Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz
06-01-2020, 11:46 PM
I'm thinking the Packard Merlin myself. Probably wrong but it was used in five versions of the P-51 Mustang as well as the F-82 Twin Mustang, both being "iconic" aircraft
06-02-2020, 04:13 AM
Senior Member
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What warbird engine do I describe?
1. This was the first engine produced by this company.
2. This engine was an unqualified success; powering an iconic aircraft.
3. In fact, it could be said this engine powered two iconic aircraft; although the second took some time before it was recognized as such.
4. And the company went on to even greater success over the years.
5. This engine was an immediate hit; and the only limitation to its success was how to make even more of them.
6. This was aided by farming out production to another company.
7. Some of the key features of this engine were shared by other, earlier, and well known engines.
8. Essentially these features, in addition to excellent power, were smoothness of operation; excellent balancing and low vibration.
9. But this engine has an additional feature; a rather simple one, but a very important one.
10. This feature allowed our subject engine to produce full power at higher altitude than any other engine.
Last edited by Ernie P.; 06-02-2020 at 06:43 PM.
06-02-2020, 07:48 AM
Senior Member
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Today is getting busy, so I'll drop the afternoon and evening clues now. Thanks; Ernie P.
What warbird engine do I describe?
1. This was the first engine produced by this company.
2. This engine was an unqualified success; powering an iconic aircraft.
3. In fact, it could be said this engine powered two iconic aircraft; although the second took some time before it was recognized as such.
4. And the company went on to even greater success over the years.
5. This engine was an immediate hit; and the only limitation to its success was how to make even more of them.
6. This was aided by farming out production to another company.
7. Some of the key features of this engine were shared by other, earlier, and well known engines.
8. Essentially these features, in addition to excellent power, were smoothness of operation; excellent balancing and low vibration.
9. But this engine has an additional feature; a rather simple one, but a very important one.
10. This feature allowed our subject engine to produce full power at higher altitude than any other engine.
11. And this gave the aircraft in which it was first used the ability to dominate the battlefield.
12. And only the end of the war stopped it from being an even bigger success story.
What warbird engine do I describe?
1. This was the first engine produced by this company.
2. This engine was an unqualified success; powering an iconic aircraft.
3. In fact, it could be said this engine powered two iconic aircraft; although the second took some time before it was recognized as such.
4. And the company went on to even greater success over the years.
5. This engine was an immediate hit; and the only limitation to its success was how to make even more of them.
6. This was aided by farming out production to another company.
7. Some of the key features of this engine were shared by other, earlier, and well known engines.
8. Essentially these features, in addition to excellent power, were smoothness of operation; excellent balancing and low vibration.
9. But this engine has an additional feature; a rather simple one, but a very important one.
10. This feature allowed our subject engine to produce full power at higher altitude than any other engine.
11. And this gave the aircraft in which it was first used the ability to dominate the battlefield.
12. And only the end of the war stopped it from being an even bigger success story.
06-03-2020, 01:55 AM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
Morning clue. Thanks; Ernie P.
What warbird engine do I describe?
1. This was the first engine produced by this company.
2. This engine was an unqualified success; powering an iconic aircraft.
3. In fact, it could be said this engine powered two iconic aircraft; although the second took some time before it was recognized as such.
4. And the company went on to even greater success over the years.
5. This engine was an immediate hit; and the only limitation to its success was how to make even more of them.
6. This was aided by farming out production to another company.
7. Some of the key features of this engine were shared by other, earlier, and well known engines.
8. Essentially these features, in addition to excellent power, were smoothness of operation; excellent balancing and low vibration.
9. But this engine has an additional feature; a rather simple one, but a very important one.
10. This feature allowed our subject engine to produce full power at higher altitude than any other engine.
11. And this gave the aircraft in which it was first used the ability to dominate the battlefield.
12. And only the end of the war stopped it from being an even bigger success story.
13. The power produced by this engine has been underestimated in some texts.
What warbird engine do I describe?
1. This was the first engine produced by this company.
2. This engine was an unqualified success; powering an iconic aircraft.
3. In fact, it could be said this engine powered two iconic aircraft; although the second took some time before it was recognized as such.
