Grumman Rules the Sky

[Oldman731]

then 'free' airspeed from a headwind of ~40mph at steady A of A..

Must 'logically' increase rate of climb..

No. You don't get it.

You are well-read. Go back to Langewiesche's book and read his analogy about the man in the train.

- oldman

[Widewing]

See rule #4

[J.A.W.]

See Rule #4

[Widewing]

Fluid Dynamics....

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

[J.A.W.]

See rule #4

[J.A.W.]

Sure, someone could install a high output Merlin into a Spit and try for the record.... The record is held by Rare Bear, whose R-3350 was generating in excess of 4,000 hp when it set the record. All of that said, a service grade Spit VIII averages about 1,000 fpm less than the service grade F8F-1 that set the record in 1946, where it averaged about 6,400 fpm.

Also, the best Spit VIII climb rate in that chart was obtained running 25 lb boost. 18 lb was the standard Combat Power setting, and that boost is reflected in Aces High.

Ww, kindly post official test evidence of a 'service grade' F8F making '6,400 fpm'.

& note: that is 'bout what those `51H charts give for a 90in/8,000lbs climb rate..

Do you have a ball-park figure for race-Merlin mill outputs?

[Widewing]

See Rule #4

[J.A.W.]

See Rule #4

[J.A.W.]

See Rule #4

[Widewing]

Ww, kindly post official test evidence of a 'service grade' F8F making '6,400 fpm'.

You own a calculator, right? Ignoring the time spent on the takeoff roll, the time spent folding gear and building speed to best climb speed, it still requires an average climb rate of 6,250 fpm. Since it did take time to get airborne and build speed, clearly the F8F had to average in excess of 6,400 fpm to get to 10k in 96 seconds.

[J.A.W.]

Yes, Ww, it is perfectly self-evident that the stunt-cat made those numbers..

& the posted documents in this thread show that..
.. several other contemporary recips could likely do them,
 or even better them - under stunt circumstances - too..

Can you post an authentic document that can confirm it was a truly representative &
run of the mill - mil-spec performance envelope type-deal?

[J.A.W.]

& USN/Govt official service tests, not some possibly dubious manufacturer's stuff like
Bell & Republic seemed to have had a bad habit of pushing...

To be fair, I have never seen anything to that effect - about `40s Grumman...

[J.A.W.]

A basic mind/meat calculation for the `51H @ 90in/8,000lbs.. & ~6,400ft/min..

.. gives a  power to weight ratio of ~3.6..

& the published 'combat' rating/load out for the F8F.. 2500HP/10337lbs.. & ~4,600ft/min

...gives a power to weight ratio of ~4.1..

So given that climb rate is largely a thrust/AoA/speed = lift/climb rate..

Then unless the stunt-cat was overpower/underweight..

Something is a tad maritime creature decomposition scented here.. perhaps..

[Puma44]

`51H @ 90in

"90in" of what?

[BaldEagl]

See Rule #4