Author Topic: Engine Fire (Read 403 times)

Raptor · « **on:** July 07, 2005, 05:50:51 PM »

I know some pilots managed to put out engine fires by rising to an alt where the oxygen was so thin the fire went out, and heard of other accounts where they put the fire out by going into a hard dive. Was thinking it would be nice if we could put out a fire by climbing above a certain alt or diving above a certain speed.

mussie · « **Reply #1 on:** July 09, 2005, 05:31:43 AM »

Yeah I tried diving and my 24's drones got lost about the same time my wings chickend out and ran away from the rest of the plane

Would be cool to be able to put out those fires

Kweassa · « **Reply #2 on:** July 09, 2005, 07:20:24 AM »

I'm kinda skeptical on both accounts, Raptor.

* IMO, if the air is so thin that a fire would be put out, then there is no way a plane with a normal engine could ever reach that alt in the first place..

* IMO, in case of the 'dive', a harsh dive might minimize contact with the air and would be able to put out external fires.. but I don't think there's anyway an internal fire would also be put out. I think a dive would basically have no effect but to slightly delay the ultimate demise of the plane.

..

Maybe someone who works at the fire department can enlighten us?

Ghosth · « **Reply #3 on:** July 09, 2005, 07:32:06 AM »

Kweassa,

There are many stories of bomber pilots who "blew out" engine fires by going into a steep dive.

Granted its not going to do anything to an internal fire, but they had estinguishers for that. What a bomber crew can't reach is a fire out in the engines.

No it was not a "sure thing" but it was better than the alternative, which was watching the wing melt off then taking the same long dive only out of control.

After all, havn't you ever "blown out" a candle?

BTW just for reference, fire is a 3 sided triangle, Air, fuel, heat.

Take away one leg and it falls down.
(goes out)

What happens to your heat if you go from 175 mph to 400 mph? Blown away in the slipstream perhaps?

mussie · « **Reply #4 on:** July 09, 2005, 08:43:53 AM »

As I said I would love to put out my fires with a dive but I think it’s more of a movie thing

That being said:
1- Where are our extinguishers?

2- Wind chill can be pretty awesome
If the temp is 40 F (about 4.5C)
And you are moving at 60mph (100 kmh)
The wind chill makes the temp 25F (about -3.9C)

It’s not linier and there is noway I am going to try the equation but as a ball park figure make it 300 mph and were talking about something in the range of -4F or -20C

So looking at that would a combination of all three put out the an engine fire.

Anyone got historical data ?

Ghosth · « **Reply #5 on:** July 10, 2005, 05:57:56 AM »

I know temps at 30K over europe commonly got down to -20, -30 below zero. Those guys didn't dress up in those warm jackets for style.

Add 250, 300 mph wind to that, thats a pretty nasty wind chill.

Swoop · « **Reply #6 on:** July 10, 2005, 06:24:13 AM »

Do we get engine fires?

Always looked to me like the flames are coming from the fuselage rather than one specific engine.

hacksaw1 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 10, 2005, 07:43:00 AM »

"A Fort on our right pulls away from formation, trailing white smoke. Now it dives at 45 degrees, with the cowl flaps on the number-two engine fully open—standard procedure to put out a fire forward of the engine firewall."

http://www.flightjournal.com/articles/b-17/fortress_3.asp

The author continues the story saying that the fire was actually behind the firewall, and the plane exploded with no survivors. :-/

Regards.

Cement