4. And the company went on to even greater success over the years.
5. This engine was an immediate hit; and the only limitation to its success was how to make even more of them.
6. This was aided by farming out production to another company.
7. Some of the key features of this engine were shared by other, earlier, and well known engines.
8. Essentially these features, in addition to excellent power, were smoothness of operation; excellent balancing and low vibration.
9. But this engine has an additional feature; a rather simple one, but a very important one.
10. This feature allowed our subject engine to produce full power at higher altitude than any other engine.
11. And this gave the aircraft in which it was first used the ability to dominate the battlefield.
12. And only the end of the war stopped it from being an even bigger success story.
13. The power produced by this engine has been underestimated in some texts.
06-03-2020, 10:00 AM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
Afternoon clue. Thanks; Ernie P.
What warbird engine do I describe?
1. This was the first engine produced by this company.
2. This engine was an unqualified success; powering an iconic aircraft.
3. In fact, it could be said this engine powered two iconic aircraft; although the second took some time before it was recognized as such.
4. And the company went on to even greater success over the years.
5. This engine was an immediate hit; and the only limitation to its success was how to make even more of them.
6. This was aided by farming out production to another company.
7. Some of the key features of this engine were shared by other, earlier, and well known engines.
8. Essentially these features, in addition to excellent power, were smoothness of operation; excellent balancing and low vibration.
9. But this engine has an additional feature; a rather simple one, but a very important one.
10. This feature allowed our subject engine to produce full power at higher altitude than any other engine.
11. And this gave the aircraft in which it was first used the ability to dominate the battlefield.
12. And only the end of the war stopped it from being an even bigger success story.
13. The power produced by this engine has been underestimated in some texts.
14. This is because the power rating numbers used were slightly different in different systems.
What warbird engine do I describe?
1. This was the first engine produced by this company.
2. This engine was an unqualified success; powering an iconic aircraft.
3. In fact, it could be said this engine powered two iconic aircraft; although the second took some time before it was recognized as such.
4. And the company went on to even greater success over the years.
5. This engine was an immediate hit; and the only limitation to its success was how to make even more of them.
6. This was aided by farming out production to another company.
7. Some of the key features of this engine were shared by other, earlier, and well known engines.
8. Essentially these features, in addition to excellent power, were smoothness of operation; excellent balancing and low vibration.
9. But this engine has an additional feature; a rather simple one, but a very important one.
10. This feature allowed our subject engine to produce full power at higher altitude than any other engine.
11. And this gave the aircraft in which it was first used the ability to dominate the battlefield.
12. And only the end of the war stopped it from being an even bigger success story.
13. The power produced by this engine has been underestimated in some texts.
14. This is because the power rating numbers used were slightly different in different systems.
06-03-2020, 03:02 PM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
Evening clue. Thanks; Ernie P.
What warbird engine do I describe?
1. This was the first engine produced by this company.
2. This engine was an unqualified success; powering an iconic aircraft.
3. In fact, it could be said this engine powered two iconic aircraft; although the second took some time before it was recognized as such.
4. And the company went on to even greater success over the years.
5. This engine was an immediate hit; and the only limitation to its success was how to make even more of them.
6. This was aided by farming out production to another company.
7. Some of the key features of this engine were shared by other, earlier, and well known engines.
8. Essentially these features, in addition to excellent power, were smoothness of operation; excellent balancing and low vibration.
9. But this engine has an additional feature; a rather simple one, but a very important one.
10. This feature allowed our subject engine to produce full power at higher altitude than any other engine.
11. And this gave the aircraft in which it was first used the ability to dominate the battlefield.
12. And only the end of the war stopped it from being an even bigger success story.
13. The power produced by this engine has been underestimated in some texts.
14. This is because the power rating numbers used were slightly different in different systems.
15. But the power this engine produced was very obvious to the pilots who flew behind the engine.
What warbird engine do I describe?
1. This was the first engine produced by this company.
2. This engine was an unqualified success; powering an iconic aircraft.
3. In fact, it could be said this engine powered two iconic aircraft; although the second took some time before it was recognized as such.
4. And the company went on to even greater success over the years.
5. This engine was an immediate hit; and the only limitation to its success was how to make even more of them.
6. This was aided by farming out production to another company.
7. Some of the key features of this engine were shared by other, earlier, and well known engines.
8. Essentially these features, in addition to excellent power, were smoothness of operation; excellent balancing and low vibration.
