- Thread starter
- #61
Some advantages of a heavy fighter with a big radial vs. a heavy fighter with two liquid cooled engines (does not take a brain surgeon to figure them out, but still):
- no 2 x 1 ton worth or powerplant & nacelles/booms away from the centreline to mess with rate of roll
- less blocked view to the sides (but worse ahead)
- there is no tunnel between nacelle and fuselage/pod to mess with local airflow (that was a main source of problems with compressibility on the P-38, along with the too steep windscreen and rear part of the pod)
- might be easier & faster to produce, and should be easier to maintain
- less gauges for the pilot to scan (RPM, boost, oil temp, turbo RPM vs. 2 x those + two coolant temp gauges)
- one set of engine controls vs. two
The last two bullet points will pay off immensely with novice pilots posted to the combat zone.
- no 2 x 1 ton worth or powerplant & nacelles/booms away from the centreline to mess with rate of roll
- less blocked view to the sides (but worse ahead)
- there is no tunnel between nacelle and fuselage/pod to mess with local airflow (that was a main source of problems with compressibility on the P-38, along with the too steep windscreen and rear part of the pod)
- might be easier & faster to produce, and should be easier to maintain
- less gauges for the pilot to scan (RPM, boost, oil temp, turbo RPM vs. 2 x those + two coolant temp gauges)
- one set of engine controls vs. two
The last two bullet points will pay off immensely with novice pilots posted to the combat zone.