Who Likes Aircraft ?

[Photon440]

The Shepherd.
Here's a good Christmas story for aviation enthusiasts. It's the story of an RAF pilot flying a Vampire in 1957, in trouble over Germany with plane problems. It's been played on the CBC every Christmas for the past forty years... It makes for a great listening!
http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageN...The-Shepherda-Canadian-Christmas-Classic.aspx

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappen...ds-frederick-forsyth-s-the-shepherd-1.4458378

 

[Dipstick]

Rare Franklin 12-cylinder engine.

 

[Pops1967GTX]

 

[polywideblock]

 

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[Photon440]

View attachment 886618

Looking at photos like that, it occurred to me that a lot of the later war years saw the Luftwaffe using larger paddle bladed props to keep up with higher powered engines. Many Allied aircraft were handling the extra power and thrust requirements with longer blades, and more of them. For example, many Mustangs or Thunderbolts had four bladed props, even five blades near the end such as the Griffon powered Spitfire. So why did the Germans stick with three?

I don't know if twin engined aircraft like HE-111 radar plane that polywideblock posted used three blades because they shared hubs or engine components with fighter planes, but the main fighters - BF109 and FW190 had a difference between many Allied fighters - they had guns mounted on the nose ahead of the cockpit while Spitfires, Mustangs, Thunderbolts had plenty of wing guns, but no center guns. So, the German planes would have lost firepower if they had to interrupt the machine guns four or five times per revolution, instead of just three.

Note that a lot of these paddle blades were wooden. Some pilots actually preferred wood, the lighter weight meant less gyroscope effect and the plane handling improved. However it also saved material which was in short supply.

A couple of 'Dora' model 190s with paddle blades, and a prop by itself. You can see some wood outlines beneath the paint in the last example.

 

[snakeyes]

 

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[YY1]

The only thing on my Christmas list this year-

https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/who-likes-aircraft.105463/page-414#post-911427313