That's not right

[wuzak]

Sometimes aviation books will present plausible facts which immediately have me thinking "that's not right". So I will check and confirm whether my instincts were correct.

For example:

Equipped with a turbo-supercharger to boost the power output of its air-cooled Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial engine at altitude, the Lancer also became the world's first fighter to exceed 350mph in level flight.

Mike Machat, World's Fastest Four-Engine Piston-Powered Aircraft, Story of the Republic XF-12 Rainbow.

The XP-43 Lancer first flew in March 1940. More than a year earlier the Spitfire I had been tested in full production guise and found to have a level speed of over 350mph. In fact, more than 360mph.

Spitfire Mk I K.9787 Trials Report

What are the errors you have found in aviation books which have you thinking "that's not right"?

Not looking for errors which are obviously wrong, but ones that you think are wrong, but need to check to be certain.

 

[tomo pauk]

The 250 mph turn of speed looks like a mis-print - 350 mph perhaps?

The 'America's hundred thousand', an excellent book, caims that XP-39 went to close to 400 mph - that was not the case, as can be seen on the graph that is in that book 'Vee's for victory', pg. 85.
However - the Vee's (another excellent book) has it's own mistakes. Like claiming that XP-40Q was outfitted with laminar-flow wings (pg. 184) and that there was actually the V-1710 that was as good as two-stage Griffon at 26000 ft (pg 186). Namely, that V-1710-121 was making 1700 BHP at 26000 ft - actual altitude is 16000 ft (if not just at 15000 ft); at 26000 ft the power was ~ 1140 BHP.
XP-40Q tests (with V-1710-121 on board): pdf

 

[wuzak]

The 250 mph turn of speed looks like a mis-print - 350 mph perhaps?

Mis-typed - by me. Corrected now.

 

[fastmongrel]

Can we include mitsakes from the tinternet and wiki.

Mind you does this forum have the bandwidth and storage capacity for all those errors.

 

[Shortround6]

The XP-43 Lancer first flew in March 1940. More than a year earlier the Spitfire I had been tested in full production guise and found to have a level speed of over 350mph. In fact, more than 360mph.

Actually there may not have even been an XP-43. The Army never ordered an XP-43. They went from the AP-4 which flew in the 1939 fighter trials to ordering 13 YP-43s. The first YP-43 may have first flown in March of 1940, no actual date seems to be listed in most sources. The first YP-43 was not delivered to the Army until Sept of 1940.

 

[BiffF15]

The 250 mph turn of speed looks like a mis-print - 350 mph perhaps?

The 'America's hundred thousand', an excellent book, caims that XP-39 went to close to 400 mph - that was not the case, as can be seen on the graph that is in that book 'Vee's for victory', pg. 85.
However - the Vee's (another excellent book) has it's own mistakes. Like claiming that XP-40Q was outfitted with laminar-flow wings (pg. 184) and that there was actually the V-1710 that was as good as two-stage Griffon at 26000 ft (pg 186). Namely, that V-1710-121 was making 1700 BHP at 26000 ft - actual altitude is 16000 ft (if not just at 15000 ft); at 26000 ft the power was ~ 1140 BHP.
XP-40Q tests (with V-1710-121 on board): pdf

Thanks for the test PDF Tomo! It would have been nice to read about a fly off against contemporaries Axis as well as Allied!

Cheers,
Biff

 

[GrauGeist]

Can we include mitsakes from the tinternet and wiki.

Mind you does this forum have the bandwidth and storage capacity for all those errors.

Check out the thread: "History according to random people" and you'll get to see outstanding examples of Social Media "experts" in action!