Quote:
Originally Posted by Korn
Sorry to intervene in the middle of your sword fighting, but if the 100 Octane fuel use was generalized, why is it even mentioned in the combat reports? I really doubt the use of your regular-every-day-normal fuel warrants mentioning.
Just asking. Was any air force during the WW2 in the habbit of specifying what fuel they flew with unless it was something, i don't know, unusual?
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The reason 100 octane fuel is mentioned in combat reports in 1940 is because pilots using the +12 boost generally had to describe the circumstances under which it was used - the fuel did not have to be mentioned specifically, but there was often an expression like "squeezed the tit" used, meaning the pilot had pushed the throttle lever forward through a wire placed across the gate, engaging the overboost which could
only be used with 100 octane fuel. The pilot also had to report use of the boost to the squadron's mechanics who entered it into the engine log of the aircraft. Later versions of the Merlin were able to routinely use +12 boost without the five minute time limit set on its use with the Merlin II/III series.