Because they not used it with the Spits! :grin:
(sorry, i can't resist ;) )

Like it, it was an open goal

Damn Brits, all that 100 octane coming in, so they just hoard it like squirrels...:rolleyes:

Tankers
 

Well let's see now the reality.

Tanker losses to all causes, I have gathered a total of 78(!!) tankers were sunk by mine, U-boot (typically), aircraft and raiders, between September 1939 and November 1940. About 90% of them were British, though there are a couple of Swedish, Dutch, French etc. tankers

I have them by name, date, cause of loss, route, cargo, tonnage and so on. For example indeed one tanker that went through Halifax, Inverdagle (9456 tons) was sunk by mines laid by the submarine U 34, with 12 500 tons of avgas - about a month worth consumption of 100 octane, though I am not sure what grade it actually carried - on the 16 January 1940.

The first one was Regent Tiger, with about 15 000 tons of oil products, five days after Britain declared war on Germany. The worst blow was possibly the sinking of 13 000 ton San Fernando by the fabled U-47 on the 21 June 1940 (U-43 got another one on the same day). This one alone carried 18 000 tons of oil product that never reached Liverpool.

Alltogether 558,260 GRT of tankers went to Davy Jones locker, by the end of November 1940, along with 385,957 tons of oil product. Half of that, ca. 243 000 GRT worth of tankers were sunk by the end May 1940.

Fuel oil was the greatest loss, 116 000 tons of it went down with tankers (luckily, no green peace back then). Avgas seems quite untypical as a load, but in the end it didn't really matter, because if a tanker sunk with diesel oil, or even empty, the next one had to haul about its cargo again.

Tanker losses were serious, unfortunately.

Oh, and as for that Australian paper used so extensively by Barbi, here is its title, as used by Barbi as a reference in a Wikipedia article:

"Fuel Supplies to The British Empire And It's Commonwealth; Outlook, Ramifications and Projections For The Prosecution Of The War, February 1941, Australian War Memorial Archives."

This came from:
Revision as of 08:39, 16 July 2008 (edit)
Kurfürst (talk | contribs)
(Revised section on 100 octane fuel with more reliable and referenced information; noted fact that the German Air Force also used 100 octane fuel in the Battle. Better sectioning. Added armament info.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?...ldid=225978800


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Ai...00_octane_fuel

Barbi's explanation of the origins and importance of this paper:

"The document which relealed the details of 100 octane use in the BoB by the RAF was a document, copied to the Australian Military Commission in England in February 1941, by Roll Royce to Lord Beaverbrook outlining past, current and proposed changes to the Merlin; and factors that affect it's performance. Its a British-made document, prepeared for the highest circles. McFarland, Pugh, Hart, Perret, Lumsden and even Churchill have all quoted parts from the report." Kurfürst (talk) 10:53, 19 July 2008 (UTC)

Now, in 2008 I inquired of the AWM whether they had such a paper, giving this specific title, referencing Beaverbrook, Rolls-Royce, the Australian Military Commission etc etc...The AWM's response was that they had no such paper.

Just googled, yahooed, binged "Australian Military Commission England WW2" nada - no such organisation appeared to even exist, but I'll cross reference with Australia's Official War Histories to see if there is mention of it there.

I've also just submitted a search inquiry to the AWM:

"I am making an inquiry as to whether the AWM Archives have a paper entitled:

"Fuel Supplies to The British Empire And It's Commonwealth; Outlook, Ramifications and Projections For The Prosecution Of The War, February 1941'

This was a paper written by Rolls-Royce and used by Lord Beaverbrook to address the supply of aviation fuel to Australia via the Australian Military Commission in Britain in February 1941.

I am sorry that there appears to be no AWM reference number, so, hopefully, the title and key references will help."

(Question # RCIS34105
Request type Reference Other
Question )

I am sanguine that they will indeed find this paper and clear this matter up.

wouldn't be the first time

Okay, so let's see the list and the sources.

Vessel Pdt. Tons Built Cargo Notes

SC 21
AMSCO (Br) 72 4,627 1920 Crude Oil

SC3
NOREG (Nor) 43 7,605 1931 Fuel Oil

SC4
SUDERHOLM (Nor) 73 4,908 1917 Fuel Oil
WOENSDRECHT (Du) 52 4,668 1926 Avgas RETURNED

SC5
WOENSDRECHT (Du) 81 4,668 1926 Avgas

SC6
STANMOUNT (Br) 43 4,468 1914 Crude Oil

SC9
GLOXINIA (Br) 61 3,336 1920 Lub Oil

SC14
SOLSTEN (Nor) 42 5,379 1929 Petrol

SC15
TAHCHEE (Br) 52 6,508 1914 Fuel Oil

The above are ships in SC convoys carrying petro gargoes for 1939 and 1940

The below are ships in HX convoys carrying petro cargoes just in 1939.

