The WW1 thread

Take off run. The Sopwith Pup that I helped with had a take off run of about 30-40 yards in still warm air. All it took was a bump in the grass and it was launched. Runways were not even thought of, direction of the wind was the ruling factor in a take off or landing and you didn't try a X-wind in either or you could meet yourself going the other way dragging one wing tip. The WW1 aerodromes were essentially circular flat pieces of ground and the airplanes were aligned with the prevailing wind for their operations.
I didn't know that the allies were using the lower octane fuels in the Great War and the Germans had the better fuels. Then in the Great Big War 20 years later the Germans were using the lower octane and the allies had the good stuff.
Next several weeks I'm going up to watch the ME109 fly at the Flying Heritage Collection at Paine Field. They also will fly the Spitfire and Hurricane soon.
Switches

 

Thanks very much Terry, and Mr. Parks - this was also the very first time I had heard of the fuel octane issue, although I did know there were superchargers (even at least one turbocharger) at the time.

Is it possible that the Germans of the day knew something of rudimentary fuel additives (pre tetra-ethyl lead) via their big lead at the time in the chemical industry? For sure they were mixing some pretty exotic stuff for the Mercedes & Auto Union supercharged racing cars by the 1930s.

 

James- They experimented with both alcohol (normally ethanol) and benzene as additives. Both enhanced octane rating, but the ethanol had a nasty habit of icing carburetors at altitude with the crude delivery systems used. Ethanol also has only about 2/3 the caloric content of gasoline, so fuel consumption was poorer and range suffered. (A good reason not to use it in modern cars unless you have a really cheap source of alcohol, like Brazil does and we do not.)

The Benzene helped a great deal, but pre-ignition detonation was still a problem at lower altitudes, especially with something like the BMW.IIIa engine's 6.5:1 compression ratio, hence the two separate throttles. The high altitude throttle could be advanced gently as you climbed and could be used fully at 3200 meters (~10,500'). As comparison, the Hispano Suiza V8 ran 4.6-5.3:1.

 

I lived in San Juan, almost directly under the usual approach path to SJU, from 1959 thru 1968.

In the early days the planes flying over were mostly DC-6s and -7s, Connies, Caribair DC-3s and PRANG F-86Hs. (The Connies used to sound like the engines were just about to fall out of the airplane!) Gradually the big propliners were replaced by 707s and DC-8s and the DC-3s by Convairs, first piston-powered and later by RR Darts. But I remember when the Sabres were replaced by the F-104s, which made those ungodly whistling noises as the pilots jockeyed the throttles! Note that these planes had just come back from 'nam and still had their camouflage, the only U.S. Starfighters so painted.

Somewhere I have some photos clipped from the San Juan Star; if I can ever find them I'll scan them and post them on the forum. BTW, the next time I saw (and heard) Starfighters was at an Abbotsford airshow in B.C. in the '80s. The strange whistling noises as the pilots throttled up prior to takeoff brought back sweet memories of those days in P.R. Ay, caramba!

 

Several years ago I attended a gathering of WW I airplanes at the Museum of the USAF in Dayton. Aside from the fact that there were too many radial-engined airplanes, and too many less-than-full-size replicas, it was very entertaining. I'm just sorry that I moved to the south too late to see the big gatherings that used to take place in Guntersville, AL. At least I got to tour the Guntersville museum once before it closed and the collection was dispersed. But I believe the Dayton gathering is an annual event and takes place in early fall.

 

Jim- It takes place every other year, now on odd years. It was on even years, but in 2000, they decided to have the next one in October 2003 to line up with the 100th anniversay of the Wright Brothers' first flight. I have been to all of them since 1998. The weather in Dayton at that time of year is usually outstanding.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Yeah Man! I remember those ghostly howls from the F-104's when they were operating. I was told that it was duct resonance at certain levels of airflow. I really miss seeing those RCAF F-104 performances . I remember one show where they made a pass in front of the crowd in a tight 4 plane formation when the number 3 in the formation experienced a rogue stick shaker event that almost put him into the other planes in the formation. The immediate response of the rest of the formation was astounding as they spread and kept from being hit. The Canadians are great pilots and put on a helluva show with the Golden Centennaires ( became the Snow Birds) and the F-101's and F-104's. Great stuff.
Switches

 

Actually, the last weekend in September. There's some info on this page: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/news&events/outdoor/index.asp

 

Jim- Should be a good show and did not realize it was late Sept this year. May have been late September every time. Memory fails. Fred Murrin will be there with his LeRhone powered Fokker F.I Triplane replica. That alone is worth the trip.

Taz
Terry Phillips