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That the radial was the future was acutely obvious even in 1939 when the R-2800 was producing a sturdy 2,000hp.
British thinking was hijacked by the success of inline engines in the Schnieder Trophy races - it simply never occurred to the dunderheads at the Air Ministry that radials would and could simply overcome drag by becoming much more powerful than contemporary 'streamlined' inline engines. So all fighters were to be inline because a law.
And lets not forget Air Marshal Freeman, RAF head of procurement - a smart man, but fixated on inline engines and utterly hated the very idea of a radial engined fighter.
Was it?
Source(s) for P&W and BMW running 2000 HP radials in 1939?Very much, Both P&W and BMW were running 2,000hp class radials in 1939 - at a time when 1,200hp was very good going for an inline
The Tornado had a Vulture engine, the Centaurus was put in the Tempest Mk II prototype the Sabre was put in the Tempest I and V prototypes. Since the Centaurus powered the late war Tempest II and post war Sea Fury how was it "killed off"?Air Marshal Wilfrid Freeman killed off the Centaurus Tornado despite its excellent performance and potential when he was in charge of RAF procurement.
Once he was retired to the MAP at the end of 1942, his dead hand on radial fighters was lifted..
I'd be delighted to know the date when he decided all that as I have most of his papers here and I can dig out the letterAir Marshal Wilfrid Freeman killed off the Centaurus Tornado despite its excellent performance and potential when he was in charge of RAF procurement.
Once he was retired to the MAP at the end of 1942, his dead hand on radial fighters was lifted..
Nope - the first R-2800 (dash one) was producing 1,500hp in 1939, the dash five was producing 1,850hp.Very much, Both P&W and BMW were running 2,000hp class radials in 1939 - at a time when 1,200hp was very good going for an inline
Thank you. Looks so much better displayed than on my last visit in the '90s. It would be nice for we Yanks to see one, but this is in the right place.And here it is, pics taken on wednesday
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Many years ago I read "The Big Show" by Pierre Clostermann who was a Typhoon pilot operating from forward bases in France during the fall and winter of 1944. As I recall he loved the airplane however what I remember most is his telling how during the bitter cold nights, mechanics sat in the cockpits and kept the Sabre engines running all night to keep them from freezing so that they could be ready at dawn!