Dervish

That was a C-82 Packet.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/vbht4zglati7gbb/Wyvern.pdf/file

A hyphen makes all the difference, they should be the FM-1 and FM-2, the first and second versions of the FM. There would have been no F1M, the FM would have been followed by the F2M as different General Motors fighter designs. For example Grumman naval fighters were FF, F2F, F3F, F4F etc.

What’s a Seafire 111?

Exactly what I was thinking.

Wow! A serious Barracuda fan. The Barracuda with invasion stripes is probably an RAF aircraft of 567 Sqn based at RAF Detling, possibly either P9941 or P9942.

https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircraft/reaper-mq9a/

The AP for the Mk I and II doesn’t mention the RX/5/11 nor the RX/B5/8, just the same props as mentioned on the MkII and Mk III AP.

Barracuda I had the Rotol RX5/12 propeller and the Barracuda IIs and IIIs had the Rotol R4/4B5/2 propeller.

11ft 8.5ins actually for all Mk IIs, be they fitted with three or four-bladed props. 11ft 9ins was the Mk I three-blade diameter. This information is directly from the original Air Publication leading particulars section.

11ft 8.5ins for all Mk IIs and IIIs with the Merlin 32 engine. 11ft 9ins was the Mk I three-blade diameter for the Merlin 30 engine. This information is directly from the original Barracuda Air Publication leading particulars section.

No, Gosport was a separate airfield to Lee-on-Solent. It was RAF Gosport until transferred to the RN in 1945. RAF Gosport was one of the home bases for carrier borne FAA squadrons before the war.

Although the Barracuda could only carry one 500lb bomb or two 250lb bombs under each wing. It could a 1000lb or 2000 lb bomb under the fuselage but no other load.

The store was attached to the rack off aircraft then the rack and store were winched up by cable through the wing and retained by latches inside the wing structure, each rack resting on four fixed pads beneath the wing. The internal latch mechanism was accessible via small rectangular panels on top of and below the wing surface, the winch resting on the top surface of the wing when in use.

The Lynx HMA8 was retired from service on 10 March 2017 so I don’t know what’s been landing at the Helicopter Museum!