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05-31-2007, 06:06 PM
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#1 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 1,506
Country:  |  Which country designed the best engines for WWII?
I'm a bit ignorant on this subject.
But I guess Merlin was amazing, Griffon was good, so England has a good reputation.
For the USA, Pratt & Whitney?
Junkers Jumo for Germany?
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05-31-2007, 08:01 PM
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#2 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Phila, Pa
Posts: 2,514
Country: | Lot of good ones. Merlin was certainly a great engine. No doubt about it. So was the P&W R-2800. Another great. Also the Wright Cyclone.
Germans had the BMW 800 and Diamler Benz 600.
Russians had a bunch as well (sorry I'm not specific here).
But throughout WW2, all sides sort of "kept up" with each other as much as possible. The Japenese definitely lagged as did the Italians and other smaller countries. But the big players (US, Britian, Germany and Russia) all managed to produce engines that were roughly parrallel to each other in power. | |
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05-31-2007, 09:39 PM
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#3 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Campospinoso (PV), Italy
Posts: 655
| I voted England, mainly for the Merlin.
In my view it was the most successful engine, running in 39 and developed until 45 with an incredible development. Other Countries had great engines, but the Merlin has powered everything and was always on top of performances.
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06-01-2007, 12:43 AM
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#4 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sydney
Posts: 210
Country:  | Inline it has to be the Merlin.
Rotary its a toss up between Pratt & Whitney and BMW.
I voted for the Poms because of the Merlin. 
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06-01-2007, 06:40 AM
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#5 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 13,231
Country: | The radials designed by the US were a major part of the civilian market for years. From the PW 985 through the Curtiss 3350, look how many pre-war and post war aircraft used Pratt or CW round engines, and there are many around today....
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06-01-2007, 07:36 AM
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#6 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,729
Country: | Allisons are used a lot for high performance boats these days too. Tough one for me. Germany, US and Britain all had some great engines.
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06-01-2007, 04:48 PM
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#7 | | World Traveler
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK
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Country:  | Yep. All the major countries had good engines with the Germans and Americans having good rotaries and the British having a good inline. For me I voted for Britain because of the Merlin among others with the US and Germany very close behind.
Can someone change the England in the poll to Britain (or UK)...
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06-01-2007, 05:01 PM
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#8 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Saffron Walden/Sheffield
Posts: 3,001
Country: | Don't forget the Bristol series of radial engines that were up there aswell. Britain didn't just have the merlin and Griffon
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06-01-2007, 05:38 PM
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#9 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NIAGARA
Posts: 4,601
Country:  | Pratt and Whitney r1800 and r2600 thats all that needs to be said
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06-02-2007, 03:37 AM
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#10 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 1,506
Country: | So far, it looks like it's turning out to be a close poll.
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"His motor's conked out!"
"What's the differance, they're all Nazis!"
"Luke, shut up!"
"Fear the hook!"
"Oh.....I wanna fly."
"You mean the kind that go under water and fly up the stairs?"
"What you doing? Oh Nooooo!" | |
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06-03-2007, 03:08 PM
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#11 | | Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 41
Country:  | R2800 rules | |
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06-04-2007, 03:23 PM
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#12 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 29,822
Country:  | Hmm I cant really vote for anyone, its a tough call.
Best Radials in my opinion were built by the US with the PW series and followed by Germany with the BMW 800s.
Inlines is a toss up between German and England in my opinion.
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06-04-2007, 03:35 PM
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#13 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NIAGARA
Posts: 4,601
Country: | If you look at the aircraft the PW's powered including replacing the Bristols in RAF aircraft you can't really argue to much IMHO
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06-04-2007, 04:58 PM
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#14 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Montrose, Colorado
Posts: 2,177
Country: | Lets see, the PW R2800 powered the P47, F4U, F6F, B26, A26, C46, too many to enumerate. Smaller PWs powered B24, etc. Wright Cyclones powered a number of attack planes as well as B17s. Seems like US has big edge if only radials considered. British had RR Merlins which powered Spits, Hurris, Lancasters, etc. Bristol radials. Germany had DB inlines which powered BFs and several med. bombers and BMW radials in FWs etc. What hurts US is no really successful inline engines. Had to use RR in fighters and PT boats. The fine radials they built offset some but tough call. | |
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06-11-2007, 07:17 PM
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#15 | | Banned
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 180
Country:  | no mention of the Packard improvements to the Merlin?
definitely significant.. | |
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