07.01.2010, 16:10
=BLW=PabloSniper Wrote:That is correct, the 3-blade variable pitch metal prop did gave much more flexible performance across the entire speed range.Radoye Wrote:=BLW=PabloSniper Wrote:HURRICANE early with the wooden propellers is faster than the Hurricane MKI which has metal propeller.Early wooden prop Hurricane was faster.
But the metal prop improved acceleration and rate of climb.
one more thing, if you pilot a real plane.
should know that a wooden propeller, is designed for only one speed.
However, it only has a good performance to a certain speed, and after that it becomes useless.
while the metal propeller, will take the maximum engine performance at any speed.
But in the case of Hawker Hurricane, the early version - two-blade fixed pitch wooden prop, canvass wings, Merlin II and all, had a higher top speed - by about 2 mph - than the later Rotol metal prop, metal wings, Merlin III Hurricane.
This loss of speed was mainly due to increase in weight of the newer Hurricane (some 33kg of armor plating, IFF equipment, among other things added) but due to the more efficient propeller this variant climbed better and accelerated faster than the old one.
This is well covered in books and other sources about the Hurricane and i'm surprised you never heard of this before.