Mein Duff

Not a P-38 Variation?

Mein Duff

How about a P-61 Black Widow?

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

You have a PM. Thanks; Ernie P.

Herbs_007

The Fairy Gannet.

SimonCraig1

It's only when you see the answers everyone comes up with you realise there are several solutions. Anyway no-one right so far but you are all circling...

I'm looking for an airplane...

1. It had two engines counter rotating to reduce engine torque effects.
2. It was involved in 1949 incident with the People's Republic of China.
3. It used a specially modified version of a very famous engine to reduce drag.
4. It was one of the last piston engined aircraft to enter service.

Herbs_007

The DH Hornet..

SimonCraig1

And we have a winner! Well done Herbs.

I'm looking for an airplane...

1. It had two engines counter rotating to reduce engine torque effects. Interestingly they had to reverse the direction of rotation for better yaw stability.
2. It was involved in 1949 incident with the People's Republic of China. Two Hornets were scrambled from Hong Kong following the PLAAF shooting down of a Cathy Pacific C-54.
3. It used a specially modified version of a very famous engine to reduce drag. Rolls-Royce Merlin
4. It was one of the last piston engined aircraft to enter service. It was pretty much neck and neck with the Hawker Fury

Other clues:

5. It was the first twin engined aircraft to regularly operate from (including landing on) an aircraft carrier. It rapidly became obsolete and was replaced by the DH Vampire.
6. It was the last in a line of aircraft using construction techniques developed in a 1930's racing aircraft.(The plywood balsa sandwich made famous with the Mosquito but originally used on the DH88 Comet.)

Quoting Eric "Winkle brown:
"Circumstances had conspired against the Sea Hornet in obtaining the recognition that it justly deserved as a truly outstanding warplane...in my book the Sea Hornet ranks second to none for harmony of control, performance characteristics and, perhaps most important, in inspiring confidence in its pilot. For sheer exhilarating flying enjoyment, no aircraft has ever made a deeper impression on me than did this outstanding filly from the de Havilland stable."

Herbs_007

I'm looking for an airplane:

1. It has one engine and entered service with the RAF in late 1942.

Herbs_007

2. Although based on one of the best USA fighters of WW2, this aircraft was designed for different duties.

Herbs_007

I'm looking for an airplane:

1. It has one engine and entered service with the RAF in late 1942
2. Although based on one of the best USA fighters of WW2, this aircraft was designed for different duties.
3. This version kept the original engine, later versions changed powerplants

Herbs_007

I'm looking for an airplane:

1. It has one engine and entered service with the RAF in late 1942
2. Although based on one of the best USA fighters of WW2, this aircraft was designed for different duties.
3. This version kept the original engine, later versions changed powerplants
4. The USAAF & RAF expected this aircraft to operate below 12000 feet while on a mission

Herbs_007

I'm looking for an airplane:

1. It has one engine and entered service with the RAF in late 1942
2. Although based on one of the best USA fighters of WW2, this aircraft was designed for different duties.
3. This version kept the original engine, later versions changed powerplants
4. The USAAF & RAF expected this aircraft to operate below 12000 feet while on a mission

5. This version was fitted with dive brakes and bomb racks

rgburrill

oops

rgburrill

P-51/A-36

Herbs_007

And we have a winner! Congrats rgburrill

I'm looking for an airplane:

1. It has one engine and entered service with the RAF in late 1942
2. Although based on one of the best USA fighters of WW2, this aircraft was designed for different duties.
3. This version kept the original engine, later versions changed powerplants
4. The USAAF & RAF expected this aircraft to operate below 12000 feet while on a mission

