Making Bad Designs Good

[tomo pauk]

The 'Hercules Battle' with 4-gun Boulton Paul turret maybe? Should've ballanced out the weight of Hercules quite a bit.
For the FAA - instead of Albacore, and not wanting to risk with a bit newer Hercules - go with 'Taurus Battle', with 2-gun rear post, akin to the Skua? Or skip the radial engines all together, use Merlin VIII - take off power is some 200 HP greater than with Merlin III, with 100 oct fuel it can make another 200 for take off (total 1275 HP).

[KJ_Lesnick]

JCF

Do you have any idea how fast it flew with the Hercules?

[jcf]

JCF

Do you have any idea how fast it flew with the Hercules?

No, and to find that information you'd need to see the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE)
Martlesham and Bristol test reports, and also bear in mind that they were testing the engines, not trying to
see how it would improve the performance of the Battle, so it's very doubtful that they did much in the way of speed
testing.

BTW increasing power doesn't necessarily increase top speed by an appreciable margin, some airframes are speed
limited by their shape and adding power has little useful effect.

[KJ_Lesnick]

JCF

No, and to find that information you'd need to see the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE)
Martlesham and Bristol test reports

Are those public domain?

and also bear in mind that they were testing the engines, not trying to see how it would improve the performance of the Battle, so it's very doubtful that they did much in the way of speed testing.

That's interesting, I would have figured they'd be looking for that possibility.

BTW increasing power doesn't necessarily increase top speed by an appreciable margin, some airframes are speed limited by their shape and adding power has little useful effect.

Well mach limits and stuff