Figure 1.--This is the RAF Bomber Command's Avro Lancaster poweed by the redoubtable Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. The 'Lanc' as the crews called it was the first plane to bring the War home to the German people. World War II was fought almost entirely with piston engines and propeller planes. Because of its limuted industrial capacity, Hitlr launched World War II with a Lufwaffe that did not have a strategic bombing wing. As a result he was unable to defeat the British in the Battle of Britain who by that time was already outproducing the Germans in aircraft. Hitler's answer was to eiden the war, invading the Soviet Union (June 1941) and declaring war on America (December 1941). This meant that Germany fighting only Britain now faced faced the combined industrial might of the Big Three and without a strategic air force to get at that industry. Incredibly at the same time he enlarged the War, Hitler also began interfering with the Luftwaffe's jet program, the one technology that might have saved NAZI Germany in the air war.

World War II was primarily fought with piston engines powering propellar planes. There were, however both jet and rocket engines developed, primarily by the Germans. There were two basic types of piston aurcraft enfines, radial and inline. Some of the most important World War II fightrs (ME-109, Spitfires, and P-51 Mustangs) used inline engines. Two of the best were the British Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and the German Jumo 210A engine (bsed on Rolls Royce technology). Inline engines permitted streamlining, but they had a major weakness. At even minor hit damaging one of the pistons would disable the engine. Rotary engines on the other hand could sustain significant battle damage and continue functioning to get the pilots home. Many important fighters used rotary engines (F4U Corsairs, Folk-Wolfe-190s, P-47 Thunderbolts, F6F Wildcats, and Zeros). Two of the most capable rotary engines were the American Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine and the BMW 801 D-2 radial engine. The early air war in the Pacific favored the Japanese because of the light-weight and highly manuerable Mitcsubishi Zero. It was powered by a relatively small rotary engine. Unfortunately for the Japanese, they did not have the industrial capacity to build the heavier, more powerful engines used in the next generation of American fighters. The United States, for example built nearly 0.2 million Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engines. This was far beyond the capbility of the Japanese and they they quickly lost air superority when the new American fighters were deployed. While piston engines were the primary power source for World War II aircrft, both the Allies and the Germans worked on jet engines. Here the Luftwaffe had the lead and not only deployed the formidable ME-262 Swallow and V-1 buzz bomb (a cruis missle), but was in the procss of deploying a second generation of jet aircraft when the NAZIs surrenderd (May 1945). The German advantage in jet technology was largely nulified by Hitler's interference. The Luftwaffe also developed rocket engines for both air craft and missles. The ME-163B Komet was the only rocket airplane deployed in the War.

Piston Engines

There were two basic types of piston aurcraft engines, radial and inline. Some of the most important World War II fightrs (ME-109, Spitfires, and P-51 Mustangs) used inline engines. Two of the best were the British Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and the German Jumo 210A engine (based on Rolls Royce technology). Inline engines permitted streamlining, but they had a major weakness. An even minor hit damaging one of the pistons would disable the engine. Rotary engines on the other hand could sustain significant battle damage and continue functioning to get the pilots home. Many important fighters used rotary engines (F4U Corsairs, Folk-Wolfe-190s, P-47 Thunderbolts, F6F Wildcats, and Zeros). Two of the most capable rotary engines were the American Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine and the BMW 801 D-2 radial engine. The early air war in the Pacific favored the Japanese because of the light-weight and highly manuerable Mitcsubishi Zero. It was powered by a relatively small rotary engine. Unfortunately for the Japanese, they did not have the industrial capacity to build the heavier, more powerful engines used in the next generation of American fighters. The United States, for example built nearly 0.2 million Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engines. This was far beyond the capability of the Japanese and they they quickly lost air superority when the new American fighters were deployed. Engine production was the primary limiting factor on aircraft production. The lack of industrial capacity was the reason the Luftwaffe entered the War without a strategic bombing force. German and Japanese successes early in the War were possible because the Democracies had not yet fully mobilized their industrial potential. Even by the time of the Battle of Britain, the British were outproducing the Germans. LOnce Hitler attacked the Soviet Union and the Japanese brought America into the War, the Axis was swamped by the combined industrial power of Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States. By the end of the War, Piston engines had achieved the maximum performance levels possible, primarily because the propellers used with them impeded air flow, making higher speeds technically impossible.

