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Inspired by Tomo's thread about improving the Spitfire...
I have often wondered which of the two radiator designs and installations was the better one.
While speaking on radiators. Opening the radiator flap(s) fully reduced the max speed of 109G-2 50km/h and that of LaGG-3 37 km/h. Does anyone know the effect of that on the max speed of Spit? I'm mostly interested in info on Mks IX/VIII and XIV but info on Mks I - V would also be interesting to know.
TIA
Juha
Apparently Professor Messerschmitt did not share Daimler-Benz's faith in the DB605 engine. Not that I blame him as DB605 engine technical glitches required two years to solve. If the Me-309 had been designed around the lighter and more compact DB605ASM engine it might have been a great 1944 fighter aircraft.Messerschmitt did try a ventral radiatior duct on the Me 309, it was partially retractable as well. This aircraft which flew in June 1942 thus had all of the ingredients of the P-51: it had an efficient ventral radiator duct, laminar flow wings, an 800+ mile range, bubble canopy. The flaw seems to have been the shortage of DB603 engines which forced the fittment and consideration of the weaker DB605 and the resultant degradation in performance.
I have a test report of a Spitfire V with the DB 605A
http://cms.klassiker-der-luftfahrt.de/sixcms/media.php/58/Spitfire_Versuchsbericht.pdf
The report is only in german, but the DB engineers are truely amazed about the water cooling system of the Spitfire V!
The report says that the water cooler of the Spit V is only 50% in diameter of the Bf 109G water cooler but had only 4% less performance.
The flow resistance of the water cooler (Spit V) is much better and the cooler is much more stable compare to the Bf 109G
Opening the radiator flap(s) fully reduced the max speed of 109G-2 50km/h and that of LaGG-3 37 km/h. Does anyone know the effect of that on the max speed of Spit? I'm mostly interested in info on Mks IX/VIII and XIV but info on Mks I - V would also be interesting to know.