sound radar is back ... naaaaaaah!

[PolishEagle1939]

Originally Posted by TomcatViP

The side effect was that in a high speed dive, the prop tips reached the speed of sound with the typical whine as a result.

I've read it was the oil coolers in the wing that made the sound. Do you have reference for this Tomcat? Not starting an argument just trying to gain knowledge. Thanks

[TomcatViP]

I hve read it quite a couple of time. Might be in a Vought or Corsair story or reading some F4U7 pilot memoir (that version saw extensive service with the French Navy postwar)

[Insuber]

Originally Posted by Gollum

I agree with the fact that research must be done because a blanket would be unrealistic. For example, the japanese called the corsair "the whistleing death" for a reason.

The reason was simple: ground attacks to troops.

[Gollum]

Originally Posted by Insuber

The reason was simple: ground attacks to troops.

Tuche'... If this is true I withdraw my statement and request the whines be too low to be heard when one runs their engine at full power. A blanket would still not work though because you would be able to hear other planes while running your engine at idle no? Or is the idle of the engine so loud that you still wouldn't be able to hear other planes diving on you?>

[winny]

Duno if this is helpful or not,

I've read hundreds (literally) of BoB era pilot's accounts. The only time they mention being able to hear enemy aircraft is when they were extremley close. It seems to happen more with head on attacks and almost always the pilot says something like "I was so close I could hear the engines" Geoff Wellum, Peter Townsend, one of the Dundas brothers (can't remember which one), Brian Lane and quite a few others.

Another similarity is that this happened as they broke underneath the enemy after a head on attack - a bit closer than they'd like 5-10 meters. I'll try and dig out some of the quotes, one of them was a mid air collision with a 109, the pilot said he heard the 109 just before they crashed.

I also recall one Spit pilot flying in cloud with his canopy open hearing a LW Bomber before he saw it, it was about 10 meters off his wing.

[David198502]

Originally Posted by Skoshi Tiger

And photo opportunities!

yes of course...i have also seen many photos where pilots fly with an open canopy....but i suspect that they travel pretty slow when the canopy is open..and pretty low as well.but certainly not during combat situations.

[reflected]

Indeed, because it gives you a lot of drag and...oh wait, that's not the case in CloD!

BY the way, I've flown in a Tiger Moth, and I couldn't even hear what the pilot said on the intercom. Only some faint shhhh-kshhhhhhh.

Also, if you read any personal accounts it's unquestionably clear that you couldn't possibly hear another aircraft from yours. The sound is way too similar, and your engine is way too loud. Being warned about an attack by hearing his engine is something completely unheard of in real life. I have yet to find a singe account that contradicts this.

[Skoshi Tiger]

Originally Posted by David198502

yes of course...i have also seen many photos where pilots fly with an open canopy....but i suspect that they travel pretty slow when the canopy is open..and pretty low as well.but certainly not during combat situations.

+1000

But you know that Spitfire pilots are complete show offs! You wouldn't see a self respecting 109 pilot flying with his canopy open!