Something for rivet counters

[tomo pauk]

A comment regarding the book 'Vee's for victory' it's topic - what are the opinions from the fellow members?

Amazon.com: DarthRad's review of Vees For Victory!: The Story of the Alliso...

 

[GregP]

I have seen that review and it is pure bunk.

In the war, Allison was hampered by the fact that the government owned the Allison 1710 V-12 design and directed all changes. If they had left Allison alone to develop it, or if they had left the design in the ownership of Allison, things might have worked out differently.

It was the government that directed the high-altitude portion of the Allison 1710 pwoer system be a turbocharger and it was the government that withheld the same turbochargers from the fighters, exceopt for the P-38.

Once the few issues had been worked out, the solutions were obvious and the giovernment dictated the outcome.

I work at a shop that specializes in Allisons and we have many engines out there with 700 - 1200 hours on them, and they are running just fine, thanks. Try THAT with a Merlin; you'll never get there.

Once the issues with the intake manifolds and the European gasloine were worked out, the P-38's were fine. By that time, we had Mustangs and there was no point in keeping both the Mustang and the P-38 in the same theater, so most were sent to the Pacific. Anyone who thinks that the warmer air made the diffrence doesn't fly. There is no difference at 35,000 feet between over the Pacific and over Europe. We might remember that the top two US Aces flew P-38's, with Allisons.

Whitney wrote a pretty decent book. The ALlison had some issues, yes, but the review in question is simply a parroted repetition of lies and rumor. Most, but not all, of the Allison's issues were solved. The ones that weren't were mostly due to interest in piston engines drying up with the arrival of jets. Nothing more.

Anyone want to see one in action? Our shop is located at Rialto Airport in California, U.S.A. Come see what an Allison can do anytime. A warbird owner can run one with confodence. We have many taht have been flying to 10 or more years with only normal maintenance items such as oil, plugs, cleaning the screens, etc. Can't say that for any Merlins I know of. I have one friend with a P-51D and his Merlin has been rebuilt 3 times in 450 hours! While that may not be typical, it is one half of the Merlins that frineds of mine run outside the Museum. The other one went about 500 hours before overhaul. I'd rather have an Allison-powered warbird myself. It's cheaper, lasts longer, and flies just fine.

Both will cruise as fast as allowed under 10,000 feet (250 knots) and both wille easily top 350 mph. NOBODY runs them at full power except for racers. I am a volunteer at the Planes of Fame and we operate many warbirds. The Allison-powered ones are very reliable and generally give no trouble except in rare circumstances. Mostly, the Merlins are reliable, too ... but they require a bit more maintenance than an Allison does. All the WWII engines, including the radials are pretty darned reliable, but some last longer than others. Our experience is that Allisons are the longest-lasting engines that give fewer troubles, though there is nothing wrong with a good Merlin, or any other good engine.

 

[Shortround6]

I would say that the review leaves an awful lot to be desired and leans a little too heavily on the corporate conspiracy theory. If he had read some of the books mentioned in his review ( or remembered certain bits) P&W spent 325,000 engineering man hours on the on the R-2800 to the end of the first type test ("A" series engine), In 1938 Allison had 25 employees in the engineering section including the guys that ran the blue print machine.

His 1st reply post has a few errors too. The whole "Tetra-ethyl lead (TEL) was the "secret formula"," bit is pure hogwash, or male bovine excrement. The British had used lead back in the Schneider Trophy days. The knew pretty much what it could and NOT do.

I don't think I can be bothered to read the rest of his review/s as he seems to have an agenda of his own and has a rather warped idea of what was going on anyway.

 

[tomo pauk]

Thanks for the replies, people.