HX
LANGUEDOC (Fr) * 9,512 1937 crude oil Le Havre

HX3
ONTARIOLITE (Br) 63 8,889 1925 crude oil Le Havre

HX4
ELONA (Br) 61 6,192 1936 lub oil

HX5
SAN ERNESTO (Br) 51 8,078 1939 petrol
VACLITE (Br) 32 5,026 1928 lub oil

HX6
CADILLAC (Br) 72 12,062 1917 PETROL
D L HARPER (Br) 54 12,223 1933 CRUDE OIL
DARONIA (Br) 47 8,139 1939 PETROL
ECLIPSE (Br) 62 9,767 1931 CRUDE OIL HAVRE
F J WOLFE (Pan) 53 12,190 1932 CRUDE OIL
FRANCHE-COMTE (Br) 75 9,314 1936 PETROL BORDEAUX
LUSTROUS (Br) 95 6,156 1927 CRUDE OIL PAUILLAC
NARRAGANSETT (Br) 45 10,389 1936 PETROL
PEDER BOGEN (Br) 91 9,741 1925 DIESO
PENELOPE (Pan) 66 6,559 1925 CRUDE OIL RETURNED
ROBERT F HAND (Br) 94 12,197 1933 PARAFFIN
SAN CALISTO (Br) 81 8,010 1937 PARAFFIN
SCOTTISH HEATHER (Br) 63 7,087 1928 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
VOCO (Br) 23 5,090 1925 LUB OIL

HX7
EL MIRLO (Br) 42 8,092 1930 CRUDE OIL
HORN SHELL (Br) 81 8,272 1931 FUEL OIL
REGINOLITE (Br) 73 9,069 1926 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
SARANAC (Br) 23 12,049 1918 PETROL
ROCAS (Br) 63 7,406 1927 FUEL OIL

HX8
ADELLEN (Br) 83 7,984 1930 FUEL OIL
COWRIE (Br) 52 8,197 1931 DIESO, FUEL OIL
HEINRICH VON REIDEMANN (Pan) 83 11,020 1930 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
LUXOR (Br) 74 6,554 1930 AVGAS LE HAVRE
MIRALDA (Br) 51 8,013 1936 DIESO, CRUDE OIL
PELLICULA (Br) 54 6,254 1936 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
PERSEPHONE (Pan) 64 8,426 1925 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
PRESIDENT SERGENT (Fr) 72 5,344 1923 CRUDE OIL DUNKIRK
SAN CONRADO (Br) 34 7,982 1936 PARAFFIN
SAN FLORENTINO (Br) 24 12,842 1919 FUEL OIL
VICTOLITE (Br) 53 11,410 1928 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE

HX9
ARLETTA (Br) 22 4,870 1925 PETROL
CERINTHUS (Br) 42 3,878 1930 LUB OIL
CHARLES PRATT (Pan) 94 8,982 1916 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
CONCH (Br) 63 8,376 1931 PETROL
DILOMA (Br) 34 8,146 1939 PETROL, PARAFFIN
HARRY G SEIDEL (Pan) 83 10,354 1930 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
REGENT PANTHER (Br) 61 9,556 1937 PETROL
SAN ADOLFO (Br) 64 7,365 1935 FUEL OIL
SAN CIRILO (Br) 62 8,012 1937 PETROL
SAN FABIAN (Br) 71 13,031 1922 FUEL OIL
SAN TIBURCIO (Br) 33 5,995 1921 GAS OIL
SAN UBALDO (Br) 23 5,999 1921 FUEL OIL
VENETIA (Br) 73 5,728 1927 PETROL

HX10
BRITISH WORKMAN (Br) 82 6,994 1922 PARAFFIN
C O STILLMAN (Pan) 72 13,006 1928 CRUDE OIL
CARONI RIVER (Br) 64 7,807 1928 DIESO
CLIONA (Br) 93 8,375 1931 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
GOLD SHELL (Br) 74 8,208 1931 CRUDE OIL
LUNULA (Br) 12 6,363 1927 AVGAS
AN GASPAR (Br) 21 12,910 1921 FUEL OIL
SCOTTISH CHIEF (Br) 94 7,006 1928 CRUDE OIL PAUILLAC
VANCOLITE (Br) 83 11,404 1928 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
VICTOR ROSS (Br) 63 12,247 1933 FUEL OIL LE HAVRE

