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German research

Discussion in 'What If - Other' started by Richard, Mar 8, 2007.

  1. T. A. Gardner

    T. A. Gardner Genuine Chief

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    (turbine blades for the Jumo 004)

    The Jumo 004 turbojet was manufactured almost entirely from low carbon steel, mostly in the form of sheet metal. Junkers came up with the ingenious method of using a double wall construction for the exhaust and combustion chamber portion of the engine that allowed bleed air to flow between the two walls and carry away some of the heat generated.
    The actual turbine wheels were a sheet metal frame with the blades themselves being hollow folded sheet metal that was spot welded. The entire assembly for the exhaust rotors (the ones that drive the engine and are exposed to extreme heat) were flame sprayed with an aluminum oxide coating (along with the combustion chamber and exhaust tube) as a heat shield.
    Needless to say, this was a half-solution to allow manufacture of the engine from non-strategic materials. In service the engine suffered frequent turbine failures (due to imbalance, blade failure, etc.), bearing problems, vibration problems, and a whole litany of other issues associated with poor manufacturing practice and substitute materials.
     
  2. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Aquila non capit muscas

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    Which means that it was a feat if they managed to last those eight hours at all ;)
     
  3. Kruska

    Kruska Member

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    Hello AnEvilGuy,

    the 262 had nothing to do with being a fighter on fighter a/c, it was intended to go for the bombers as such it would not have had an impact on airsupremacy towards fighters. The avaerage lasting time for its turbines was around 20 hours due to inferior alloys (which could not have been obtained from 1943 onwards anyway) and those that did not suffer a burnout had to be escorted or protected by prop pilots such as my father.

    Due to this the Platzschutzstaffeln and their mostly good pilots were actually drawn away from engaging allied fighters around the bomber pulks and were wasted in their static role as airfield guards.

    As for the A-Bomb I would say that Germany was simply lacking essential and basic knowledge on this topic so that even an increase on scientists in regards to the A-Bomb project would not have made any difference.

    Regards
    Kruska
     
  4. TA152

    TA152 Ace

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    What aircraft types did your Father fly ??
     
  5. Kruska

    Kruska Member

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    Hello TA152,

    actually a lot :D

    He-70, He-51, Bf-110, Bf-108, Bf-109, Do-17, some French bounty a/c's, Fw-190, 190D9 and beat me dead either Fw-190D11 or D12. He did not fly the Ta-152 therefore in rememberence to the aircraft photos it could only be a 11 or 12 series.

    Regards
    Kruska
     
  6. TA152

    TA152 Ace

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    Did he survive the war ? Did he tell you any flying stories ? If so I would like to hear them. If it is already on the forum then point me in the right direction as I don't have time to read everything posted here. :eek:
     
  7. Carl W Schwamberger

    Carl W Schwamberger Ace

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    I wonder if anyone has done a study of the population of Germany trained in the sciences and engineering just before the nazis took over in 1933. that is tried to determine how many electrical engineers, physicists, chemists, ect... there were and how many were Jewish or Communists and other groups. Many of the men who worked on the British/US atomic bomb project and other reasearch and engineering projects had formerly been German citizens, but forced to flee from Hitlers racial and political policys.

    I am wondering if the actual number of skilled engineers and others with advanced knowledge was significant, or too small to matter. Albert Speer complained that the lack of conscription exemptions for engineers and engineering students interfered with the efforts to expamd weapons production.
     
  8. T. A. Gardner

    T. A. Gardner Genuine Chief

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    Years ago I read a book on the history of physics through this period. When Hitler came to power Germany was the world's leading theoretical and practical researcher in physics. More papers were generated, more research done, more of the leading scientists were all German. By 1939 Germany had fallen to dead last in physics research of the world's major industrialized nations. Virtually nothing was being published and much of what was (such as a National Socialist version of classical physics) was laughed at by the rest of the physics world.
    The US in the same period went from having a mediocre standing in physics research to being the world's leader. Many German and Italian scientists fled their countries for the US. The book had the publication numbers, and other statistics that showed the demise of German phyiscs.
    A classic quote of Hitler's went something like "If we need to lose a generation or two of scientists to see National Socialism realized, so be it!" The Nazis were anything but big believers in theoretical scientific research that had no clear and immediate realistic use.

    Both Germany and Japan conscripted engineers, scientists and, others without regard to their usefulness in working on subjects within their training. A few were given rank and uniforms to keep them from being inducted where they were showing immediate progress towards some useful military application.

    The US and Britain either exempted such men or simply put them immediately in uiniform with commensurate rank as little more than a show to keep them from being inducted. MIT had alot of engineers and scientists given officer rank to do this. More odd were technicians that often could not be justified in getting officer status. These men were frequently, instead, enlisted and immediately promoted to First Sergeant, Master Sargeant, or Chief Petty Officer (depending on whom they worked for) to allow them adequite pay. The situation arose more than once of these guys being questioned about how they could be a Master Sergeant and have absolutely on medals, ribbons, or hash marks! In others an NCO was running a project with officers working for him!
     
  9. Carl W Schwamberger

    Carl W Schwamberger Ace

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    Thanks for clarifying that. It would be interesting to see more infomation of that phenomenon. Any recomended reading on the subject?
     
  10. WMjo

    WMjo Member

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    What do you guys know about flying saucers I saw a few movies on them in 1944-45 they worked and could and did fight with RAF. Some RAF fighters reported fighting them.
    If the Germans didn't flood the main base for them in Germany (black mountain or something) But if it was not distoryed it would of changed the world (some people think that the ufo that they see today are restoration of them)
     
  11. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Aquila non capit muscas

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    Bulllllllshit! There weren't any German flying saucers, much less with little SS-Green Men with antennas poking out of their heads :D

    At most you had experimental concepts like this:
    [​IMG]

    Doesn't look too advanced, does it? Just a convencional propeller plane with a round wing plan, nothing more...

    Stuff like this:

    [​IMG]

    is pure fantasy, if you believe this you'd better start looking under your bed before lying down, because the Bogeyman will be hiding in there!
     

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