Author Topic: WEP Limit (Read 1162 times)

Condor · « **on:** January 30, 2007, 11:53:54 AM »

I’m sure this is covered somewhere in a forum thread but a search for WEP cannot be performed (too few characters). It is my understanding that all fighters have a limited duration at WEP. I've assume it’s a matter of engine overheating. Eventually, of course, it would also be limited by fuel. Or is it a boost from an additive that’s in limited supply? I’ve seen recommendations that WEP should be saved for when it’s really needed in a combat situation. Soda’s write-up on the P-51D, for example, says it has only 5 min. of WEP and says “Save your WEP and use it only in combat”. Further on he says “impatient pilots will expend at least half of that (5 min WEP) trying to get better climb or to build up speed prior to the fight. If you can run him out of his remaining WEP then your fight will be easier.” This implies that there is an absolute limit per sortie. Is that correct? I happen to be one of those impatient pilots.

I’ve never timed it but it seems to me that, although the effect WEP will run down over time, it seems to be available again later. Is that due to loss of power because of engine overheating in the short term and the ability to make use of WEP again when it cools down? Is there a limit per sortie?

DREDger · « **Reply #1 on:** January 30, 2007, 12:23:25 PM »

It is 'war emergency power'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_emergency_power

From what I have gathered WEP limitations are based on engine temperature. Once it gets about halfway into red the WEP comes off. Once the engine cools enough, you can use WEP again, so I think that is it's only limitation in the game.

Not all planes have the WEP ability. The yak for instance. I think you just press your 'P' key to give that extra boost, and only happens when throttle at full (you cant wep on at 75% power for instance) Some bombers have it and others don't

You can look the MP (manifold pressure) to see how it jumps when you 'WEP up'. The P-47N for example give a considerable boost in MP.

TequilaChaser · « **Reply #2 on:** January 30, 2007, 12:24:17 PM »

I will try not to get to indepth or long winded here,

WEP stands for WAR EMERGENCY POWER, it is available in differing amounts depending on the plane type.

Ki-84 - has great WEP, and it recovers quickly, when I say recover, I am talking aout the time the temp hand goes from ye//owred to green/yellow...before it is fully replenished.......

The 109's & 190's also have a better WEP/Boost than most other planes have..... the BOOST in the 109's %& 190's is simulating a nitrous boost , where as say the F4U series or F6f is water injected type boost......

you are only limited by the time it takes for your WEP ( boost ) to recover, and you can use it even if it has only recovered a few seconds, but it is soon used up again.......

not all planes have WEP , the a6m2, F4f, yak for example do not, where as the Fm2 does.......etc.....

hope this short answer helps..

as noted by DREDger, you have to be at 100% throttle to use wep, 99% throttle wep will not come in/on........how ever it will make your lower RPM settings if used for cruising, kick back to full/100%

also, some planes show it going into the RED zone on the temp gauge a good ways, some show it cutting out right at the yellow/red area of temp gauge...

HomeBoy · « **Reply #3 on:** January 30, 2007, 12:55:28 PM »

TC,
Can I infer from what you're saying then that if I'm in a plane that has five minutes of WEP for example and I use up ALL five minutes then fly at normal cruise speed for some period of time that I will eventually gain back ALL the WEP so I can go another full five minutes?

I know from experience that my inference is at least partially correct. Just wanting to complete my education on this.

Thanks

Ghosth · « **Reply #4 on:** January 30, 2007, 12:58:13 PM »

yes, if you let your engine cool, you can reuse wep again.
You can speed this by cutting engine and gliding for a minute.

Providing of course you don't have a bogey bothering you.

Mustaine · « **Reply #5 on:** January 30, 2007, 01:53:57 PM »

as far as I know AH does not model the MW-50 or or water injection tanks.

theoretically you can WEP until the engine gets too hot, let it cool all the way down, WEP again until the engine gets to hot again, rinse and repeat to infinity....

though your plane will run out of gas eventually

you can test this offline setting the fuel burn to 0, and go as long as you want.

TequilaChaser · « **Reply #6 on:** January 30, 2007, 02:15:43 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Mustaine
as far as I know AH does not model the MW-50 or or water injection tanks.

correct, but from my view or opinion, the planes that had MW-50 or nitrous type injection that are represented in Aces High seem to have a more powerful boost over the other type planes that had water injection...that was what I was trying to explain..... even though it doesn't really matter much in the game, except for the hard-core type sim players who use everything they can to win a fight........

Traveler · « **Reply #7 on:** January 30, 2007, 02:49:56 PM »

The WEP is not modeled correctly in AH. It's based on Time /Temp only in AH. WEP was produced depending on the aircraft type with either water or an additive injected directly into the fuel or cylinder head. It was supplied from an on board storage tank that would require servicing on landing to replenish. In AH you can run WEP then let it cool down and repeat. It’s based on time/temp only.

Karnak · « **Reply #8 on:** January 30, 2007, 09:36:33 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Traveler
The WEP is not modeled correctly in AH. It's based on Time /Temp only in AH. WEP was produced depending on the aircraft type with either water or an additive injected directly into the fuel or cylinder head. It was supplied from an on board storage tank that would require servicing on landing to replenish. In AH you can run WEP then let it cool down and repeat. It’s based on time/temp only.

That is not true for all aircraft.

Spitfires, for example, did not use an additive to get WEP boost pressures. There is one example of a Spitfire pilot panicing and running his Spit V at WEP power for 30 minutes. The engine even checked out fine afterwards.

Many other aircraft had WEP done purely via the throttle/rpm, just like the Spitfire.

Traveler · « **Reply #9 on:** January 31, 2007, 04:23:56 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Karnak
That is not true for all aircraft.

Spitfires, for example, did not use an additive to get WEP boost pressures. There is one example of a Spitfire pilot panicing and running his Spit V at WEP power for 30 minutes. The engine even checked out fine afterwards.

Many other aircraft had WEP done purely via the throttle/rpm, just like the Spitfire.

Karnak, my point being that the WEP modeling is not correct in AH is ture for all aircraft that have WEP available in AH. But AH allows all aircraft to be run at max power for as long as the fuel lasts. This just wasn't so in real aircraft of the time.

Karnak · « **Reply #10 on:** February 01, 2007, 02:04:36 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Traveler
Karnak, my point being that the WEP modeling is not correct in AH is ture for all aircraft that have WEP available in AH. But AH allows all aircraft to be run at max power for as long as the fuel lasts. This just wasn't so in real aircraft of the time.

Except it was true for some aircraft. AH doesn't allow the Spit to run at WEP for 30 minutes because people would game the game by just always running at WEP, but the Spitfire could run at WEP from full tank to empty in reality. It wasn't a matter of any additive, or of engine failure (most likely), but rather of maintainance schedules.