HX11
ALDERSDALE (Br) 83 8,402 1937 FUEL OIL
ATHELVISCOUNT (Br) 65 8,882 1929 FUEL OIL
BRITISH UNION (Br) 92 6,987 1927 FUEL OIL
CASPIA (Br) 52 6,018 1928 PETROL
COMANCHEE (Br) 71 6,837 1936 LUB OIL
EL GRILLO (Br) 93 7,264 1922 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
COTTISH MAIDEN (Br) 95 6,993 1921 CRUDE OIL DONGES
ARAND (Br) 53 6,023 1927 AVGAS

HX12
ARNDALE (Br) 34 8,296 1937 FUEL OIL
ATHELCHIEF (Br) 94 10,000 1939 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
ATHELPRINCESS (Br) 81 8,882 1929 CRUDE OIL DUNKIRK
FREDERICK S FALES (Br) 64 10,525 1939 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
GEORGE H JONES (Pan) 53 6,914 1919 CRUDE OIL
JAMES McGEE (Pan) 84 9,859 1917 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
MACTRA (Br) 74 6,193 1936 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
MONTROLITE (Br) 63 11,309 1926 CRUDE OIL
SAN FELIX (Br) 73 13,037 1921 FUEL OIL

HX13
BEACONHILL (Pan) 42 6,941 1919 AVGAS
CHAMA (Br) 73 8,077 1938 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
ERODONA (Br) 74 6,207 1937 LUB OIL
AN ELISEO (Br) 43 8,042 1939 GAS OIL
SAN FERNANDO (Br) 64 13,056 1919 CRUDE OIL LE HAVRE
SAN GERARDO (Br) 32 12,915 1929 FUEL OIL
SCHUYLKILL (Br) 52 8,965 1928 PETROL
SOCONY (Br) 63 4,404 1936 AVGAS
SOLARIUM (Br) 44 6,239 1936 PETROL
W C TEAGLE (Br) 62 9,552 1917 CRUDE OIL SOUTHAMPTON

from http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hague/index.html

1939:
Allied and Neutral ship tonnage sunk by German and Italian submarines (#ships, GRT)

Sep39 48/178,621
Oct39 33/156,156
Nov39 27/72,721
Dec39 39/101,823

Tot39 147 (36.75/month)/509,321 (127,330.25/month)

British merchant ship construction capacity from 1939-1941 did not exceed 1.2 million GRT per year.
US merchant ship construction in 1939 was 0.242 million GRT.

Number of U-Boat patrols (combat patrols only, does not include tanker/resupply missions)/losses/aborts prior to contact in principle theaters (North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and the Americas)

Aug39 19/2
Sep39 3/0
Oct39 13/3
Nov39 10/1/1
Dec39 5/1/1

Tot39 50/7/2 (an average of 10 patrols per month and 14% lost)

Thus for 1939, an average of 2.94 ships were sunk per patrol and one U-Boat was lost per 21 ships sunk (note that throughout these averages will be slightly inflated since they do not include the minor contribution of the Italian submarine fleet.)

1940:
Allied and Neutral ship tonnage sunk by German and Italian submarines (#ships, GRT)

Jan40 53/163,029
Feb40 50/182,369
Mar40 26/69,826
Apr40 6/30,927
May40 14/61,635
Jun40 66/375,069
Jul40 41/301,975
Aug40 56/288,180
Sep40 60/288,180
Oct40 66/363,267
Nov40 36/181,695
Dec40 46/256,310

Tot40 520 (43.33/month)/2,462,867 (205,238.91/month)
US merchant ship construction for 1940 was about 0.5 million GRT.

Number of U-Boat patrols (combat patrols only, does not include tanker/resupply missions)/losses/aborts prior to contact in principle theaters (North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and the Americas)

Jan40 8/2
Feb40 10/3
Mar40 10/2
Apr40 19/3
May40 8/0/2
Jun40 18/3/1
Jul40 4/0
Aug40 16/2/1
Sep40 12/0
Oct40 13/2
Nov40 14/1
Dec40 6/0

Tot40 138/18/3 (an average of 11.5 patrols per month and 13% lost)

Thanks Al: I'll go through the http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/ database as well and find out how many tankers and other ships carrying avgas were destroyed in 1940 - last time I looked a couple of years ago I could only find one Inverdagle (9456 tons) which, as Barbi mentions, was sunk by a mine in (I think) the Bristol Channel? I know that some tankers diverted to France up to May or June 1940, accounting for some of the 100 Octane fuel used there.