Shipbucket

Though the war prevents the Texas Navy from building larger capital ships, the expanded shipbuilding industry will allow them to build additional light cruisers - which are sorely need to replace the existing ships.

With that, the Texas Air Force activates the 99th Observation Squadron in preparation for the first new light cruiser to commission in 1943. It is equipped with the Curtiss Seamew:



Selected only because it had folding wings and the older Seagulls were no longer in production, the Seamew was almost universally hated by everyone that flew it. The pilots disliked its instability when the observer's canopy was open, disrupting the airflow over the rudder, and despised the engine's tendency to overheat at low power. Observers from the Navy hated observing with the canopy shut...a no-win situation all around. The O-6A, as it was designated, was derisively called the "Sea-Poo" instead of Seamew.

Later in 1943, the Air Force will experiment with powerplants borrowed from older P-40C Warhawks with some success and call those variants the O-6B, but the bad reputation will last through the war and they are withdrawn from service in September 1945.

Nice addition.

Nice!

Nice work, the Torch lineup is a neat touch too.

After languishing in Texas for the better part of 1942, the 6th Fighter Group and its squadrons were given orders sending them to England to join the fight. But before leaving, they handed off their P-40s to a newly established fighter group and were told they would receive newer aircraft upon arrival in theater.

Expecting to get British Spitfires, they instead were surprised by the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, designated the F-10A for Texas service:



Astounded by the aircraft's size and critical of its long take-off run and poor rate of climb, the 6th Fighter Group quickly learned to love the big, comfortable and rugged Thunderbolt. At high altitudes it was surprisingly agile, and it outranged all but the P-38s when fitted with external tanks. Later in the war it would excel as a fighter-bomber, transferred to support ground operations after the P-51s come into service.

Nice!

The first BUFF, lol! She looks great, but was kind of hoping for a Texan Green Drab and Sand scheme

was kind of hoping for a Texan Green Drab and Sand scheme

When I replace the P-40s in North Africa you'll see it.

That's cool, glad to have you back Red

Can't wait to see the P-51D and B-29 in Texan Air Force colors!