Dark Earth: Exercise Warhammer

As a bit of context, the RAF Order of Battle in 1963:


7980 aircraft

Fighter Command (1866 aircraft)
562 English Electric Lightnings (24 Squadrons)
380 Avro Arrows (16 Squadrons)
376 Fairey Delta IIs (16 Squadrons)
364 Supermarine Sunstars (16 Squadrons)
184 Saunders-Roe Phoenix (8 Squadrons)

Bomber Command (2748 aircraft)
756 Vickers Valiants (32 Squadrons)
562 Avro Vulcans (24 Squadrons)
467 Supermarine Eagle TSR-2s (20 Squadrons)
368 Handley-Page Vengeance (16 Squadrons)

469 Bristol Skytankers (15 Squadrons)

42 Bristol Bluebirds (4 Squadrons)
84 English Electric Canberra PR.9s (4 Squadrons)

256 Blue Streak ICBM (4 Squadrons; 6400 miles; 160 with 10 and 96 with 25 Mt)
240 Black Arrow MRBM (4 Squadrons; 2500 miles; 2.5 Mt)
250 Red King GLCM (4 Squadrons; 3200 miles; 1 Mt)

Strike Command (944 aircraft)
284 de Havilland Spectres (16 Squadrons)
280 Hawker-Siddeley Harriers (12 Squadrons)
263 Hawker-Siddeley Merlins (12 Squadrons)
120 English Electric Canberra (5 Squadrons)

RAF Germany (864 aircraft)
240 Hawker-Siddeley Harriers (10 Squadrons)
192 de Havilland Spectres (8 Squadrons)
144 Supermarine Sunstars (6 Squadrons)
144 English Electric Lightnings (6 Squadrons)
144 Hawker-Siddeley Merlins (6 Squadrons)

Transport Command (874 aircraft)
156 Bristol Britannias (6 Squadrons)
154 Fairey Rotodynes (6 Squadrons)
380 Vickers Voyagers (16 Squadrons)
184 Shorts Belfasts (8 Squadrons)

Middle East Air Force (338 aircraft)
92 de Havilland Spectres (4 Squadrons)
90 Hawker Siddeley Harriers (4 Squadrons)
86 English Electric Lightnings (4 Squadrons)
46 Avro Arrows (2 Squadron)
24 Fairey Rotodynes (1 Squadron)

Far East Air Force (346 aircraft)
96 de Havilland Spectres (4 Squadrons)
96 English Electric Lightnings (4 Squadrons)
85 Hawker-Siddeley Harriers (4 Squadrons)
45 Avro Arrows (1 Squadron)
24 Fairey Rotodynes (1 Squadron)

It is capable of delivering a sharp repost to mules and hinnies as well.

This shows the RAF in the process of contraction as part of the ideas of the 1961 Defence White Paper; Labour have ambitions of expansion in some areas and will win the 1964 election, as we know from the timeline.

The Britannias will be replaced by HS.681s very soon and the Rotodynes are being shifted from RAF Transport Command to Special Operations Command, but this is a matter of some dispute.

Steve

It is a larger RAF, which historically peaked in 1952 with 6,338 on strength. The big differences on Dark Earth comes from the extended Korean War conventional rearmament, the lack of a shift to a purely nuclear defence in the 1952 Global Strategy Paper, a full-on regional war and near WW3 in 1956, the lack of a 1957 Defence White Paper and the 1960 Crisis. Significantly, the pursuit of ABM technology and certain magical defences make nuclear weapons less of a be-all and end-all.

The contraction is coming, albeit from a much higher maximum strength and with the necessity to maintain very strong forces in the Middle East and Far East. However, it runs into that scourge of money-saving schemes: events.

For example, after 1963, as South Vietnam heats up, the operational strength of the Far East Air Force is doubled. This is further increased in 1965 as war with Indonesia is very narrowly avoided; an extremely cold peace with larger forces in Malaya ensues.

The ICBM force is primarily aimed at the USSR, but also at China. It has enough to ensure that a very strong strike gets through any defences, malfunctions and intervention.

Many aircraft are historically based, albeit all very different.

Historically Based

Avro Arrow: This is not the baseline Arrow, but a more advanced version roughly somewhere between the proposed Mark 2 and Mark 3 in performance. Very long range.

Fairey Delta II: Based on the historical Fairey Delta III for the F.155 in appearance, with a maximum speed of Mach 3.2 a long range and a heavy AAM capacity. It's predecessor, the Fairey Delta, is our Fairey Delta II, adapted into an operational fighter that has a performance very similar to the @ Mirage III.

Saunders-Roe Phoenix: SR.187 with more powerful 32,500lbf engines in addition to their rockets; as in all other cases, it carries a better AAM capacity.

TSR-2: This is a much larger aircraft with VG wings. Full details are in the article in the 'Never Had it So Good' thread, but it is basically of a size and capacity similar to the Tu-22M Backfire, whilst still bearing a strong visual resemblance to the @ TSR-2.

de Havilland Spectre: The de Havilland DH.127, with a larger size and range. It is something of a 1950s proto-Phantom, with a smaller bombload of 12000lb and a combat radius of 409nm

Hawker-Siddeley Merlin: This is the Hawker P.1121. It is really the British equivalent to the Phantom in terms of its all-round versatility, but has a longer range and more emphasis on the 'strike fighter' mission. With the advent of the de Havilland Tornado, it will take on new roles. Combat radius is 650nm, compared to 525nm for the F-4.

Fairey Rotodyne: An evolved version of the historical aircraft, with a top speed of 295mph and a range of 500nm.

