Maybe this is a stupid question from a guy who has very little experience with CS props, but here goes. With the prop driven fighters such as the P-51 P-38 etc; ....when they were engaged in a dogfight and climbing and diving and pulling all sorts of chaotic maneuvers to get the upper hand on their adversary, what were they doing with their prop control? Full high RPM? Were they constantly changing the prop control in the middle of a dog fight? Or was it set at a certain rpm throughout? I know a few of you had relatives that were fighter pilots in WWll. How about enlightening me. Thanks, from a WWII aviation history buff.

I don't know the answer to your question, but I am speculating that it would be similar to when one does aerobatics with a CS prop--and you don't touch the prop once you have it set, until it's time to cruise back to home. Depending on the maneuver, you may or may not adjust the throttle, but not the prop. But again, that's speculation for fighters.

Cary

Was not set to get the engine to TBO. Pilot did not have to pay for engine overhaul.

Tim

When I was engaging in play combat, we set our props and forgot about them. I would presume they did the same in WWII. I don't remember messing with the throttle much, either, but it's so automatic I wouldn't have remembered if I was moving it or not. When you're in combat, you ain't got no time to think.

In real combat, the max power was War Emergency Power. (WEP) Everything full forward MAX. Otherwise Max Except Take Off (METO) Depending on the engine type, there was a given rpm and manifold presure that defined these settings. This is a very general answer.

When cruising before a fight you set your prop and throttle to some sort of economy setting. When a fight is on you... everything goes forward. The only thing that is modulated... if at all.... is the throttle. Most of the time in an air-to-air fight you burn plenty of energy with your right hand (by pulling G)..... the left hand is pushing the throttle to the stop to get as much more energy as the airplane will give you.

No one has enough time to think about manipulating the prop RPM.... there is just too much other stuff going on. For the P-38 in particular it is a very complex airplane and uses electric props. In normal cruise you turn the props off... and it becomes a fixed pitch airplane. Just say it gets very busy. And in fast maneuvering you have to be careful in syncing the throttles... the electric props are so much slower than a hydromatic prop that you get significant yaw when your engines are out of sync.

But it is a hell of a ride!

gunny

Thanx, for some good answers! I stand more educated on the topic now.

Gunny wrote:When cruising before a fight you set your prop and throttle to some sort of economy setting. When a fight is on you... everything goes forward. The only thing that is modulated... if at all.... is the throttle. Most of the time in an air-to-air fight you burn plenty of energy with your right hand (by pulling G)..... the left hand is pushing the throttle to the stop to get as much more energy as the airplane will give you.

No one has enough time to think about manipulating the prop RPM.... there is just too much other stuff going on. For the P-38 in particular it is a very complex airplane and uses electric props. In normal cruise you turn the props off... and it becomes a fixed pitch airplane. Just say it gets very busy. And in fast maneuvering you have to be careful in syncing the throttles... the electric props are so much slower than a hydromatic prop that you get significant yaw when your engines are out of sync.

But it is a hell of a ride!

gunny

This is where the term " Balls to the wall" comes from. Throttle and prop are full forward for max performance.

Gunny wrote:When cruising before a fight you set your prop and throttle to some sort of economy setting. When a fight is on you... everything goes forward. The only thing that is modulated... if at all.... is the throttle. Most of the time in an air-to-air fight you burn plenty of energy with your right hand (by pulling G)..... the left hand is pushing the throttle to the stop to get as much more energy as the airplane will give you.

No one has enough time to think about manipulating the prop RPM.... there is just too much other stuff going on. For the P-38 in particular it is a very complex airplane and uses electric props. In normal cruise you turn the props off... and it becomes a fixed pitch airplane. Just say it gets very busy. And in fast maneuvering you have to be careful in syncing the throttles... the electric props are so much slower than a hydromatic prop that you get significant yaw when your engines are out of sync.

But it is a hell of a ride!

gunny

This is where the term " Balls to the wall" comes from. Throttle and prop are full forward for max performance.

The Throttle knobs on a P-38 are actually round balls....