PDA

View Full Version : British 100 Octane aircraft during the Battle of Britain.



Jean Lafitte
Nov-06-2015, 15:14
Does the historical record inform us with regard to WHICH British squadrons had 100 octane fuel for their aircraft during the Battle of Britian? Thanks.

RAF74_Buzzsaw
Nov-06-2015, 15:41
Does the historical record inform us with regard to WHICH British squadrons had 100 octane fuel for their aircraft during the Battle of Britian? Thanks.

All modern types, (Spitfire and Hurricane) British Fighter aircraft were converted to 100 octane fuel starting in March of 1940.

By the time of the BoB, the only aircraft using 87 octane fuel were Gloster Gladiators, and they did not see combat, being based in Wales.

Considering the area covered by the map, there is no reason for any mission designer to use any 87 octane types.

The only combats involving 87 octane RAF fighters over Britain in WWII were in the north of the country during the Luftwaffe raids on the Royal Navy bases and convoys in the North Sea in 1939 and early 1940. The Luftwaffe did not have bases close enough to raid the area shown on the CoD map during this time period... France and Belgium were controlled by the Allies.

Jean Lafitte
Nov-06-2015, 23:29
All modern types, (Spitfire and Hurricane) British Fighter aircraft were converted to 100 octane fuel starting in March of 1940.

By the time of the BoB, the only aircraft using 87 octane fuel were Gloster Gladiators, and they did not see combat, being based in Wales.

Considering the area covered by the map, there is no reason for any mission designer to use any 87 octane types.

The only combats involving 87 octane RAF fighters over Britain in WWII were in the north of the country during the Luftwaffe raids on the Royal Navy bases and convoys in the North Sea in 1939 and early 1940. The Luftwaffe did not have bases close enough to raid the area shown on the CoD map during this time period... France and Belgium were controlled by the Allies.

Thank you so much for this important information.

Do you know of a website link that you could share concerning this and other important details about the Battle of Britain ?

RAF74_Buzzsaw
Nov-07-2015, 00:56
The best source of original documents relating to the use of 100 octane fuel by the RAF in 1939-40 is at the WWII Aircraft Performance site, in particular the sections which deal with the Spitfire I and Hurricane I.

Spitfire I:

http://www.spitfireperformance.com/spitfire-I.html

Hurricane I:

http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/hurricane/hurricane-I.html

The complete WWII Aircraft Performance site is linked below. This is the largest collection of original documents relating to WWII fighter aircraft of all the major combatants which exists online:

http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/

I don't always agree with all the conclusions they arrive at in the comparisons they make, but overall this site is a indispensable source of original document information for those interested in the facts relating to the fighter aircraft which flew and fought during WWII.

Jean Lafitte
Nov-07-2015, 10:00
The best source of original documents relating to the use of 100 octane fuel by the RAF in 1939-40 is at the WWII Aircraft Performance site, in particular the sections which deal with the Spitfire I and Hurricane I.

Spitfire I:

http://www.spitfireperformance.com/spitfire-I.html

Hurricane I:

http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/hurricane/hurricane-I.html

The complete WWII Aircraft Performance site is linked below. This is the largest collection of original documents relating to WWII fighter aircraft of all the major combatants which exists online:

http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/

I don't always agree with all the conclusions they arrive at in the comparisons they make, but overall this site is a indispensable source of original document information for those interested in the facts relating to the fighter aircraft which flew and fought during WWII.

Thanks very much. All I know about the Battle of Britain is the movie and Len Deighton's book "Fighter" written long ago. But "Fighter" is a highly regarded history of the battle even today . . . and it's well written and brief.

RAF74_Buzzsaw
Nov-07-2015, 15:20
Thanks very much. All I know about the Battle of Britain is the movie and Len Deighton's book "Fighter" written long ago. But "Fighter" is a highly regarded history of the battle even today . . . and it's well written and brief.

Except that 'Fighter' is completely incorrect in its assessment of the turn performance of the 109's vs the Spitfires. Deighton was a good story teller, but no aeronautics expert.

Jean Lafitte
Nov-17-2015, 00:22
Except that 'Fighter' is completely incorrect in its assessment of the turn performance of the 109's vs the Spitfires. Deighton was a good story teller, but no aeronautics expert.

I will watch for that error.

Are there any other errors of which I should beware?

ATAG_Monkeynut
Nov-17-2015, 17:45
Not related to flying as such, but the story of the 'mutiny' by ground crew at Manston is also hotly disputed in just about every pilot memoir of the battle and in many works since.

If you want one really good book to read on the whole period I would go for Stephen Bungay's Most Dangerous Enemy. I've got a fairly big collection of BOB books (well over 100 and growing!) and this one gives a good, well balanced overall account and is also a great read.

Jean Lafitte
Dec-01-2015, 10:54
Thanks! Sounds like you have a great library.

7./JG26_SMOKEJUMPER
Dec-03-2015, 21:41
Thanks very much. All I know about the Battle of Britain is the movie and Len Deighton's book "Fighter" written long ago. But "Fighter" is a highly regarded history of the battle even today . . . and it's well written and brief.

Oh buddy, soooo many good book out there.


Now that you have the bug enjoy! The personal stories I've read will blow your mind. Some of the miraculous escapes from the clutches of death are so unreal it reads like fiction.

I've read for example of fighters exploding with the pilot coming to in free fall to pull their rip cord. Not sure if that was a Battle of Britain story. I read a lot so they can start to mash together.

TWC_SLAG
Dec-05-2015, 11:57
Except that 'Fighter' is completely incorrect in its assessment of the turn performance of the 109's vs the Spitfires. Deighton was a good story teller, but no aeronautics expert.

Not to hijack the thread, but "Bomber" by Deighton is almost the best book I have ever read about WWII flying. Even though it is fiction. I bought "Fighter", hoping it would be as good and was disappointed.

ATAG_Monkeynut
Dec-08-2015, 17:06
Not to hijack the thread, but "Bomber" by Deighton is almost the best book I have ever read about WWII flying. Even though it is fiction. I bought "Fighter", hoping it would be as good and was disappointed.

Me too!

DD_Crash
Dec-14-2015, 09:45
This is one of Kurfurst, of the Kurfurst.org sites favorite subjects with many discussions on many forums :)

VO101_Kurfurst
Dec-17-2015, 07:22
This is one of Kurfurst, of the Kurfurst.org sites favorite subjects with many discussions on many forums :)

Well the way I see its rather an obsession of a handful of khmm, dedicated patriots with a condition of compulsively posting the same indecisive evidence over and over again, but I digress. :)

My site doesn't discuss British 100 octane use at all. Its quite irrelevant to the subject that site is all about and to some extent because the very subject freak out bad a couple of people. Personally, I can't be bothered much about it. When there will be some positive evidence, I will change my mind on it.

ATAG_Snapper
Dec-17-2015, 09:51
Various points of view have been expressed on this topic. For those looking for more discussion there is a very fractious 1100+ post thread in another forum that, AFAIK, is still up.

Thanks to all here for contributing to this one. :salute: