Little question…
Was the F4U Corsair flown with opened radiator during dogfights?
I’ve looking through countless of photos and whenever the Corsair is airborne, its radiator and cowling flaps are all closed (with the exception of some airshow photos, but I’m more interested in combat use). Would it be opened during dogfights I wondered (when the engine is likely to be at full-throttle)?
By: Skyraider3D - 15th November 2005 at 20:01
Thanks for your help, guys!
I’ve got all the answers I need now, especially thanks to this great instructional video from WW2 which explains it all precisely:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1056703518162002454&q=f4u
Also of use:
http://bluedot.worldaccessnet.com/~delta6/ground/super.htm
By: taylorman - 15th November 2005 at 16:03
The radiators were, just like Distiller said, only open at low speeds. The cowl flaps behind the engine are open on the ground, closed in flight and opened again in landing.
By: Distiller - 14th November 2005 at 08:45
Don’t think there’s a need to open those flaps if you stay above 200mph. And in air combat they tended to use a richer mixture for better cooling.
By: colin.barron - 14th November 2005 at 08:10
Corsair did not have radiator
I don’t think the Corsair has a “radiator” as it has an air-cooled radial engine. A radiator is only found in liquid cooled engines like the RR Merlin.
Colin
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November 13, 2005 at 10:51 pm