Fighter-Bombers in the late 1930s and the Fw 187

[kool kitty89]

The earliest I can find the two speed, fuel injected, Bramo 323R2 is the Fw 200C-3 in early 1941. The power was 1200hp at optimal altitude, sea level power was 1000hp but could be increased to 1200hp with water injection, which appears to have been used when the Fw 200 carried extra fuel and was in 'overload' condition.

Interesting, do you have any information on the critical altitudes for the 2-speed 323s? From the figures I've seen, the power output didn't change much between the P, R, and T models (though I presume at least one of those was an identical, but reverse rotation counterpart to one of the others). The main difference between the later R-1 and R-2 models being higher max boost for take-off with WM/50 or C3 fuel?

If that 1200 hp (or PS) figure for low-gear applied to the earliest 2-speed models, that would be significant, as would the earlier C/D low-alt single-speed drive models. (particularly for the pre-war Ju-87, or any CAS or maritime patrol aircraft where low-alt performance is most significant -plus fuel consumption was slightly better than the A/B)

Again, compared to the Jumo 211 or DB 601, the drag is unattractive, but pre-war, with the number of aircraft resorting to the equally large BMW radials, or much less powerful Jumo 210 (BMW V12s are less relevant as they'd be retired by the time the Bramo was available in number -and were often replaced by BMW radials on bombers and airliners anyway) the Bramo radials with their sheer power output greater than anything else in production in Germany at the time, would be pretty significant. (even slightly higher power than the scarce DB 600, if much less aerodynamic)

Given the overall size/weight/drag of the airframes in question, the Bramo engines would again seem to benefit the Jumo 210 powered Bf 110 and Ju 87 more than the 187 or especially 109 with its limited fuel capacity. (with the Ju 87's drag profile, I'd suspect the fuel consumption of the Jumo 211 would be a bigger advantage than the drag benefits over the Bramo) For that matter, it may have made more sense to allocate 323s to the He 111s in favor of diverting DB 600s and perhaps Jumo 211s to Do 17s given the smaller, lower drag airframe. (the huge wing on the He 111 along with weight and fuel capacity seems like it would be less dramatically affected by the draggier engines)

On the 187, in the context beyond pre-war conditions, the combination of fuel injection, counter rotation, and altitude performance of the 2-speed Bramos might still be significant even as a pure fighter. (compared to the Hurrican I and Spit I/II at least, perhaps Hurricane II and 109E) Still, aside from fuel injection, the Hispano engines seem more appealing.

It seems that BMW/Bramo stopped developing the engine after 1941.

I think of all the aircraft listed below only the Do 17 was produced in numbers greater than 300 and they weren't all Bramo versions.

I suspect the lack of demand for the engine type (or the BMW 132) and existing stocks of old engines not being exhausted led to lack of priority for continuing production or producing the supposed higher power fuel injected 132 models in useful numbers. (plus the GR 14N was available and more attractive in some respects, while also not exhausted from stock or in high demand)

The Vickers .5 may have had problems of it's own. The British NEVER mounted the .303 version where the pilot couldn't at least beat on it with a fist to clear a jam

My suggestion was adopting the .50 vickers alongside the .303 vickers (yet to be replaced by Browning) and transition both to rechambered browning variants later on.

The First 110s to get Db 601s were the C series and until then it just didn't have enough power. Since each 110 Group that attacker Poland still had one squadron or part squadron of Jumo powered machines to make up numbers it is a little hard to see how the fighter bomber version would have showed up much sooner.

That would further support the suggestion towards applying Bramo engines to the earliest Bf 110 models. That said, I'd been speaking more of prototype fighter/bomber configurations not being employed from the outset, but I may be missing some details of bomb fitting tests on the early prototypes.