Best piston engine(s) for fighters of 1945?

[dedalos]

How do the various Fw 190D versions (D-9 to D-15; Jumo 213 and DB 603 powered) fare against the latest Allied fighters,
especially compared to Griffon Spitfires?

Α D-13 with c3 fuel, decent building quality, and all the aerodynamic and mechanical futures that it's designers intended to have, would be quite competitive against Spitfire xiv. However such a combination never reached the operational units. The D series that saw operational service , were full of compromises, and very naturally outclassed by the contemporaries allied fighters

 

[z42]

Α D-13 with c3 fuel, decent building quality, and all the aerodynamic and mechanical futures that it's designers intended to have, would be quite competitive against Spitfire xiv. However such a combination never reached the operational units. The D series that saw operational service , were full of compromises, and very naturally outclassed by the contemporaries allied fighters

And to add, at that point in the war the quality of the average German pilot wasn't what it once was, and they were vastly outnumbered by Allied aircraft. Maybe the above hypothetical D-13 in the hands of an experienced pilot could beat a Spit XIV or a Mustang, but could it beat the Mustang and it's dozen buddies?

 

[spicmart]

Α D-13 with c3 fuel, decent building quality, and all the aerodynamic and mechanical futures that it's designers intended to have, would be quite competitive against Spitfire xiv. However such a combination never reached the operational units. The D series that saw operational service , were full of compromises, and very naturally outclassed by the contemporaries allied fighters

IIrc the D-13 with B4 and MW50 was quite a bit faster than the XIV. About 750 km/h.

 

[dedalos]

IIrc the D-13 with B4 and MW50 was quite a bit faster than the XIV. About 750 km/h.

True. IF the engine was performing according to the specifications, IF the engine gap was sealed, IF the landing gear was fully enclosed
And could be even faster IF use the production ready Juno 213EB, IF had the integral engine cover, IF had the new more efficient and less druggy drum type radiator, IF it had the new high pressure Mw50,
So many Ifs....

 

[spicmart]

True. IF the engine was performing according to the specifications, IF the engine gap was sealed, IF the landing gear was fully enclosed
And could be even faster IF use the production ready Juno 213EB, IF had the integral engine cover, IF had the new more efficient and less druggy drum type radiator, IF it had the new high pressure Mw50,
So many Ifs....

Where is it written that the drum radiator was less draggy?
And how fast was the D-13, as is, really?

 

[dedalos]

Where is it written that the drum radiator was less draggy?
And how fast was the D-13, as is, really?

There s no universal answer for the late war german fighters performace. Individual aircraft, i have read , possesed remarkable performance , above the official figures. But the vast majority was under the official figures. Personally i believe, no operational D9 could reach 700 kmh/h.
The D13 should be easily over 700 km/h at altitude. If working properly. I posses no field performance trials for the D13.
I reasonable assumption would be 721 km/h with reasonable building quality and properly working jump213F. I would expect 750 km/h with full aerodynamic futures and top building quality.
Obviously the Fw190 wing was very draggy by the 1945 standarts(p51,tempest,spiteful, sea fury, hornet etc)

 

[spicmart]

There s no universal answer for the late war german fighters performace. Individual aircraft, i have read , possesed remarkable performance , above the official figures. But the vast majority was under the official figures. Personally i believe, no operational D9 could reach 700 kmh/h.
The D13 should be easily over 700 km/h at altitude. If working properly. I posses no field performance trials for the D13.
I reasonable assumption would be 721 km/h with reasonable building quality and properly working jump213F. I would expect 750 km/h with full aerodynamic futures and top building quality.
Obviously the Fw190 wing was very draggy by the 1945 standarts(p51,tempest,spiteful, sea fury, hornet etc)

All five fighters you mentioned have laminar flow wing profiles. Tank wanted to implement such in the outer wing segments of later Ta 152s (13.65 m, 26 m^2).
The drum radiator was surely more efficient/effective (?) than the annular one as it had more surface area.

 

[spicmart]

Grumman kept the classic wing profile (23000 something) for their latest F7F and F8F.

 

[don4331]

Grumman kept the classic wing profile (23000 something) for their latest F7F and F8F.

Yes, someone should have told Grumman (and the air racers) that the 23018 wing root airfoil for the Bearcat would mean their airplane would never fly fast.

 

[Admiral Beez]

What do we think of the the 2,000 hp, twin-row 18 cylinder Nakajima Homare used in the Kawanishi N1K?

Then there's the almost napkin-ware Nakajima Ha219 .

 

[spicmart]

Α D-13 with c3 fuel, decent building quality, and all the aerodynamic and mechanical futures that it's designers intended to have, would be quite competitive against Spitfire xiv. However such a combination never reached the operational units. The D series that saw operational service , were full of compromises, and very naturally outclassed by the contemporaries allied fighters

Spitfire 20 series reached 740 km/h. So those were the ones to compare to a D-13 with all positive features and building quality.