IPA 34 Chakram fighter
Very few would accuse the Indian People's Aviation 34 "Chakram" of being a brilliant aircraft. In fact, one would be painfully misguided to do such a thing, and in complete fairness to the designs of the Chakram, they had never set out to build the best fighter in the world. The problems which had led to the Chakram weren't related to the aircraft design per se - it was perfectly possible to design a much better aircraft, and indeed the French design teams that had cooperated extensively on the Chakram had, with the demonstration of fighter designs back in France, been able to present a wide array of better aircraft that would have higher performance and capability than the Indian fighter.
Unfortunately, they all ran into a single problem - engine power. You see, other things on the fighter could be gotten away with, with difficulty. Frame? Yes, wood was somewhat heavier than metal and offered some construction difficulties, but fundamentally the aerodynamics were sound. Armament? Machine guns that didn't seize up at altitude and were capable of being light enough to be mounted on the aircraft and without jamming problems weren't always easy to build, but they could be done. Instrumentation, controls, the vast supply of spare parts needed? All were feasible.
Engine power though, was something one wasn't getting around. Despite major investments in the Commune's industry, helped by French advisers and the purchase of French equipment, fundamentally there was no matching the amount of power that advanced European, American, and Japanese aero engines were producing, certainly not on a scale that the Commune would be able to mass-produce. There, engine power was starting to edge over the 800 horsepower level, aiming towards 1000 in some countries. In India, the best engines were lucky to be able to put out some 500 horsepower, and even with that, they were extremely difficult for the Commune to manufacture. There were hopes that with work over time, that there would be the capacity to build more powerful aircraft engines, which would permit more capable aircraft to be produced. But if the Commune was to have its own fighters, and not simply be dependent upon vulnerable imports from the rest of the Internationale in Britain and in France, then it was of the utmost necessity that it be able to put a fighter into service which could overcome the problem of a deficiency in the single greatest characteristic of fighter design - engine power.
Thus the focus on the light fighter concept. There could be no luxury in the Indian fighter design. Every single kilogram of spare weight had to be exorcised from the design, driven out. There could not be a single unnecessary feature, there could not be a single aspect of it which wasn't ruthlessly pared down to the absolutely lightest weight, if it was to be remotely competitive with foreign fighter designs. In this regard, the Indian and French aircraft designers building it were capable of producing a fighter which matched these objectives.
Certainly, the deficiencies showed through. The aircraft's design, building off of French experience, is broadly speaking reasonably advanced - a wooden monocoque fuselage, cantilever wings with landing flaps, set low, and retractable landing gear. In other regards the limitations were clear. In an era where enclosed cockpits were starting to become a thing, even the slight additional weight of this glass was rejected, although this wasn't as great of a problem as it might otherwise seem - after all, the fighter would presumably operate above all else at rather low altitude, speed would not be too great, and it would help with pilot visibility. Self-sealing fuel tanks were rejected as well - weight issues. The two machine guns (7.7mm caliber) equipped for it, a light armament, are mounted behind the propeller, and fire with interrupter gear. The need to keep weight down was so intense, that they don't have any cowlings or cases, and are kept bare and protrude into the cockpit. This cockpit itself is exceptionally small and cramped, suiting the small size of the aircraft. These guns are equipped with 600 rounds per gun, and are capable of a rate of fire of up to 1,200 rounds per minute and firing through the propeller with interrupter gear. In the future, when more power can be coaxed out of the engine, one of the principal priorities will be providing for additional armament. There is absolutely no armor and the aircraft is built as light as it can get away with. Most Chakrams are not equipped with radios, although these are starting to come into service in greater numbers.
The small engine does have advantages however, being very light, and not requiring a radiator. The small, light, air-cooled v-12 inverted engine, the Kumar 12k enables a small frontal area, and most important, it is actually an engine which is within the production range of the Commune - if barely. There is no supercharger, which does much to make it easier to manufacture and helps cut weight, but which restricts the aircraft firmly to a low altitude role. Variable pitch propellers are included for the three-bladed propellers.
As a result of this, a design emerged which was by no means perfect. The aircraft was acceptably fast, but would break no speed records. Its maneuverability was rather good, and it was pleasant to fly, but limited power might jeopardize it over time. Rate of climb was decent at best. Armament was weak. And range was terribly limited, barely reaching 600 kilometers. But it was good enough, and the best has always been the enemy of good enough. Good enough for Commune factories to turn out the engines for it. Good enough for Commune forests to supply the timber for the aircraft. Good enough for Commune pilots to fly. Good enough to fight.
Good enough to win, unlike the warriors of India who had in the past fought with the Chakram throwing-circle against the English, for this time, the spirit of science and technology would be mobilized in the defense of the workers and peasants.
Crew: 1
Length: 8.12 meters
Wingspan: 9.03 meters
Height: 2.45 meters
Wing area: 13.55 square meters
Empty weight: 1,125 kilograms
Loaded weight: 1,411 kilograms
Power-plant: x1 Kumar 12k air-cooled inverted v-12 piston engine, 500hp
Propeller: 3-bladed variable pitch
Maximum speed: 443 kilometers per hour top speed at 4,000 meters
Service ceiling: 8,000 meters
Rate of climb: 9.8 meters per second
Guns: x2 M1933 7.7mm machine guns, 500 rounds per gun, 1,200 rpm.
