|
|
Post by mcnoch on Dec 19, 2012 7:52:00 GMT -5
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2012 19:52:03 GMT -5
Thank you for posting the story, it was well worth reading and another example that there are good people everywhere.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2012 19:57:41 GMT -5
The WW2 story reminded me of a Readers Digest story about a Polish airman who had been invited to address a womans air league luncheon in England. His accent was thick but he carried on explaining about a recent combat experience. He said there were fokkers to the right and to the left, fokkers above .... the chairlady stopped him and advised the members that their guest was referring to Fokker aircraft. The pilot carried on and said "and the next fokker was a Messerschmitt."
|
|
|
|
Post by Sir John on Dec 19, 2012 22:40:11 GMT -5
I really hate to be a killjoy, but I very much doubt that a 4 engine aircraft can fly on one engine.
SJ
|
|
|
|
Post by bluejay77 on Dec 19, 2012 22:52:18 GMT -5
The WW2 story reminded me of a Readers Digest story about a Polish airman who had been invited to address a womans air league luncheon in England. His accent was thick but he carried on explaining about a recent combat experience. He said there were fokkers to the right and to the left, fokkers above .... the chairlady stopped him and advised the members that their guest was referring to Fokker aircraft. The pilot carried on and said "and the next fokker was a Messerschmitt." My host with the Mensa Oregon was a retired Hewlett-Packard engineer who was ethnically half Polish. He told that there had been a dinner when the main speaker wanted to tell a joke about the Polish. First the speaker asked, "Are there any Polish individuals here, as to my joke about the Polish?" My acquaintance said that he was Polish. The speaker continued: "OK. I will tell the joke very slowly......." |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2012 0:43:02 GMT -5
Poor Polish people, they don;t deserve it. I think.  |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2012 0:45:03 GMT -5
I really hate to be a killjoy, but I very much doubt that a 4 engine aircraft can fly on one engine. SJ Sir John I believe that they can and have dropped their bomb load and half of their fuel load and also parts of the aircraft would make it lighter. |
|
|
|
Post by mcnoch on Dec 20, 2012 2:23:41 GMT -5
but I very much doubt that a 4 engine aircraft can fly on one engine. No, that in fact happened quite often with returning B-17. They would continue to fly very slow and very low. Of course significant structural damage could increase the air drag of the plane forcing the flight speed below stall speed. But often enough they maanged to return to the closest airbases or even home. That is why no aircraft was listed as missing in action before six hours of the remaining squadron had arrived. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2012 2:38:19 GMT -5
The power to weight load ratio of WW2 bombers was very high and once the cargo was delivered, ammunition for guns reduced, fuel, they were much lighter.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2012 2:47:57 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Sir John on Dec 25, 2012 13:50:59 GMT -5
Prem,
I cannot find a direct reference to a B17 flying on one engine in that link.
One engine on one side with all others out would be almost impossible to control.
Maybe flying in a straight line to a landing at a strip directly ahead MAY be possible but I still doubt it.
I have seen references to a AVRO Lancaster doing that at an air show but it was at the end of a shallow dive, and only until it needed to regain height did they fire up the others again.
SJ
|
|
|
|
Post by Sir John on Dec 25, 2012 22:01:42 GMT -5
Jerry,
You are a pilot, do you think a 4 engine 'heavy' could fly on one engine?
SJ
|
|
|
|
Post by jerryfmcompushaft on Dec 26, 2012 9:48:33 GMT -5
You are right in that it would be very difficult to control. Hw difficult would depend on whether it was an inboard engine or an outboard engine that was running. Whether or not it could remain airborne would depend on a number of factors - actual weight and weather conditions being major. (Lift and engine performance are improved on cold, dry days and degraded on hot, moist days) In the story referenced, it would also depend on the condition of the airplane - with as many control surfaces compromised and as much damage as was described, which would affect the amount of drag, I must say that they were VERY lucky to have made it. Do I think the story to be true? Probably. The B17 was way over powered so it could carry a larger bomb load and would probably have enough power to limp home on one engine.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2012 13:12:10 GMT -5
I've seen it in the movies, so it MUST be true! |
|
|
|
Post by jerryfmcompushaft on Dec 26, 2012 14:55:32 GMT -5
I've seen it in the movies, so it MUST be true! And the story of the German pilot saluting the cripled American airplane has been around for decades..... |
|
