Why did they get rid of the automatic coolers after the A3?

[Bilbo_Baggins]

Hello gents,

 

Just wondering if anyone knows why they changed the automatic coolers to the manual design after the Focke-Wulf A3? 

 

Was there something wrong with the automatic mechanism on the A3?

 

Regards

 

 

 

 

Edited May 13, 2019 by Bilbo_Baggins

[Sandmarken]

I think the a3 dont have automatic but always open coolers?

Edited May 13, 2019 by Sandmarken

[Bilbo_Baggins]

2 minutes ago, Sandmarken said:

I think the a3 dont have automatic but always open coolers?

 

Looks like I was mistaken. Thanks!

[SCG_Fenris_Wolf]

In winter you could close them further for less airflow through the engine and thus less drag, and in summer while on the ground open them fully to not overheat while taxing asap like the roadrunner. In flight above certain altitudes they were supposed to remain fully closed. In-game they'll overheat if you do that. ?

 

Russia's temperature went from +40°C in summer to -40°C in winter.

[Finkeren]

The reason why the cooling exhaust were simple permanently open ducts in the early Anton designs was, that cooling was supposed to be controlled by the fan behind the prop. The cooling intake on the Fw 190A is much too small to provide adequate airflow by normal ramming, so a fan was installed that sucks in extra air over the engine block and allows for an exceptionally clean, low drag design for an air-cooled radial. Since the fan moves in synch with the propeller (but at an even higher rpm), and since the Kommandogerät increases propeller RPM fluently as power settings are increased, the idea was, that the fan should always provide roughly the right amount of air flowing through the engine. This concept obviously didn't survive contact with Russian winters and high altitude operations, so controllable shutters were installed on (I think) the A4, allowing the pilot some basic control over the cooling.

[blitze]

2 hours ago, SCG_Fenris_Wolf said:

In winter you could close them further for less airflow through the engine and thus less drag, and in summer while on the ground open them fully to not overheat while taxing asap like the roadrunner. In flight above certain altitudes they were supposed to remain fully closed. In-game they'll overheat if you do that. ?

 

Russia's temperature went from +40°C in summer to -40°C in winter.

And a bit more pending on location during WW2 which was known to have quite cold winters - a wide temperature range to be sure which is also why the Soviets designed their equipment the way they did and had lesser tolerances in the process which allowed for climate temperature range effects on materials used in the designs of their equipment.  Something the Germans with their exacting precision failed to accommodate in such wide ranging climate extremes.

 

I have found on the A5 that shutters can be set to the 1st notch from fully closed at speed and you maintain reasonable working temperatures.  Good for cruise but you like the VVS rides, one needs to allow the engine in cruise to operate at a reasonable cool temp so if you get into a combat situation, you can close up the shutters/radiators and maximise your speed potential without immediately overheating.

 

Just part in the daily routine of engine management.

[III/JG53Frankyboy]

wondering why a plane should lose speed when opening these gills, putting warm air to the back.

Nothing was opend in the front part of the nose.

 

Didnt we had this duscussion already some years ago at the ubi or simHQ Forums ?!

[Finkeren]

7 hours ago, III/JG53Frankyboy said:

wondering why a plane should lose speed when opening these gills, putting warm air to the back.

Nothing was opend in the front part of the nose.

 

Didnt we had this duscussion already some years ago at the ubi or simHQ Forums ?!

 

Simple: Airflow through the engine/cooling system causes drag, and the more air flows through, the more drag it causes. Opening the shutters lets more air pass through quicker, thus causing more drag, thus slowing the plane down. 

Edited May 14, 2019 by Finkeren