Recent content by z42

I haven't seen any primary or even secondary sources on this, but I think there was a post on this forum. Oh yes, here it is: Drag of annular/drum radiator I think a problem that was pointed out in some previous threads on this topic were that the tests weren't done with the same engine so...

Well, intuitively I think an annular radiator should be quite good, as it doesn't increase the frontal area of the aircraft! While I'm no aerodynamicist, I've spent some time thinking about different radiator layouts over the years in search of some general takeaway. And beyond A) The Mustang...

Makes sense, if you look at it that way. I was considering a case where everything would otherwise be identical, in particular the cooling capacity of the radiator.

Yes, I've seen the article in Flight about the Tempest with the annular radiator, and some RAE report. I'm quite sure it's just the cowling that moves forward/back, the engine, prop, and radiators are all bolted together.

I don't know. I suspect the change in layout came about due to a higher power engine needing bigger radiators, and thus angling the radiator matrix was the way to do it without having to increase the fuselage diameter. Also not sure of the layout of the intercooler system on the Ta 152H, if...

Ta 152 had the radiator matrix mounted differently, with airflow through the matrix mostly radially rather than axially as in the 190D.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUlj48Rvp1c As far as the topic itself, IDK. Magically get hold of more Exocets? If they could knock out one of the British carriers that could have put UK operations in jeopardy?

Nothing per se complicated, but a different set of tradeoffs. The big advantage of course being the lack of any convergence issues. Disadvantages are that: One gun is not enough, and if you want the other guns on the centerline as well you need synchronizer gear which adds weight and reduces...

Well, warships gulp fuel when running at high speed. If they're escorting a convoy plodding along at 10kn, consumption will be much less. Yes, I know. Yes, and that worked out just swell for them, didn't it. Appropriate for the time of year, see the Palm Sunday Massacre. But lets just take...

Yes, a large ship uses a lot of fuel, but they also transport a lot of stuff. They are, in fact, the most efficient form of transport on a fuel consumption per ton-mile basis. If you're curious, I'm sure you can figure out how much fuel a Me 323 consumed on a Sicily - Tunis round trip to...

I understood that, yes. I was just expanding on that topic, not saying you're wrong. Anyway, I guess it was just hard for them to switch mindset from "just a little bit more reinforcements, and we can win the campaign" to "Oh, everything is going pear shaped, we should evacuate our troops while...

I think it looks slightly silly that the rear turret is so high, but yes, the Littorios are very pretty.

Was this a reaction to the RM fleet staying in port, or? (also, the Axis forces did manage to extract a heavy cost on the Allied Malta convoys) Yes. Maybe they could have saved more of their African forces had they started to evacuate sooner. OTOH might that have caused the African fronts to...

The RM was probably the branch of the Italian armed forces that did best during WWII. And on paper at least the surface fleet was arguably more than a match for the KM, despite the Italian economy being a fraction of the size of the German. Of course they had some major issues like the shell...

I know. I mentioned Taranto (and Cape Matapan) as additional well known examples of successful RN night actions. That Taranto was made with aircraft makes it, IMHO, even more impressive.