9. But this engine has an additional feature; a rather simple one, but a very important one.
10. This feature allowed our subject engine to produce full power at higher altitude than any other engine.
11. And this gave the aircraft in which it was first used the ability to dominate the battlefield.
12. And only the end of the war stopped it from being an even bigger success story.
13. The power produced by this engine has been underestimated in some texts.
14. This is because the power rating numbers used were slightly different in different systems.
15. But the power this engine produced was very obvious to the pilots who flew behind the engine.
06-04-2020, 12:48 AM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
Not the Wasp; nor was the engine a Turbo or Super Charged one. But here's a bonus clue to accompany the morning clue. Thanks; Ernie P.
What warbird engine do I describe?
1. This was the first engine produced by this company.
2. This engine was an unqualified success; powering an iconic aircraft.
3. In fact, it could be said this engine powered two iconic aircraft; although the second took some time before it was recognized as such.
4. And the company went on to even greater success over the years.
5. This engine was an immediate hit; and the only limitation to its success was how to make even more of them.
6. This was aided by farming out production to another company.
7. Some of the key features of this engine were shared by other, earlier, and well known engines.
8. Essentially these features, in addition to excellent power, were smoothness of operation; excellent balancing and low vibration.
9. But this engine has an additional feature; a rather simple one, but a very important one.
10. This feature allowed our subject engine to produce full power at higher altitude than any other engine.
11. And this gave the aircraft in which it was first used the ability to dominate the battlefield.
12. And only the end of the war stopped it from being an even bigger success story.
13. The power produced by this engine has been underestimated in some texts.
14. This is because the power rating numbers used were slightly different in different systems.
15. But the power this engine produced was very obvious to the pilots who flew behind the engine.
16. They were well aware of the difference when they flew the plane mentioned earlier.
17. The difference made by the “additional feature” allowed better control over the fuel mixture as the altitude increased.
What warbird engine do I describe?
1. This was the first engine produced by this company.
2. This engine was an unqualified success; powering an iconic aircraft.
3. In fact, it could be said this engine powered two iconic aircraft; although the second took some time before it was recognized as such.
4. And the company went on to even greater success over the years.
5. This engine was an immediate hit; and the only limitation to its success was how to make even more of them.
6. This was aided by farming out production to another company.
7. Some of the key features of this engine were shared by other, earlier, and well known engines.
8. Essentially these features, in addition to excellent power, were smoothness of operation; excellent balancing and low vibration.
9. But this engine has an additional feature; a rather simple one, but a very important one.
10. This feature allowed our subject engine to produce full power at higher altitude than any other engine.
11. And this gave the aircraft in which it was first used the ability to dominate the battlefield.
12. And only the end of the war stopped it from being an even bigger success story.
13. The power produced by this engine has been underestimated in some texts.
14. This is because the power rating numbers used were slightly different in different systems.
15. But the power this engine produced was very obvious to the pilots who flew behind the engine.
16. They were well aware of the difference when they flew the plane mentioned earlier.
17. The difference made by the “additional feature” allowed better control over the fuel mixture as the altitude increased.
06-04-2020, 07:18 AM
Senior Member
But I don't think the IIIa was the first eng. built by BMW. I keep coming back to fuel injection but that wasn't developed till between wars. Neither was the Diesel.
06-04-2020, 09:32 AM
My Feedback: (6)
I think it depends on how you define "the manufacturer." BMW was once Rapp Motorenwerke, which made engines, one of which was the predecessor of the IIIa. But the IIIa was the first engine it made after becoming BMW. How different the two companies were with respect to things like ownership and management I don't know. Apart from that issue, I think the IIIa fits all the other clues exactly.
06-04-2020, 10:50 AM
I totally forgot about carb heat, something that is used on many general aviation planes today. I too, was thinking injection after my turbo and superchargers were "shot down".
06-04-2020, 01:35 PM
Senior Member
My Feedback: (3)
I wanted to highlight the engine that powered some of the Fokker D.VII fighters in 1918. It was those that were fitted with the BMW IIIa that are usually used to provide the performance charts. Certainly, the best of the Jastas were given the best of the Fokkers. Check out the Ju F 13, BTW; it also used the BMW engine and it did some great things after the war.