Range: 600 kilometers
Unfortunately, they all ran into a single problem - engine power. You see, other things on the fighter could be gotten away with, with difficulty. Frame? Yes, wood was somewhat heavier than metal and offered some construction difficulties, but fundamentally the aerodynamics were sound. Armament? Machine guns that didn't seize up at altitude and were capable of being light enough to be mounted on the aircraft and without jamming problems weren't always easy to build, but they could be done. Instrumentation, controls, the vast supply of spare parts needed? All were feasible.
Engine power though, was something one wasn't getting around. Despite major investments in the Commune's industry, helped by French advisers and the purchase of French equipment, fundamentally there was no matching the amount of power that advanced European, American, and Japanese aero engines were producing, certainly not on a scale that the Commune would be able to mass-produce. There, engine power was starting to edge over the 800 horsepower level, aiming towards 1000 in some countries. In India, the best engines were lucky to be able to put out some 500 horsepower, and even with that, they were extremely difficult for the Commune to manufacture. There were hopes that with work over time, that there would be the capacity to build more powerful aircraft engines, which would permit more capable aircraft to be produced. But if the Commune was to have its own fighters, and not simply be dependent upon vulnerable imports from the rest of the Internationale in Britain and in France, then it was of the utmost necessity that it be able to put a fighter into service which could overcome the problem of a deficiency in the single greatest characteristic of fighter design - engine power.
Thus the focus on the light fighter concept. There could be no luxury in the Indian fighter design. Every single kilogram of spare weight had to be exorcised from the design, driven out. There could not be a single unnecessary feature, there could not be a single aspect of it which wasn't ruthlessly pared down to the absolutely lightest weight, if it was to be remotely competitive with foreign fighter designs. In this regard, the Indian and French aircraft designers building it were capable of producing a fighter which matched these objectives.
Certainly, the deficiencies showed through. The aircraft's design, building off of French experience, is broadly speaking reasonably advanced - a wooden monocoque fuselage, cantilever wings with landing flaps, set low, and retractable landing gear. In other regards the limitations were clear. In an era where enclosed cockpits were starting to become a thing, even the slight additional weight of this glass was rejected, although this wasn't as great of a problem as it might otherwise seem - after all, the fighter would presumably operate above all else at rather low altitude, speed would not be too great, and it would help with pilot visibility. Self-sealing fuel tanks were rejected as well - weight issues. The two machine guns (7.7mm caliber) equipped for it, a light armament, are mounted behind the propeller, and fire with interrupter gear. The need to keep weight down was so intense, that they don't have any cowlings or cases, and are kept bare and protrude into the cockpit. This cockpit itself is exceptionally small and cramped, suiting the small size of the aircraft. These guns are equipped with 600 rounds per gun, and are capable of a rate of fire of up to 1,200 rounds per minute and firing through the propeller with interrupter gear. In the future, when more power can be coaxed out of the engine, one of the principal priorities will be providing for additional armament. There is absolutely no armor and the aircraft is built as light as it can get away with. Most Chakrams are not equipped with radios, although these are starting to come into service in greater numbers.
The small engine does have advantages however, being very light, and not requiring a radiator. The small, light, air-cooled v-12 inverted engine, the Kumar 12k enables a small frontal area, and most important, it is actually an engine which is within the production range of the Commune - if barely. There is no supercharger, which does much to make it easier to manufacture and helps cut weight, but which restricts the aircraft firmly to a low altitude role. Variable pitch propellers are included for the three-bladed propellers.
As a result of this, a design emerged which was by no means perfect. The aircraft was acceptably fast, but would break no speed records. Its maneuverability was rather good, and it was pleasant to fly, but limited power might jeopardize it over time. Rate of climb was decent at best. Armament was weak. And range was terribly limited, barely reaching 600 kilometers. But it was good enough, and the best has always been the enemy of good enough. Good enough for Commune factories to turn out the engines for it. Good enough for Commune forests to supply the timber for the aircraft. Good enough for Commune pilots to fly. Good enough to fight.
Good enough to win, unlike the warriors of India who had in the past fought with the Chakram throwing-circle against the English, for this time, the spirit of science and technology would be mobilized in the defense of the workers and peasants.
Crew: 1
Length: 8.12 meters
Wingspan: 9.03 meters
Height: 2.45 meters
Wing area: 13.55 square meters
Empty weight: 1,125 kilograms
Loaded weight: 1,411 kilograms
Power-plant: x1 Kumar 12k air-cooled inverted v-12 piston engine, 500hp
Propeller: 3-bladed variable pitch
Maximum speed: 443 kilometers per hour top speed at 4,000 meters
Service ceiling: 8,000 meters
Rate of climb: 9.8 meters per second
Guns: x2 M1933 7.7mm machine guns, 500 rounds per gun, 1,200 rpm.
Range: 600 kilometers
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