Sopwith Camel engine fragile?

[Patricks]

I'm new to FC and started a campaign, but I seem to be doing something very wrong as a few minutes into a dogfight my engine quits. I start at 100% rich, cut back to 80% and go to about 1200 RPMs. In combat I firewall the throttle but its still only about 13-1350 at most. Quits after a minute or two.. What am I missing? 

Edited August 26, 2021 by =LD=Icer

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

You can damage engine by overreving it , this happens during dives.  Reduce rpms or blip when you are about to fall on enemy or you chase it downhill. 

 

Do not fly with 100 %mixture,  100 only for  the engine start,  then look at rpm gauge to max it out by adjusting mixture. Mixture can't damage engine in the game. 

[=IRFC=Gascan]

My notes say the engine will be damaged at 1550 RPM. Even a short dive can overrev the engine, and it only takes a moment to damage it. I often hear Camel pilots on comms with me report that they damaged their engine at the start of a fight by diving and have to retreat, and it even gets me sometimes. Some planes are a bit more tolerant to over-revving: either the engine does a better job at maintaining RPM below the limit, or it takes longer above the limit to cause damage, or both. The Camel is not one of those.

[PaulTheSalty]

4 hours ago, =LD=Icer said:

What am I missing? 

An SE5a

[US41_Winslow]

The engine can be damaged in several ways.  The first is by overrevving it.  I’ve found it blows at 1600 RPM exactly, so 1550 is a good limit as it will give you a bit of room for error.  The second is by running it for too long on full throttle at sea level or in a shallow dive.  Operations above 1400 RPM for prolonged periods of time should be avoided.  I’m not sure quite how long this takes because it has only happened to me a few times and is nearly impossible to achieve if you fly more than two or three thousand feet up.  The final way to damage your engine is by overcooling it.  If you fly with the technochat on, avoid operations above 1400 or so RPM until the icon goes away.  If you don’t, try not to go above 1400 RPM until you’ve got the chance to fly around at full throttle a bit.

[BRONCO_66]

Even Pres. Biden would fix the camel.   John and Yoko say: "imagine if they would fix the camel!"

[ST_Catchov]

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.

[ZachariasX]

On 8/26/2021 at 6:50 PM, 1PL-Husar-1Esk said:

Do not fly with 100 %mixture,  100 only for  the engine start,  then look at rpm gauge to max it out by adjusting mixture. Mixture can't damage engine in the game. 

Also, use 100% mixture in dives and your engine will be ok. If you are diving really steep, throttle back additionally. But set 100% before you enter the dive. And no worries of overcooling.

 

I find it is generally a bad idea to go full throttle all the time in the Camel. Use full throttle and best mixture only for the climbing parts of the turns. You be too fast otherwise. Being too fast means, you‘ll prone to blackout, you are likely to de-wing the crate and „Central Tank Planes“ can turn with you. Don‘t fly it like an F16. This worked before The Patch.

[J2_Bidu]

I prefer to dive by lowering both mixture and throttle.