The secret to the engines ability to perform so well at all altitudes is summarized below:
The engine was successful, but the real breakthrough came in 1917, when Friz integrated a basically simple throttle butterfly into the twin-barrel "high-altitude carburettor", enabling the engine to develop its full power high above the ground. Burning a special high octane fuel of gasoline blended with Benzole, the carburettor adjusted the richness of the fuel-air mixture according to the aircraft's altitude. It enabled the engine, now dubbed BMW IIIa, to develop a constant 200 horsepower (150 kW) up to an altitude of 2000 meters – a decisive advantage over competitors' engines.
Okay, Al; you figured it out and you're up. Good job, BTW; you did quite well. Thanks; Ernie P.
What warbird engine do I describe?
1. This was the first engine produced by this company.
2. This engine was an unqualified success; powering an iconic aircraft.
3. In fact, it could be said this engine powered two iconic aircraft; although the second took some time before it was recognized as such.
4. And the company went on to even greater success over the years.
5. This engine was an immediate hit; and the only limitation to its success was how to make even more of them.
6. This was aided by farming out production to another company.
7. Some of the key features of this engine were shared by other, earlier, and well known engines.
8. Essentially these features, in addition to excellent power, were smoothness of operation; excellent balancing and low vibration.
9. But this engine has an additional feature; a rather simple one, but a very important one.
10. This feature allowed our subject engine to produce full power at higher altitude than any other engine.
11. And this gave the aircraft in which it was first used the ability to dominate the battlefield.
12. And only the end of the war stopped it from being an even bigger success story.
13. The power produced by this engine has been underestimated in some texts.
14. This is because the power rating numbers used were slightly different in different systems.
15. But the power this engine produced was very obvious to the pilots who flew behind the engine.
16. They were well aware of the difference when they flew the plane mentioned earlier.
17. The difference made by the “additional feature” allowed better control over the fuel mixture as the altitude increased.
18. And the additional power produced allowed the “iconic aircraft” to out climb anything it faced on the battlefield.
19. The iconic aircraft flew with a variety of engines; and its performance was judged by those who flew against it.
20. And they, of course, had no way of knowing which engine was being used.
21. But they certainly noticed a difference in the abilities of the aircraft parceled out to different units.
22. Our engine was an inline engine.
23. Water cooled.
24. SOHC valvetrain.
25. It had, for the time, a high compression ratio.
26. And it used a special, for the time, high octane fuel.
27. The design for the engine were produced in mid-1917.
28. And it first flew in late 1917.
29. And went into production and was fielded in early 1918.
Answer: The BMW IIIa
BMW IIIa was an inline six-cylinder SOHC valvetrain, water-cooled aircraft engine, the first-ever product from BMW GmbH. Its success laid the foundation for future BMW success. It is best known as the powerplant of the Fokker D.VIIF, which outperformed any allied aircraft.
Design and development
On 20 May 1917, Rapp Motorenwerke (which later that year became BMW GmbH) registered the documentation for the construction design for the new engine, dubbed BMW III. Designed by Max Friz and based on the Rapp III engine, it was an SOHC in-line six-cylinder, just as the earlier Mercedes D.III was, which guaranteed optimum balance, therefore few, small vibrations. It was designed with a high (for the era) compression ratio of 6.4:1. The first design drawings were available in May, and on 17 September the engine was on the test rig. After a successful maiden flight for the IIIa in December 1917, volume production started up at the beginning of 1918.
The military authorities were responsible for the fact that the first BMW product was designated with a III instead of an I. As early as 1915, the IdFlieg German military aviation inspectorate introduced uniform model designations for aero engines, with the Roman numeral referring to the performance class. IdFlieg's Class 0 (zero) engine power category was for engines of up to 100 bhp (75 kW), such as the Gnome Lambda-clone 80 hp (60 kW) Oberursel U.0 rotary engine, Class I was reserved for engines from 100 to 120 bhp (89 kW), with Class II for engines of between 120 and 150 hp (110 kW). The BMW engine was 185 bhp (138 kW) and was assigned to category III.
