Setting Horsepower

[Czech6 15]

I was tweaking the F4U-7 data.ini to convert to a F4U-4, when I realized that there are two possible settings for a WWII prop aircraft; Military Power or Combat Power. I was debating which to use when I though of the jet settings of Dry Thrust and Wet Thrust. