Allison WER Test early 1944

[GregP]

Here's a memorandum for an Allison V-1710 test where it ran for 7.5 hours at 2,000 hp and 3,000 rpm and 75" MAP in early 1944.

Not making any claim here. Just posting a test result.

It is reasonably widely thought that Allison didn't make good power like the Merlin. It did and it does.

That doesn't make it a high-altitude beast like a 2-stage Merlin, but it DOES make very good power at lower altitudes when asked to do so.

 

[drgondog]

Here's a memorandum for an Allison V-1710 test where it ran for 7.5 hours at 2,000 hp and 3,000 rpm and 75" MAP in early 1944.

Not making any claim here. Just posting a test result.

It is reasonably widely thought that Allison didn't make good power like the Merlin. It did and it does.

That doesn't make it a high-altitude beast like a 2-stage Merlin, but it DOES make very good power at lower altitudes when asked to do so.

I know Eglin ran tests of P-47/P-38 and P-51B inApril 44. I don't recall any correspondence citing -38 Ops in ETO?

 

[GregP]

Just came across this memorandum, Bill. Thought I'd post it out of interest only.

I have no background on it, but it seems like 7 1/2 hours at 75" WER goes a long way toward backing up the fact that Allisons were flown at 75" MAP, as reported by more than a few people. Retired General John Allison (no relation) said the P-40 "woke up" when you flew it at 75" and turned into a really good fighter. But, that is hearsay and I can't claim any first-hand knowledge about it other than hearsay from a guy who was there.

We've run an Allison at 57" on a run stand, but we didn't have an 130 - 145 PN fuel to go higher and didn't have any reason to do so in any case. Joe Yancey has tractor-pull customers in Europe who run his Allisons at 4,500 rpm with no ill effects! Of course, they are running at those speeds for a relatively short time ... a fraction of a minute. Don't get me wrong, the Merlin tractor guys ALSO run at high rpm and power. But, I don't have any Merlin guys talking with me about their settings and experiences, so I can't say much about the Merlin tractor-pull Merlin engines other than they run well, as expected, and the really GOOD ones use Allison G-series rods.

 

[drgondog]

Just came across this memorandum, Bill. Thought I'd post it out of interest only.

I have no background on it, but it seems like 7 1/2 hours at 75" WER goes a long way toward backing up the fact that Allisons were flown at 75" MAP, as reported by more than a few people. Retired General John Allison (no relation) said the P-40 "woke up" when you flew it at 75" and turned into a really good fighter. But, that is hearsay and I can't claim any first-hand knowledge about it other than hearsay from a guy who was there.

We've run an Allison at 57" on a run stand, but we didn't have an 130 - 145 PN fuel to go higher and didn't have any reason to do so in any case. Joe Yancey has tractor-pull customers in Europe who run his Allisons at 4,500 rpm with no ill effects! Of course, they are running at those speeds for a relatively short time ... a fraction of a minute. Don't get me wrong, the Merlin tractor guys ALSO run at high rpm and power. But, I don't have any Merlin guys talking with me about their settings and experiences, so I can't say much about the Merlin tractor-pull Merlin engines other than they run well, as expected, and the really GOOD ones use Allison G-series rods.

I heard a similar comment from Tex Hll but he was talking about 60" MP for both the P-40 and P-51A. I don't believe that CBI had 44-1 fuel, but I haveheard of 60" from Brit sources on130 Octane.

 

[GregP]

John Allison (Brig. Gen Ret.) said they would use 57" - 60" max normally and 70" - 75" if they got in trouble. He used 70" when he demonstrated the P-40 for Claire Chenault, according to him.

I wasn't there and don't know for sure, but that's what he said, making it hearsay.

Here's the Horsemen (Steve Hinton in P-38, Ed Shipley, and Jim Beasley) doing an aerobatic demo in 2012. He said he used 57" in the P-38. The left engine was pretty fresh, with only about 10 -12 hours on it after new rings and bearings. and, after the weekend, the main bearings were changed due to losing 10 lbs. of oil pressure at cruise power. Not exactly what he wanted, but it happens. The bearings we installed at that time are still in it and are still flying just fine.


View: https://youtu.be/Yc94Tj7SP8o