Spitfire IX v. FW 190A

[Jaws]

The test above against the Spit Mk IX was done with Faber's FW-190 A3 Not with the A5. The same aircraft was tested against MkV spit, P-38F, Mustang1 and i think a P-47C.

The so called A5 was a G5 actually and that one was tested against the F-4U, Helcat and I think P-47D with water methanool injection.

A4 already had more powerfull engine then the A3 they tested so when MkIX with better engine (merlin 66) came in service in numbers with RAF, they were up against A-4's and A5's with better power as well. So the situation did not changed that much.

One more thing. FW-190 A5 did not have MW50. Not even the A8 had metanol injection. MW-50 was good with the 109's. They used a different boost for the 190's because the 190's use better fuel.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by Jaws

They used a different boost for the 190's because the 190's use better fuel.

Another dead post, oh well there is nothing wrong with old threads being revived.

Um on the fuel thing though, 190s and 109s were all using the same low grade fuel. The Germans did not have anything else late in the war.

[abhiginimav]

needs to have more scientifical accuracy to complete trials.....seems from the report, the test wasnt accurate

[Hop]

A4 already had more powerfull engine then the A3 they tested

It should have had a more powerful engine.

Faber's A3 was running a derated engine, the limits were:

1.35 ata, 2450 rpm for 3 minutes
1.28 ata, 2350 rpm for 30 minutes

However, the AFDU overboosted it in the tests they carried out, using:

1.42 ata, 2700 rpm for 3 minutes
1.35 ata, 2450 rpm for 30 minutes

As such, before the engine failed, it's not possible to say the actual power output. It was almost certainly putting out a lot more power than when Faber flew it, and probably as much as a fully rated A4.

Of course, later in the test the engine began to fail, and power was no doubt dropping off by that time.

so when MkIX with better engine (merlin 66) came in service in numbers with RAF, they were up against A-4's and A5's with better power as well. So the situation did not changed that much.

The Merlin 66 engined Spitfire IX was about 20 mph faster and had up to 1,000 ft/min better climb rate than the Merlin 61 engined Spitfire IX, below 20,000 ft. That's a very large difference.

There wasn't that large an improvement in the 190 A series, if you look at the German test documents. Certainly no version of the 190 A series ever approached the climb rate of the Spitfire LF IX.