Opinions on engines lasting so long with broken cooling systems?

[JG52Krupi]

Yeah, this needs sorting!

[Skoshi Tiger]

Well it really would depend upon a lot of factors.

Where is the damage is an how much damage there is and how hard the pilot is pushing it.

If it's at the bottom of the cooling system all the coolant would drain out and the engine would die really quickly. If it was at the top of the system it would take a lot longer for the fluid to drain and the engine would go on for a lot longer.

Even though the Spitfire IIA had a pressurised cooling system if punctured it would still work like the unpressurised system in the Mk I as long as the fluid was still circulating.

There is a story about a Australian P-40 pilot in North Africa that was shot at during a straffing attack and his motor over heated so he landed. Seeing this a German motorised patrol went to pick him up. Before they got within range, the Australian took off and flew for a little while before the had to land again, By the time the persuing Germans got to his new position, the engine had cooled down enough to risk another short hop. Eventually he got over the front line and the Germans gave up and retreated. (The pilots name was John Waddy of 112 Sqrn)

So I guess the answer is "It depends"

[JG52Krupi]

LOL Thanks for the story skoshi that made me laugh!

[GOA_Potenz]

This is quite simple, grab your car/van/pickup/bike, go for a ride get the normal operation temps for the engine (in our vehicles we hava a thermostat) then when you are around 70º (normal operation temps) do a small pierce in the rad, as soon as the water pupms starts to move the water, the piecing will start to spit out the water with realy high presure, when the level of water is bellow the piercing you will see steam and depends the high of the piercing is the time before overheating you have, isn't much at all 30-40 minutes (this happens cause in a closed radiator system the water liquifides again in the radiator, when you have a piercing after losing it in liquid form you will start to lose the remanent as gas), now take this example to a plane that normal operation temps are around 80-86º just 20-14º below the boiling point in cruise mode (Combat mode 10-5º) as soon as you piercing the rad you will have almost no time before overheat due to what i describe above, and it happens to me driving in the country road when you go at top cruise speed, and there's almost no time to realize that you are going to blow the engine, if not pay atention on the temp gauge, so what we have now in game isn't properly modelled, should be revised by the devs and redone to real values

Reg

Potz

[Wolf_Rider]

Originally Posted by Ze-Jamz

I

What?

A cheap shot in yours, actually

[Ze-Jamz]

Originally Posted by Wolf_Rider

A cheap shot in yours, actually

You are a sad individual..move along now

Sry people... back on track

[trademe900]

Originally Posted by Bounder!

There is an entry on the bugtracker for this so if you think radiator damage and coolant leak is not being modeled properly you can vote for it here: http://www.il2bugtracker.com/issues/290

Thanks for that.

Nice discussion guys.

[Continu0]

"After attacking German shipping at Ostend and strafing three German airfields on July 15th, 1942, Finucane’s wing regrouped to return to Hornchurch. As the group passed low-level over the beach at Pointe Du Touquet, Finucane’s Spitfire was hit by machine gun fire that severely damaged his radiator. The engine overheated and quit, and the Spitfire was too low to allow Finucane to bail out. Losing altitude swiftly, Paddy was heard to say; “This is it, Chaps.” Witnesses reported that after a near perfect "splash" the Shamrock-Spit sank like a stone, and despite all efforts, was never to be seen again. At the time of his death, Wing Commander Finucane’s score stood at an amazing 32 victories."

Found this here:

http://www.acesofww2.com/UK/aces/finucane/

My opinion is, that the engine in case of damage should overheat after like 5 minutes. But that is an opinion, not something based on facts...

[Ze-Jamz]

Its one of those grey areas...You cant get it right but you have to get the right balance..

I'm pretty sure there isn't scores on engine parts via hits..i.e damage count, if the part is hit it loses x amount etc etc..

But the engine bay itself probably does... I'm a bit rubbish when it comes to these things but if you have it divided into say 6 parts and 2 of which are coolant areas which when hit would produce smoke ala coolant..

If any plane is producing coolant i think its fair to say that player needs to rtb or run the risk of the engine dying pretty half sharpish..It has to be like that that to provide a balance on whats fair or not...Its not going to be and cannot be accurate but after all this is a game first and foremost..

that saying i understand that the RAF planes seems to lose coolant pretty easily or at least they used to when i was flying them..2/3 patches ago

[Blackdog_kt]

Originally Posted by macro

Iv noticed this with the 109's. Iv seen one streaming coolent then it stops after a while, can only assume the rads emptied. If thats what is happening the i would have thought the engine would overheat very quickly as it would basically be like flying with no radiator.

If my rad gets hit in the spit i land as quick as poss out of principle, but will see how long it will lasts without power loss next time as i dont recall there being any previously. Prob means they not modelled propetly on either plane

I had tested this a few patches ago. The way it it was modeled is that once the leak stops (hence, the cooling system is empty of coolant fluid), the engine would overheat after a minute or so.

I tested this on the 110 though, so i don't know how it works in other aircraft and with the current patch.