Recent content by HarryMann

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    Dora vs Tempest

    It was the ability of if the Tempest to accelerate from a cruise power setting to a combat /intercept speed, surely, not the speed itself necessarily
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    Dora vs Tempest

    The Tempest had spring-tab ailerons and was renowned for light yet powerful controls right up to its max permitted diving speed, Vne.
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    Dora vs Tempest

    I think pretty well all it's issues were sorted, once EE took over Napiers … maybe itemise what you think wasn't? Closterman didn’t seem to be concerned all the time it would let him down either. And was being developed to well over 3000 HP by 1945, which wouldn’t be the case if it still had...
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    Fairey's best aircraft?

    Fantastic engine met a premature demise... Westland Whirlwind anyone?
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    Fairey's best aircraft?

    Need shouting at about respecting historic documents.
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    Fast bombers for the RAF, 1943-45

    Probably '47 - 50. Was a very well engineered reliable engine. First ran within a year of Halford seeing a Whittle compressor wheel and being let into the secret.
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    Fast bombers for the RAF, 1943-45

    Last Goblin Mk was nearer 3500 lbf
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    Fast bombers for the RAF, 1943-45

    The Halford H-1 Goblin did not fail in the XP-80 as such... the XP-80's inlet ducting failed under the suction. The engine was capable of 3000 lb st. thrust as delivered I believe. Seems like if the Ministry said jump to dH Halford then they had to... after all the munitions that came our way...
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    Westland Whirlwind revisited

    Whereas de Havilland produced the Mossie prototype in 11 months from scratch, it's first operation in RAF service 11 months later, and its max speed within 1 mph of Clarkson estimate.. But of course that was originally a private venture that the MoS kept insisting they didn't want .. till...
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    Easiest Warbird to Fly?

    Spitfire easiest by far !
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    What if the P-38 was made of plywood a la Mosquito?

    Well Yes, thanks Nuuumannn. That'd mean W4052 was the one flown straight out of the ploughed farmers field by Geoffrey junior with foreman Fred Plumb allegedly next to him. This was to save a week or two disassembling and low loadering it the short distance to Hatfield. Remember, they were...
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    What if the P-38 was made of plywood a la Mosquito?

    "I believe the P-38 was already more manoeuvable than the Mosquito, and had superior performance as a fighter. " The dH Mosquito was designed as a bomber, fighter bomber, PR aircraft and soon became the exemplar for Multi-Role aircraft. But firstly as a fast unarmed bomber. Manoeuvrability, per...
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    Why did the Brits persist with the Seafire until the end of WWII and beyond?

    As for the de Havilland Hornet... fastest piston aircraft ever to fly off a deck. And as Commander Eric Winkle Brown said... the most impressive and capable piston powered fighter he'd ever flown. And as we know nobody will ever fly as many and varied aircraft as he did, ever, as he's now deceased.
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    Why did the Brits persist with the Seafire until the end of WWII and beyond?

    Quite surprised reading all the way through this thread. Far too much emphasis on the last few kts speed or miles of range. They persisted because it was a cracking bit of kit once airborne. Highest critical Mach No of anything prop driven built during WWII. It could climb from scratch very...
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    Engine design as related to airplane power : with particular reference to performance at varying alt

    And of course the arch instigator (and more) of the push to develop sleeve valve engines.. Harry Ricardo. Several books available from The Ricardo Company Archives, Shoreham.
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