British Full-Scale Wind-Tunnel & Turbulence (i.e. why they thought the Beaufighter could do 370 mph)

Snowygrouch said:

Not all data is to be had, but... this at least shows you that the estimates were heavily driven by power estimates. Look at the difference just projected from two engine choices.

You can also see at this point its a 12 x .303 gun aircraft.

(pencil scribbes are original)

Regarding the size originally envisaged I dont know, but I suspect from reading the file that this early speed esimate was little more than a rough
figure Hawker proposed based on the hoped for Sabre power in an updated fighter of approximate Spitfire/Hurricane size using more modern
design techniques. I think this was proposed before the air ministry specification was issued, and hence I think it is little more than Camm
saying "I can make a plane that goes that fast with that engine and has some guns".
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Zipper730 said:

the Beaufighter would manage 370 mph,

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Simon Thomas said:

A tunnel to test even the smaller of the best service aircraft under maximum speed conditions would require twice the cross section and at least three times the speed, so that instead of the present 2,000 h.p. for the fan, 100,000 h.p. would be required.

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Zipper730 said:

@DarrenW , & @pbehn

I actually don't have a specific source (and I could be wrong), but I remember hearing something like this before. From what I remember, Supermarine didn't seem to be affected because they got most of their research data on race-planes they built and didn't listen to claims that a thick wing was desirable at high speeds. If I recall a Canadian guy named Beverly Shenstone (I'd have hated to be a guy with the name Beverly...) who also noted that Supermarine's data was correct.

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