RATO unit information

[flakbait]

Info about the RATO units:

Manufacturer: Walter
Model: 109-502
Fuel: Binary liquid propellant; uses benzine and a mixture of 94% nitric acid and 6% nitrogen dioxide.
Thrust: 1,500 lbs
Burn time: 32 seconds
Weight: 1,230 lbs

Obviously double the thrust weight since the Arado uses a pair of them. That's an extra 3,000 lbs of thrust; equivalent to adding a second pair of Jumo 004 B engines. What doesn't smell right is the fact our Arado uses Jumo 004 B series engines. These engines produced about 1,980 lbs of thrust, but were built in 1943. It would make more sense if they had used Jumo 004 D4 engines that produced 2,204 lbs of thrust. Either way, the RATO units should be giving instant acceleration. Right now they seem to act more like the Jumo engines we've got.

Obviously there's a problem. Either a: they're not producing enough thrust or b: they're not accelerating fast enough. My guess is B since you accelerate slower with the RATO units only than with the jets running. You should be accelerating at nearly the same speed. A thrust difference of 960 lbs wouldn't create an acceleration difference this large.

Got the RATO and jet info from here: www.danshistory.com/ww2/jetrock.html


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Flakbait [Delta6]
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"During the Battle of Britain the question 'fighter or fighter-bomber?'
had been decided once and for all: The fighter can only be used as a bomb carrier
with lasting effect when sufficient air superiority has been won." Adolph Galland
 

[Pyro]

I looked at the webpage you cited.  They give 500 kp as the rating- the only figure I've ever seen associated with those units.  500kp is about 1100 pounds of thrust, not 1500.  It's about like having a third engine for 30 seconds.

If you have it, the Wings episode on the Ar 234 contains some excellent footage of standard and RATO takeoffs.  While it helps a lot as it does in the game, it's pales in comparison to watching the Blue Angels "Fat Albert" shooting off the runway and climbing out at a 45 degree angle.



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Doug "Pyro" Balmos
HiTech Creations

[pugg666]

watching fat albert was sweet...but nothing like getting buzzed by the the 2 ship formation (bout 100 feet agl) while being distracted by the 4 ship doing there nice formations  

/edit/
2 ship formation doing about 500-550 knts
you don't hear them until they pass you  


[This message has been edited by pugg666 (edited 03-22-2001).]

[mrniel]

Just finished reading a book exclusively
about arado 234. The RATO units is said
to be Walter 109-500 on the B2 model,
producing 1102 lbs for approx 30 sec.

Interresting however was, that the airplane
did have a brake-chute installed.

No rearward firing guns was flown operational,
just to end that line of questions.

Book souce is:
ARADO 234 BLITZ
Monogram Monarch
By J.Richard Smith & Eddie J Creek
ISBN 0-914144-51-0

mrniel