What was the problem with the Spitfire?
During the Battle of France and Battle of Britain in 1940, RAF pilots discovered a serious problem in fighter planes with Merlin engines, such as the Hurricane and Spitfire. When the plane went nose-down to begin a dive, the resulting negative g-force would flood the engine’s carburettor, causing the engine to stall.
How does an airplane carburetor work?
Air enters the carburetor and travels through a venturi. The venturi accelerates the airflow and causes the pressure of the air to drop. A nozzle is placed in this area of low pressure and is connected to the fuel bowl. The low pressure creates suction on the nozzle and fuel is discharged into the air stream.
What was Beatrice Shilling famous for?
Beatrice ‘Tilly’ Shilling was a celebrated aeronautical engineer and successful motorcycle racer. She was best known for her work on carburettors at the Royal Aircraft Establishment during the Second World War.
What did Beatrice Shilling invent?
Beatrice Shilling is most known for her engineering ideas for the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine in 1940 fighter planes. When either the Spitfire or Hurricane would perform a nose dive the engine would cut out due to the flooding of the carburetor.
Why is it called a Merlin engine?
Following the company convention of naming its piston aero engines after birds of prey, Rolls-Royce named the engine the Merlin after a small, Northern Hemisphere falcon (Falco columbarius). Two more Rolls-Royce engines developed just prior to the war were added to the company’s range.
What happened to the Spitfire?
The Spitfire was a single-seat fighter plane that served Britain during WWII. Some are still airworthy today, though more are preserved in museums. Unfortunately, at first they had a fatal flaw… one that required a woman’s orifice to fix.
Was the Supermarine Spitfire almost done in by an engineering flaw?
The Supermarine Spitfire is one of World War II’s iconic planes. With its low wings and remarkable dexterity, the plane etched its name in the history books during the Battle of Britain between 1940 and 1941. But, as the YouTube channel Real Engineering explains, the aircraft was almost done in by an engineering flaw.
How many rounds would it take to kill a Spitfire?
It was found by the Germans that a single 20mm Minengeschoss round impacting near the wing root, cockpit, or tail was sufficient to bring down a Spitfire. This is not to say that the Spitfire was not a good aircraft. It was among the best propeller driven fighters of the war.
What were the weaknesses of the early jet fighters?
An enduring weakness of all fighter versions was relatively short range. Early versions without cannon had 8 .303 machine guns that lacked punch and had a limited ammunition supply.