World War II Technology: Aircraft Engines

American aicraft engines
Figure 1.--World War I was fought with aircraft powered by radial engines. Powerful inline engines were developed for World War II prmitted streamlining. Inline engines were, however, more vulnrable to battle damage. A relatively small number of engineers and entrepreneurs possessed the technology and resources to design and manufcture high-performance aircraft engines. These indiviuals were clustered in only a few major countries. The industrial capacity to build aircraft engines largely determined the size of airforces of the combatant countries and the capabilities of those engines were the primary factor in the performance of the planes built by the combatant countries. And here the United States had an edge. The growing civil aviation industry had created a demand for efficent, powerful aircraft engines. And the huge autmobile indtry meant hat there were technicians ad industrial capacity that could be turned to manufacturing aircraft engines. No other country possessed a comparable capacity.

A relatively small number of engineers and entrepreneurs possessed the technology and resources to design and manufcture aircraft engines. These indiviuals were clustered in only a few major countries: Britaian, France, Italy, Jaopan, the Soviet Union, and the United States. The industrual capacity to build aircraft engines largely determined the size of airforces of the combatant countries and the capabilities of those engines were the primary factore in the performance of the planes built by the combatant countries. And here the United States had an edge. The growing civil aviation industry had created a demand for efficent, powerful aircraft engines. And the huge American autmobile industry meant that there were technicians ad industrial capacity that could be turned to manufacturing aircraft engines. No other country possessed a comparable capacity. Germany and Japan achieved stunning successes early in the War because they turned their reatively limited industrial capacity to manufacturing high-performance arcraft and engines in quantity while the Allies were still limiting military spending because of budgetary and social welfare concerns. The Soviets were also producing aircraft engines in large numbers, but because of the close nature of Soviet society, Soviet aircraft and engines wre not up to Western. Only after the destruction of the Red Airforce during the first week of Barbrossa (June 1941) did the Soviets begin to produce quality aircaft engines and aicraft. 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. Radial engines on the other hand could sustain significant battle damage and continue functioning to get the pilots home. Many important fighters used radial engines (F4U Corsairs, Folk-Wolfe-190s, P-47 Thunderbolts, F6F Wildcats, and Zeros). Two of the most capable radial 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 radial 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.

Combatant Countries

A relatively small number of engineers and entrepreneurs possessed the technology and resources to design and manufcture aircraft engines. These indiviuals were clustered in only a few major countries: Britaian, France, Italy, Jaopan, the Soviet Union, and the United States. The industrual capacity to build aircraft engines largely determined the size of airforces of the combatant countries. And here the United States had an edge. The growing civil aviation industry had created a demand for efficent, powerful aircraft engines. And the huge American autmobile industry meant that there were technicians ad industrial capacity that could be turned to manufacturing aircraft engines. No other country possessed a comparable capacity.

Importance

The capabilities of those engines were the primary factore in the performance of the planes built by the combatant countries. There were other factors involved such as the airframe design like ling surfce and shpe, but the engine powerplant was the single most important.

Axis Successes

Germany and Japan achieved stunning successes early in the War because they turned their reatively limited industrial capacity to manufacturing high-performance arcraft and engines in quantity while the Allies were still limiting military spending because of budgetary and social welfare concerns. The Soviets were also producing aircraft engines in large numbers, but because of the close nature of Soviet society, Soviet aircraft and engines wre not up to Western. Only after the destruction of the Red Airforce during the first week of Barbrossa (June 1941) did the Soviets begin to produce quality aircaft engines and aicraft.

Engine Types

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. Radial engines on the other hand could sustain significant battle damage and continue functioning to get the pilots home. Many important fighters used radial engines (F4U Corsairs, Folk-Wolfe-190s, P-47 Thunderbolts, F6F Wildcats, and Zeros). Two of the most capable radial 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 radial 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.







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Created: 10:46 PM 10/19/2012
Last updated: 6:21 PM 1/19/2014