A couple of questions about aircraft in general...

[B-17engineer]

Okay, so I've been on this forum for...OMG almost 2 years now... and have learned a lot! Thanks guys

But I still have some unanswered questions..

1. A stall, that's when the engine starves for oxygen? And how quick does an aircraft recover, does it depend on weight, speed etc. ?

2. Watching some old footage of the BoB, you see German fighters and bombers being cranked, in the engine, why doesn't the pilot just turn the main engine on?

3. When smoke is coming out of an aircraft, you see a number of different colors black,white, grey etc. , does the color of the smoke depend on where the aircraft is hit?

4. Since there were no ejection seats that blast you clear of the aircraft , incase you need to eject, what did WWII fighter pilots do, roll the plane inverted or keep it right side up?



5. This question seems a bit odd, but when watching gun camera a Zero had it's wing blown off and spun wildly but when watching a FW-190 get its wing shot off it just slowly went inverted, is there a reason for that, or simply how the wing broke off and the speed?

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

1. A stall can be described as a decrease in lift as the angle of attack increases. It has nothing to do with the engines.

2. If the aircraft did not have a electrical starter it has to be hand propped. Basically think of it as push starting a car (put in very simple terms...)

3. Need more information? Are you implying the smoke is coming after the aircraft is taking rounds? Sorry I just don't understand the question.

4. I think it would vary on the aircraft, the pilot, speed and other considerations.

[B-17engineer]

Okay thanks! And for the smoke question, yes as if it was taking bullets.

Thanks!

[Colin1]

3. When smoke is coming out of an aircraft, you see a number of different colors black,white, grey etc. , does the color of the smoke depend on where the aircraft is hit?

4. This question seems a bit odd, but when watching gun camera a Zero had it's wing blown off and spun wildly but when watching a FW-190 get its wing shot off it just slowly went inverted, is there a reason for that, or simply how the wing broke off and the speed?

3. Black smoke normally means the oil lines have been ruptured and hot oil is coming into contact with the very hot, external surfaces of the engine block esp the manifolds as it departs the aircraft.

White smoke normally means the coolant lines have been ruptured and hot coolant is doing the same.

Grey smoke sounds like the aluminium skin of the aircraft has caught fire.


4. There's too many undefined variables here to give a precise answer. Further, do you mean spun wildly, or rolled wildly? Some basic variables would be the difference in weight of the two aircraft and the speed they were flying at when the wing departed. Assymetric drag forces created by the loss of the wing that the prop's turning in to MIGHT also be greater vs the one it's turning away from.

[B-17engineer]

Okay thanks! and yes rolled

[Shortround6]

2. Watching some old footage of the BoB, you see German fighters and bombers being cranked, in the engine, why doesn't the pilot just turn on the main engine on?

Are you refering to the ground crew pulling the propeller/s through by hand or one or more men turning a crank handle on the side/bottom of engine cowl?

if it is the latter, what they are doing is winding up the inertia starter.

THis starter used a small flywheel turning thousands of rpm to be clutched to the engine to provide the force to turn over the main engine. The starter it self was lighter than an equel power electric motor.and required a lighter battery as well. the flywheel turned hundreds of revolutions for each turn of the crank.

If you are refering to hand propping this was done before starting to ensure that no fluids had collected in a cylinder that might damage the engine if the engine was started before the fluid was cleared out.