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Thank you very much!!!!
O.K best guess.
Using Supercharger low gear.
Combat curve 4, Speed military power 54"hg , almost certainly without water injection.
Combat curve 2 WEP. Water injection 70"hg
Water injection on its own adds about 11kts to speed. The use of WEP drops the full throttle height from about 6,000ft to Sea Level, the height at which maximum speed is attained when using low gear. As the supercharger is now giving its best, speed falls off with altitude. When at about 12,000ft high gear is engaged and speed starts to increase, now at 15,000ft the curve speed decreases again? This could be due to high engine temperatures (Carb air intake?) or some other issue. Anyway shortly after that curve 4 bisects 2 and Military power is used.
The Standard Aircraft Characteristic doc does not match the power plant chart contained within the F8F-1 pilots notes, however, the F8F-1 SAC doc does state that its based on flight tests and calculations. I think we are missing some other document that may well clear things up.
For now I will go with the new information you have provided.
Thanks again.
Neil.
The SAC document is from 1949 and states that the fuel used is 100/130. I don't think that this is a mistake. For whatever reason the USN decided that it could operate the Bearcat with this fuel and 70"hg. Things were fine in low gear but again for whatever reason problematical when using high gear, hence the odd shape of the curve.
Neil.
I agree with Greg, unless the battle is more than 500 mls. from home......I'm just saying, That was the reason the Mustangs Allison/Merlin were so valuable.
Grampi,
I agree with your statement, however it's a little bit of apples to oranges comparison. The Mustang was a well designed fighter, very low drag. Add fuselage tanks and RR power and it went from good to great as it flew MUCH further than it's contemporaries and handled roughly the same as they did.
The Bearcat on the other hand was designed well after, was built to land on a carrier (tail hook, folding wings and their weight penalties) and designed to combat a different type of threat. Good low speed handling qualities a tremendous climb rate while fighting at lower altitude resulted in the Bearcat being what it is (and isn't) as compared to a Mustang.
They are probably my two favorite US fighters of WW2!
Cheers,
Biff