “Crimson Skies”, which is pretty slick. **

How about the USN dirigibles (USS Macon and others) that launched/recovered Curtiss “Sparrow Hawk” biplane fighters from a trapese rig? I think they were capable of carrying 6 internally on a rather complicated overhead trolley system.

[_Uigi]

Apologies for forgetting a link. Here’s the spot: http://www.naval-airships.org/

[Irishman]

Kilt-wearin’ man, thanks, I knew there was a real event in there somewhere, but didn’t have the specifics.

[Tuckerfan]

We’ve forgotten the most famous submarine aircraft carrier of all! The Seaview from Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea:D!! Okay, so it carried a flying sub, and not a real airplane! Still, the principle’s kinda the same, doncha think? No, I haven’t been smoking anything! No, I haven’t been drinking! Okay, so I’m crazy!

[catmandu42]

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by 'Uigi *
**

How about the USN dirigibles (USS Macon and others) that launched/recovered Curtiss “Sparrow Hawk” biplane fighters from a trapese rig? I think they were capable of carrying 6 internally on a rather complicated overhead trolley system. **

This is true. I didn’t forget about them… Shortie was asking about UK airplanes tho…
The Macon was actually a damned good design, and given time to mature, and a different set of circumstances, might have actually come to fruition. Unfortunately for it, the airplane won out. However, there are indications that blimps might be on a return for large-scale cargo transport sometime in the near future.