The engine was successful, but the real breakthrough came in 1917, when Friz integrated a basically simple throttle butterfly into the twin-barrel "high-altitude carburettor", enabling the engine to develop its full power high above the ground. Burning a special high octane fuel of gasoline blended with Benzole, the carburettor adjusted the richness of the fuel-air mixture according to the aircraft's altitude. It enabled the engine, now dubbed BMW IIIa, to develop a constant 200 horsepower (150 kW) up to an altitude of 2000 meters – a decisive advantage over competitors' engines.
German and British horsepower ratings apparently differed. Postwar British tests put the rating of the BMW IIIa at 230 hp. This corresponds to British ratings of the Mercedes DIIIa engine being rated by the British as 180 hp (German rating of 170 hp) and the DIIIau at 200 hp (German-180 hp). This discrepancy may explain the significant difference in performance of the BMW IIIa equipped Fokker D.VIIF both against Mercedes powered D.VII's and their Allied opponents. The standard German Pferdstδrke metric horsepower unit was expressed in the early 20th century as being a unit of almost exactly 735.5 watts, while the British unit for mechanical horsepower was based on the older 33,000 ft-lb/min figure, which translates to 745.7 watts instead.
The ability to gain power at higher altitudes was why this engine had unique superiority in air combat. It was primarily used in the Fokker D VII and in the Junkers Ju A 20 and Ju F 13. When equipped with the BMW IIIa engine, the Fokker D VII could outclimb any Allied opponent it encountered in combat. Highly maneuverable at all speeds and altitudes, it proved to be more than a match for any of the British or French fighter planes of 1918. The water-cooled in-line 6-cylinder engine's reputation grew very quickly after its abilities were proven in air combat by Jasta 11, the "Red Baron's" squadron. Ernst Udet, squadron leader of Jasta 11 in World War I, acknowledged the outstanding performance of the BMW IIIa engine:
There can be no doubt that the BMW engine was the absolute highlight in power unit development towards the end of the war. The only bad thing was that it came too late.
About 700 engines were built by BMW, however, a large demand for the new BMW IIIa aircraft engine in Munich (coupled with a lack of production capacity) caused part of the production to be transferred to the Opel factory in Rόsselsheim.
On September 13, 1919, Franz Zeno Diemer set a world altitude record for a passenger aircraft (eight people on board, 6750 meters) in a Ju F 13 powered by a BMW IIIa aircraft engine.
Specifications (BMW IIIa)
General characteristics
·· Type: 6-cylinder, inline, water-cooled, piston engine
·
· Bore: 150 mm (5.9 in)
·
· Stroke: 180mm (7 in)
·
· Displacement: 19.06 L (1,163 cu in)
·
· Length: 170.2 cm
·
· Width: 50.8 cm
·
· Height: 105.4 cm
·
· Dry weight: 293 kg (644 lb)
Components
·· Valvetrain: SOHC (single overhead camshaft)
·
· Fuel system: Two-barrel altitude compensating (to 2 km) carburetor
·
· Cooling system: Water-cooled
Performance
·· Power output: 134 kW (182 PS, 179.6 hp) at 1,410 rpm
·
· Compression ratio: 6.4:1
Last edited by Ernie P.; 06-04-2020 at 01:39 PM.
06-05-2020, 04:29 AM
My Feedback: (6)
Looking for the name of a warbird, one that probably deserves to be better known than it is.
1. If you have enough imagination, from some angles it looks sort of like a fish.
2. More than 1000 built.
3. Never used in combat by the country in which it was manufactured. As far as I can tell, that country never used it in any other military role either.
1. If you have enough imagination, from some angles it looks sort of like a fish.
2. More than 1000 built.
3. Never used in combat by the country in which it was manufactured. As far as I can tell, that country never used it in any other military role either.
06-05-2020, 06:31 AM
My Feedback: (6)
Good point! Or maybe it's just me. The "check engine" symbol on my car looks more like a fish than an engine. I only figured out that it was about the engine because there wouldn't be many good reasons why a car would have a "check fish" light.
06-06-2020, 04:37 AM
My Feedback: (6)
Two more clues and a bit more information in Clue 3.
Looking for the name of a warbird, one that probably deserves to be better known than it is.