Jet Engines

While piston engines were the primary power source for World War II aircrft, both the Allies and the Axis powers worked on jet engines. America, Britain, Germany, and Japan were all working on jet engines. Here the Luftwaffe had the decided lead and not only deployed the formidable ME-262 Swallow and V-1 buzz bomb (a primitive cruise missle with a ram jet). The ME-262 was the most formidable fighter of World War II One of the ME-262's main weaknesses was, however, that the engine rotors in the axial design required scarce metals and German metalurgy had not caught up with the advamces of the aviation industry. The rotors had to be replaced after only a short service life of about 25 hours, amd this was only if the pilot carefully regulated acceleration, something difficult to do in the heat of battle. The high temperrtatures achieved in the German jet engines could not be tolerated by the alloys the Germans used for the rotors. This was crucial because ectended delays in servicing the ebgines suignioficantly reduced the number of planes that could be deployed at any given time. The Luftwaffe was in the procss of deploying a second generation of jet aircraft when the NAZIs surrenderd (May 1945). The German advantage in jet technology was largely nulified by Hitler's interference. The German second generation of jets included both fighters abd bombers. Especially important was a new engine which required less scarce metals and had a longer service life. They were also easier to operate and inexperinced pilots could be used. This could have very subtanially change the course of the air war. Thanfully for the Allies, Hitler came to theur assistance. He interfered and essentially threw away the German advantage. He ordered develoomental projects cut back to focus resojrces on proven technologies to defeat the Soviets (1942). And once developed, he insisted it be used as a bomber rather than a fighter, an absurd use of this potent aircraft. The expanding Allked bombing campaign, some that ME-262 squadrons if available, could have effectively combatted, both slowed producgtion and reduced the availability of fuel. British designer Frank Whittle also produced a jet engine. He was behind the Germans because the Air Ministry concluded that jet propulsion was not practical (1929). The decission was largely based on the work of A.A. Griffith at the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE). Whittle disagreed, but without RAF backing, had to be done at a slow speed with the limited private financing available. The Air Ministry did not change their minds until months before the War (1939). And in the heat of battle, only limited resources were made available for this unproven new technology. Whittle had chosen the centrifuicval design for his engines which avoided the metalurgical problems encountered by the Germans. Thus the Glouster E-28 Meteor could be deployed much more effectively. Today there are no serviceable ME-262s while there are Meteors. The Americanns were also working on jet propulsion, but at wars end their engines were unable to generate the thrust achieved by either the Germans and British meaning the early American jets had poor performance. The Japanese also worked with jet engines. Thy made little progress until late in the War, the Germasn began shafring their high technology with them. Unlike the Allies who began sharing technology even before America entered the War, the Germans at first provided only limited assiastance to the Japanese. And when the Germans began proding their high technology. it was too late. The American bombing and sunmarine campaigns severely limited the ability of Japanese industry to make any important use of the advanced German technology.

Rocket Engines

The Germans also developed rocket engines for both aircraft and missles. The V-2 program was an Heer project undertaken by Captain Walter Dornberger and Wener Von Braun. At the heart of the V-2 was liquid fuel rocket engine. It was a technological marvel, but a military failure consuming a massive amount of scarce cfritical material. It proved more deadly in Germany than in Britain and the other countries targeted by the Germans. It was also a war crime in that perhaps 20,000 slave workers from the Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp perished in building the missles. The ME-163B Komet was a Luftwaffe project. It was the only rocket airplane deployed in the War. We note a Hitler Youth boy who was trained to fly the Komet. It worked and brought down some American bombers, but it was probably more dangerous to the German pilots than the American bomber air crews. Takeoff was dangerous because of the highly volitile fuel, the same fuel used for the V-2's rocket engines. The pilot jetisoned its wheel carriage on take off and had to land on skids, if it could make it back to an airfield. Landing was the most dangerous part of a Komet mission. It surely was the most unique fighter actually deployed in the War. There was nothing like it in the Allied inventory. It is another example of the German engineers being on the cutting edge aviation technology. They began by attaching a rocket engine to a glider. The end resuklt was the Komet, single-seat, swept-wing interceptor. It is sometimes called a fighter, but because of its limited flight time, poor manuerability and range, it could only be used against large bomber formations. The protype first flew (September 1, 1941). It was after considerable tinkering, added to the Luftwaffe operational inventory (1944). It should have never been apprived for operational service because it was so dangerius to fly, but the decesion reflects the Luftwaffe's increasing desperation as the Allied bombers pounded Germa cities day and night and the Luftwaffe's fighters were descimated by the new P-51s escorting the bombers. It was outclassed by the ne ME-262, but the OKL decided to gom ahead an use it, pehaps because Hitler did not untefere as he had done with the ME-262.

Created: 2:49 PM 10/20/2012
Last updated: 8:46 PM 12/30/2013