Had they tried to pair the Gloster F.5/34 with the Merlin engine, I think the Gloster F.5/34 would have been one hell of a fighter, capable of holding its own against the ME-109 in the early stages of the air campaign. Its sad that this beautiful aircraft was relagated to the back pages of history because no one at the time had the interest to try a more powerful engone on the airframe.

I had plans.....Looks Zeroish, doesn't it? Could have saved 2 Battleships, 2 cruisers and an

A too underpowered aircraft with the Mercury

A too underpowered aircraft with the Mercury

I soon as I saw this aircraft that was my first thought, what a fantastic fleet defense fighter. If the performance figures on Wikipedia are to be belived it would have been fine for the naval battles of 1939/40. Better still if it had used the Sleavevalved Taurus engine. The British carrier force would have been much better off if they had just produced and developed the Ark Royal class of carriers (with their two hanger decks for 60 aircraft) and started the war with the Gloster F5 fighter with a Taurus engine, the Albacore torpedeo bomber(some 30mph faster than the swordfish) and Skua (a MKII version re-engined with the Taurus to carry a 1000lb bomb load and dedicated only to dive bombing). Just these minor changes to history and the FAA would have had so much more success,

I think, the most important performance of this plane is the posibility of a long range. Perhaps, in the worst moment, of the lonely hour, could pursuit the bomber going to France and olso destroy them in the floor.

With an upgraded Mercury XV engine it would have been a very promising support aircraft for the Royal Navy had the vision been there.

Sorry but the Bristol 146 is way too ugly(aesthetically challenged) for even my imagination,as well as proportionally awkward. Glad you didn't mention the Vickers Venom.

Like the similar Bristol 146, the Gloster F.5/34 suffered from the choice of a too-small engine, which made the aircraft uncompetitive with the Spitfire and Hurricane. I agree that the use of the Hercules engine poses an exciting prospect. I would anticipate performance similar to the Fw-190, and an air-cooled engine would better suit the low-altitude/ground attack mission than the Merlin. Carrier applications are obvious.

In my version of alternate history, Adm Boyd ruled the navy,the Fleet Air Arm had priority, Roy Fedden had a free hand and this aircraft became the fleet fighter that they never had until Sea Fury, post war. of course, it had a 90degree twist in the undercarriage per Curtiss, like F6f & F4U, 4 Hispano 20's with 150 round box magazine, Hercules engine with aft-facing exhaust as later developed, centerline and wing plumbed hardpoints for fueltanfs or bombs. Gladiator never existed, nor did Skua, Roc, Defiant, Battle,( Hurri-Bombers filled in), Fulmar etc. I had plans.....Looks Zeroish, doesn't it? Could have saved 2 Battleships, 2 cruisers and an aircraft carrier.