Dana Pico
DNW
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Hube
Yorkshire
For Eric
Posted by DNW on 2013/01/21
A couple of interesting things that fell out of an old book on the general topic. Posted for John’s companion in ideological arms, Eric; and anyone else interested.
Should be self explanatory.
You might want to note the list at the bottom of image 2.
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7 Responses to “For Eric”
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Truth Before Dishonor 
Eric said
Interesting, DNW. Read a book about these in college. Pretty impressive technology in those old radial engines, until the 50’s when they were all replaced by jets.
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Yorkshire said
Cool. Fun to find these “ancient” things.
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DNW said
What’s interesting is that this is the engine @ 2000 hp that beat the Zero, that gave the American planes the hp to out climb and out race the Japanese. The only fighter I see there is the Thunderbolt.
But my understanding is that the Grumman F6F used the same engine.
It was that plane, more than the P-38 Lightening or the Corsair, which the designer of the Zero, in a book published under the same name, said constituted an overall one on one qualitative superiority over the Zero judged on the Zero’s own terms.
That is his claim, not mine.
His claim was that the Japanese inability to build a 2,000 hp power plant of acceptable weight was what, more than most other things, caused their failure to hold their own.
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DNW said
My remark above, as was the original author’s, was meant to be construed narrowly, and applies of course only to fighter planes judged on their ability as effective interceptors, and especially, dog fighters.
The general topic of Japan’s technological blunders and miscalculations and challenges during WWII, is another matter entirely.
Since I’m not a history or war “buff”, I’ll leave that discussion, if any, to others.
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DNW said
Look at the relatively low, for nowadays, compression ratio, too. I think old motorcars and cycles had one around 3:1 or 4:1, so it was probably considered pretty hot.
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Eric said
The engine was supercharged. Turbo and supercharged engines generally have a lower compression ratio. Compressing the air makes up for the difference.
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Eric said
The Japanese planes were generally more maneuverable, but the American planes more rugged. A few bullets in the right place could bring down a Zero or set it ablaze if you hit the fuel tanks. Americans invented self-sealing tanks and put armor plate behind the pilot. This added weight, but improved survivability.
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