Inaccurate performance data for BOB fighters in COD comparing to RL data

[Bounder!]

Originally Posted by TomcatViP

You'd need to really read it actually

I have read the article, maybe I’m being especially thick (and that may very well be the case ), I cannot see the statement that 87 octane fuel was the fuel normally used by the Spitfire or Hurricane during combat in the Battle of Britain.

There is a quote in that paper, which you used before, that states that "the petrol normally used at that time was 87 Octane" however the time it is referring to is 1937.

[winny]

I'm amazed at the resistance to 100 octane usage from some members on here.

The circumstancial evidence is overwhelming.

I have loads of pilots memoirs from the BoB era and at lots of them mention putting 100 octane fuel in their cars, before, during and after the BoB.
It doesn't sound like they were very carefull about saving 100 octane because it was in short supply.

All RAF pilots who mention 100 octane say it was introduced just before the main battle, without exception. They have no reason to lie about this. They don't need to rewrite history, everyone knows what happened. There would be plenty of references to 'if we had 100 octane fuel we could have...' (much like all the references to cannons.. ie 'If we had cannons we would have..'). I have never seen a single reference made by an RAF pilot about the lack of 100 octane during the BoB. (I have at least 250 seperate accounts from the period.).

Or how about a dated photograph? Whilst the conversion was taking place, as someone here has already mentioned, the ground crew painted '100' onto the cowling of the converted aircraft. Find me a photograph from June 1940 onwards where this marking is visable. I can't find one. The reason? Because the conversion process had finished and there was no need to differentiate between the 2 types of fuel.

So like the others on here, I'd like to see a single account from somebody who was there that mentions a shortage/restriction re 100 oct during the battle.

[klem]

I think afer 55 pages this thread has run its course. Time to lock it down so we don't waste any more time on it.

[Osprey]

If only we were insulting Tomcat, but we're not. Perhaps we should.

[TomcatViP]

Better on an internet forum than face to face ... obviously. Did I get it right ?

[Seadog]

Originally Posted by Seadog

I'm still waiting for someone to post data showing that RAF FC flew even a single Hurricane or Spitfire combat sortie during the BofB using 87 octane fuel. Again, if the RAF FC was flying large numbers of sorties during the BofB using 87 octane fuel, it should be easy to find historical accounts by RAF pilots or in combat reports stating that they flew into combat with 87 octane fuel during the BofB. Yet no such reports or accounts have ever come to light...

So far no takers on my challenge.

It's time for the RAF FC BofB 87 octane myth to die; it has been thoroughly busted.

I'm still waiting for someone to post something proving that at least one Spitfire/Hurricane BofB combat sortie was flown with 87 octane fuel...

[Glider]

Originally Posted by Seadog

I'm still waiting for someone to post something proving that at least one Spitfire/Hurricane BofB combat sortie was flown with 87 octane fuel...

Interestingly and probably the person most unlikely to give evidence I can. In July three spitfires shot down a He111 using 87 octane fuel. However before the doubters get excited, they were three aircraft attached to an OCU unit who formed an emergency flight in case of an opportunity.

All RAF aircraft were armed in case this happened including OCU units but OCU units didn't have 100 Octane fuel, so there was one combat using 87 octane.

[Seadog]

Originally Posted by Glider

Interestingly and probably the person most unlikely to give evidence I can. In July three spitfires shot down a He111 using 87 octane fuel. However before the doubters get excited, they were three aircraft attached to an OCU unit who formed an emergency flight in case of an opportunity.

All RAF aircraft were armed in case this happened including OCU units but OCU units didn't have 100 Octane fuel, so there was one combat using 87 octane.

Thanks!

[Al Schlageter]

It is possible that 245 (Northern Rhodesia) Squadron sent to Northern Ireland in July 1940 might have been still using 87 fuel as this was a backwater base well away from any combat.

I concur that Tomcat is most certainly trolling.

[NZtyphoon]

Originally Posted by Glider

Interestingly and probably the person most unlikely to give evidence I can. In July three spitfires shot down a He111 using 87 octane fuel. However before the doubters get excited, they were three aircraft attached to an OCU unit who formed an emergency flight in case of an opportunity.

All RAF aircraft were armed in case this happened including OCU units but OCU units didn't have 100 Octane fuel, so there was one combat using 87 octane.

I'm pretty sure you're thinking of an Operational Training Unit OTU, rather than an OCU, which was postwar?

5 OTU, Ashton Down and 6 OTU, Sutton Bridge both had Hurricanes while 7 OTU, Hawarden, seemed to have them for a short time http://www.rafweb.org/OTU_1.htm

On 14 August there was another He 111, this one from 8./KG27, shot down by a combination of 213 Sqn Hurricanes and 7 OTU Spitfires (The Blitz Then and Now Vol 1, p. 194).