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The jet patents filed by Whittle were for an axial-flow engine. This was taken by the Germans as the base of their R&D. Frank Whittle knew that an axial-flow engine would be superior to a centrifugal but at the time he was developing his engine in the 1930s axial-flow compressors had abysmal efficiency, whereas the centrifugal compressors used in aircraft superchargers were highly developed, with efficiencies approaching 90%. British engines had twice the power-to-weight ratio and half the specific fuel consumption of anyone else's engines.
British engines were fully usable without delicate handling, with the pilot treating the engine as any other. The only limitation being a poor throttle response, a limitation of all early (and some current) turbojet engines. Other nation's engines, and the German's in particular, had to be handled very carefully. Careless handling led to compressor stall (surging) or overheating of the turbine blades. Many of these other engines were liable to just explode randomly as parts failed, whereas this was a rare occurrence on British engines.
The Jumo and BMW engines were unreliable due to lack of strategic metals.
No. Read back on what I wrote. I never made it up.
Quote:
All early jets suffered from compressor stalls and engine fires if the power was advanced to rapidly. Power had to be advanced incrementally allowing the engine to properly spool up.
It took the French 8 years to get the German axial-flow Jumo engine workable and reliable with long life. It took RR about 5 years to get the axial-flow Avon reliable with a long life. It took months to get the reliable centrifugal engine into production with a service life of 180 hrs.
The German jet engines were still at R&D state and were thrown into aircraft in desperation. And many say the Germans were advanced! The British or Americans would never commission into service such a poor plane as was the 262. The Germans never went the centrifugal route. If they did they would have had reliable jet engines that worked properly. The British were seriously working on both centrifugal and axial-flow designs.
It took the French 8 years to get the axial-flow Juno engine reliable - more if you take into account the German R&D. It took Rolls Royce 5 years to get the axial-flow RR Avon reliable. It took 5 months to get the centrifugal RR Nene running from concept to a running engine. In WW2 going the centrifugal route was the sensible option to produce reliable jet engines, that was the route Whittle took to get a plane in the air.
If the germans were "so far behind" please explain Paperclip? The Bell? Fuel air bombs that devastated Russia. Ever hear of a town formerly known as Leningrad?
In 1944, Germany experimented with the development of a fuel-air bomb, using 40% liquid oxygen[26] mixed with 60% dry brown coal powder. In a test of an 8 kg charge near Doberitz, trees were reportedly destroyed within a 600 meter radius, with shock effects being felt as far away as 2 km.[27] The extent of the described destruction radius is not considered plausible for the stated mass of the charge.
btw The weight (5 kg) is close to test charge from 1944 - it may be hint that it was a thermobaric charge.
History, especially poor History channel documentaries portray the Germans as being well ahead and advanced. They were not. They were clearly behind.
This is because the History Channel is entertainment. I also think that the Germans get built up a lot because in a way it is self serving to the victor nations without coming across as braggarts. "The Germans were so Strong and we beat them".
Focusing on the Jet programs is a waste of time in my book. They are not the planes that won the war and they had very little effect on the actual war. German jets were getting shot down by prop planes.
I know the German engines were lasting only 10 hours but I did not know the British engines were lasting longer. But did it matter? The Germans were fighting above German held territory mostly and did not have far to fly. The British had much further to fly, even if they were based in France. I think someone who knows about the Battle of Britain would understand the importance of that.
Also the UK had better steel than the Germans. But were they producing the steel or were they getting their superior steel from another country, say the United States? Cause claiming engine superiority based on materials you did not produce or were incapable of producing is more than a little disingenuous.
I will give Britain one thing. Britain was the best US aircraft carrier of the war. It was damn near unsinkable and allowed the Americans to do the heavy lifting.
I just read the Wikki articles on both the Me 262 and the Ho IX (Gotha 229) jet fighters. I would consider the 262 a very successful interceptor that arrived too late to make much difference on a strategic level. It made a great deal of difference to the crews of the 400+ aircraft it shot down.
The Gotha 229 flying wing never made it beyond prototype stage. In addition to being a very fast high altitude interceptor it also had "stealth" characteristics derived from using wood wings with carbon powder in the glue. The very shape without rudders or horizontal stabilizers also reduced its radar cross section.
IMHO - the US Army Air Forces should have developed both the Horton IX as a fighter/interceptor and the Northrup Flying wings as long range bombers instead of the technology traps of the Lockheed Starfighter and the B-36 bombers.
For what it is worth the Me-262 has resumed production by a small company in Washington State. These are flying aircraft with minimal upgrades that include modern GE engines. They sent one back to a German museum.
So I conclude that most of the posts by John-UK are wishful thinking.
I just read the Wikki articles on both the Me 262 and the Ho IX (Gotha 229) jet fighters. I would consider the 262 a very successful interceptor that arrived too late to make much difference on a strategic level. It made a great deal of difference to the crews of the 400+ aircraft it shot down.
The United States produced about 300,000 planes during WWII. 400+ aircraft is less than a footnote. Me 262's were getting shot down by American Prop planes who just waited for them to land.
The Germans wasted a lot of production and materials on the jet program which actually ended up being a waste of time.
Americans were still using prop planes in Korea and shooting down jets as well. But most of that was due to inferior Korean pilots.
EDIT: I am not saying that Jet research during WWII was not important. I just do not think it made a difference and was a waste, particularly for the Germans.
Just a note on Infantry weapons used in WW2. There was a reason the US soldiers (one of my friends made the walk from Utah Beach to Germany as a scout for an armored group) carried the M-1 rifle. To quote my friend "It could reach out and touch somebody". He also carried a Sub machinegun called a "Grease gun" because of its appearance. He could have used a Sten but preferred the larger caliber (.45) of the American weapon. Also note a submachine gun is nearly useless when you are trying to cross a 1,000 yd. wide wheat field. Grease guns are useful in door to door fighting but so is a pistol or a sawed off shotgun.
As far as Britain having a 2 million man plus invasion force ready to assault Burma is concerned I have to ask "so what." Burma was only useful as a supply road to Chaing's china.
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