5. This version was fitted with dive brakes and bomb racks

The first A-36A (42-83663) was rolled out of the NAA Inglewood plant in September 1942, rapidly going through flight testing with the first flight in October, with deliveries commencing soon after of the first production machines emerged. The A-36A continued the use of nose-mounted .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns along with wing armament of four .50 in (12.7 mm) caliber machine guns. The USAAF envisaged that the dive bomber would operate mainly at altitudes below 12,000 ft (3,658 m) and specified the use of a sea level-rated Allison V-1710-87, driving a 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m)-diameter three bladed Curtiss-Electric propeller and delivering 1,325 hp (988 kW) at 3,000 ft (914 m).[10] The main air scoop inlet was redesigned to become a fixed unit with a larger opening, replacing the earlier scoop which could be lowered into the airstream. In addition the A-36 carburetor air intake was later fitted with a tropical air filter to stop sand and grit being ingested into the engine.[6][11]

The USAAF later ordered 310 P-51As which were essentially A-36s without the dive-brakes and nose mounted weapons, leaving an armament of four wing-mounted 0.50 in (12.7 mm) Browning machine guns.[12] An Allison V-1710-81 1,200 hp (895 kW) was fitted and used the same radiator and air intake as the A-36A. The P-51A was still fitted with bomb racks although it was not intended to be used primarily as a fighter-bomber and the racks were mainly used to carry drop tanks.[12][13]

rgburrill

And then the Brits gave us the Rolls engines and we had a real engine for altitude [8D]

rgburrill

Now, what was the very basic difference between the Rolls and Allison that allowed one to work at altitude while the other worked better on the deck?

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Obviously, the method of induction. Perhaps a better question is why they didn't use the turbo supercharger on the Allison. And, that answer is below. Thanks; Ernie P.


The production Allison turned out to be the sturdy and reliable powerplant that its designers had striven for. The only thing that stood between the Allison and real greatness was its inability to deliver its power at sufficiently high altitudes. This was not the fault of its builders. It resulted from an early Army decision to rely on turbo-supercharging to obtain adequate power at combat heights. Even this decision was not a technical error. A turbo-supercharged Allison was as good a high-altitude engine as most. The trouble was that the wartime shortage of alloying materials, especially tungsten, made it impossible to make turbo-superchargers for any but a small proportion of Allison engines. Therefore, bomber engines were given priority over all others.

a65l

My Feedback: (17)

And there was, of course, a very famous application of the Allison engine that performed superbly at high altitudes. As a matter of fact, that was part of the design specification.


Sorry, not my question....

stang151

The two speed, two stage blower on the RR was the main difference.

rgburrill

Ernie is the winner - and the turbocharger/supercharger fight goes still goes on today.

Back to you Ernie.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Sorry, guys; I didn't realize that was an actual question. I though it was just a follow on comment on the previous question. Okay; I have to travel Monday, so I'll make this an easy one. Some one will get it pretty quickly, I'm sure. Thanks; Ernie P.


What warbird do I describe?


Clues:

(1) It served both Army and Navy units.

(2) The design was based upon careful study of an enemy fighter.

stang151

Mabye I missunderstood the question ,, but when was the R.R. Merlin ever turbosuppercharged?

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

Moving right along. Thanks; Ernie P.


What warbird do I describe?


Clues:

(1) It served both Army and Navy units.

(2) The design was based upon careful study of an enemy fighter.

(3) Many of the design features of the enemy aircraft were carried over into this design.

(4) The fuselage was welded steel tubing.

Ernie P.

My Feedback: (3)

I don't think anyone indicated that, Sir. The question was why the Allison engined A-36 was great at low altitude, and the Merlin engined P-51 was so superior at higher altitudes. I was simply stating that the Allison engine in the A-36 wasn't turbosupercharged, although it could have been so equipped. Shortage of tungsten limited the number of Allison turbosupercharged engines that could be built, and those were reserved for bombers.

The later Merlin engines were equipped with a two stage supercharger, although a turbocharger was considered for the Spitfire at one point. Only problems with fitting ducting into the available space prevented the Merlin engined Spitfire from going with a turbo. The turbo would have extended the range of the Spitfire. Thanks; Ernie P.