In military terms, they play the role of

- ASW helicopters
- AEW aircraft
- Light tactical transports like the de Havilland Canada Caribou
- Light attack/surveillance/FAC aircraft like the OV-1 Mohawk and the OV-10 Bronco
- COIN aircraft
- SAR helicopters
- Amphibious assault helicopters
- Helicopter gunships
- Air assault helicopters
- Cargo helicopters
- Utility helicopters
- Recon

It takes on many of the roles of the heavy lift helicopters, such as the Chinook, Super Stallion, Sea Knight and Sea Stallion from @. There is a niche for light, section/squad level helicopters, such as the Huey, Lynx, Wessex, Wasp, Gazelle and Alouette, but only a limited one. Eventually, by the mid 1970s, the small frigates and destroyers of the 50s will be out of service, and new ships will be large enough to take a Rotodyne each as a minimum.

Vickers Voyager: This is the Vickers VC-7/V-1000, with a capacity of 200 passengers or troops or 160 paratroopers.


Ahistorical/Fictional Aircraft

Supermarine Sunstar: This is an original fighter. It has the wing shape of the North American Aviation submission to the USAF FX project, two afterburning Rolls Royce Olympus turbojets with 29,500lbf each, a twin tail and a fuselage that looks similar to the historical Vickers Supermarine Type 583.

Handley-Page Vengeance: This is based on the historical Supersonic Victor variant, with a higher top speed. It fills the role of a pathfinder/strategic reconnaissance bomber, designed to kick in the door of Soviet air defences, destroying SAM sites, radars and fighters with nuclear AGMs and AAMs for the Vulcans.

Bristol Skytanker: An original design aerial tanker with a fuel capacity of 240,000lb, it looks like an enlarged Bristol 200 with four underwing podded engines.

Bristol Bluebird: Take the Bristol 188, increase it in size, give it a larger wing and slot in two extremely powerful engines. The result is a fast, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft.





Avro Arrow – 2 x Orenda Iroquois w. 32000lbf; Mach 2.87@ 70000ft; ceiling of 80000ft; 960nm combat radius; 4 x Firebolt, 4 x Skyblade, 4 x Galahad, 2 x 25mm ADEN cannon

Fairey Delta II – 2 x RR RB.108 Skylon turbojets w.36250lbf; Mach 3.25@ 70000ft; ceiling of 85000ft; 750nm combat radius; 4 x Skyblade, 8 x Galahad; 2 x 25mm ADEN cannon; 4000lb bombload

Supermarine Sunstar Type 560 – 2 x Rolls Royce Olympus w.24000 lbf; Mach 2.4 @50000ft; ceiling of 67000ft; 495nm combat radius; 4 x Firebolt, 4 x Skyblade, 2 x 25mm ADEN cannon; 5000lb bombload

Saunders-Roe SR.187 Phoenix – 1 x de Havilland Gyron turbojet w. 25625lbf, 1 x de Havilland Ghost rocket engine w. 12500lbf , Mach 3.125@75000ft, ceiling of 85000ft, 300nm combat radius, 2 x Firebolt, 4 x Skyblade, 2 x 25mm ADEN cannon; 8000lb bombload

Supermarine Eagle TSR-2 - 2 x Rolls Royce Olympus turbofans w. 29500lbf; Mach 2.5@ 50000ft; ceiling of 85000ft; 1600nm combat radius; 32000lb bombload

Handley-Page Vengeance - 4 x de Havilland Gyron w. 25000lbf; Mach 2.65@ 50000ft; ceiling of 70000ft, 2400nm combat radius; 40000lb bombload

Bristol Bluebird - 2 x Rolls Royce RB.124 Skylon II turbojets w. 36250lbf; Mach 3.25@85000ft; ceiling of 100000ft; 2400nm combat radius

de Havilland Spectre - 2 x de Havilland Gyron w. 20000lbf, Mach 2.36@50000ft, ceiling of 65000ft, 400nm combat radius; 4 x Firebolt, 4 x Skyblade, 2 x 25mm ADEN cannon; 12000lb bombload

Hawker Siddeley P.1121 Merlin – 1 x de Havilland Gyron w. 29500lbf, Mach 2.7@ 60000ft, ceiling of 70000ft, 640nm combat radius; 4 x Firebolt, 4 x Skyblade, 2 x 25mm ADEN cannon; 20000lb bombload



And, for good measure:

Hawker Siddeley Harrier P.1154 – 1 x Bristol BS125 Pegasus w. 32500lbf; Mach 2.5 @40000ft; ceiling of 60000ft; 300nm combat radius; 4 x Firebolt, 2 x Skyblade, 2 x 25mm ADEN cannon; 8000lb bombload

English Electric Lightning – 2 x RR Thames RB.106 w 30000lbf; Mach 3.025@70000ft; ceiling of 85000ft; 425nm combat radius; 4 x Firebolt, 4 x Skyblade, 4 x Galahad, 2 x 25mm ADEN cannon

Avro Vulcan - 8 x 24000lbf Rolls-Royce Olympus, Mach 1.25@50000ft; Ceiling of 67250ft; 3600nm combat radius; 24 x Firebolt, 8 x Skyblade, 4 x 25mm ADEN; 80000lb bombload

Vickers Valiant - 4 x 16250lbf Rolls-Royce Avon, 960mph, 65000ft ceiling, 48000lb bombload, 2400nm combat radius, 4 x 25mm ADEN cannon

Second that simon darkshade, the information you always provide is second to none.

A Tornado, seems we will not see a fighter named Tornado in the near future that was a joint Euro project i guess.