1. If you have enough imagination, from some angles it looks sort of like a fish.
2. More than 1000 built.
3. Never used in combat by the country in which it was manufactured. As far as I can tell, that country never used it in any other military role either. It did use one for testing supersonic airfoils after the war in which it served was over.
4. It was used in combat for several years, mostly but not exclusively by one country.
5. At first, poor tactics led to its suffering heavy losses, but after that it did well in a variety of roles.
Looking for the name of a warbird, one that probably deserves to be better known than it is.
1. If you have enough imagination, from some angles it looks sort of like a fish.
2. More than 1000 built.
3. Never used in combat by the country in which it was manufactured. As far as I can tell, that country never used it in any other military role either. It did use one for testing supersonic airfoils after the war in which it served was over.
4. It was used in combat for several years, mostly but not exclusively by one country.
5. At first, poor tactics led to its suffering heavy losses, but after that it did well in a variety of roles.
06-07-2020, 05:21 AM
My Feedback: (6)
Another clue.
Looking for the name of a warbird, one that probably deserves to be better known than it is.
1. If you have enough imagination, from some angles it looks sort of like a fish.
2. More than 1000 built.
3. Never used in combat by the country in which it was manufactured. As far as I can tell, that country never used it in any other military role either. It did use one for testing supersonic airfoils after the war in which it served was over.
4. It was used in combat for several years, mostly but not exclusively by one country.
5. At first, poor tactics led to its suffering heavy losses, but after that it did well in a variety of roles.
6. It was pretty much a larger version, with more powerful engines, of an earlier aircraft from the same manufacturer. That earlier aircraft was also one which the country in which it was manufactured did not use. The earlier aircraft looked less like a fish.
Looking for the name of a warbird, one that probably deserves to be better known than it is.
1. If you have enough imagination, from some angles it looks sort of like a fish.
2. More than 1000 built.
3. Never used in combat by the country in which it was manufactured. As far as I can tell, that country never used it in any other military role either. It did use one for testing supersonic airfoils after the war in which it served was over.
4. It was used in combat for several years, mostly but not exclusively by one country.
5. At first, poor tactics led to its suffering heavy losses, but after that it did well in a variety of roles.
6. It was pretty much a larger version, with more powerful engines, of an earlier aircraft from the same manufacturer. That earlier aircraft was also one which the country in which it was manufactured did not use. The earlier aircraft looked less like a fish.
06-08-2020, 04:22 AM
My Feedback: (6)
And yet another clue.
Looking for the name of a warbird, one that probably deserves to be better known than it is.
1. If you have enough imagination, from some angles it looks sort of like a fish.
2. More than 1000 built.
3. Never used in combat by the country in which it was manufactured. As far as I can tell, that country never used it in any other military role either. It did use one for testing supersonic airfoils after the war in which it served was over.
4. It was used in combat for several years, mostly but not exclusively by one country.
5. At first, poor tactics led to its suffering heavy losses, but after that it did well in a variety of roles.
6. It was pretty much a larger version, with more powerful engines, of an earlier aircraft from the same manufacturer. That earlier aircraft was also one which the country in which it was manufactured did not use. The earlier aircraft looked less like a fish.
7. it was fast, maneuverable, and easy to handle in the air. But takeoffs and landings were difficult. One source says that more of them were lost because of ground loops than from being shot down.
Looking for the name of a warbird, one that probably deserves to be better known than it is.
1. If you have enough imagination, from some angles it looks sort of like a fish.
2. More than 1000 built.
3. Never used in combat by the country in which it was manufactured. As far as I can tell, that country never used it in any other military role either. It did use one for testing supersonic airfoils after the war in which it served was over.
4. It was used in combat for several years, mostly but not exclusively by one country.
5. At first, poor tactics led to its suffering heavy losses, but after that it did well in a variety of roles.
6. It was pretty much a larger version, with more powerful engines, of an earlier aircraft from the same manufacturer. That earlier aircraft was also one which the country in which it was manufactured did not use. The earlier aircraft looked less like a fish.
7. it was fast, maneuverable, and easy to handle in the air. But takeoffs and landings were difficult. One source says that more of them were lost because of ground loops than from being shot down.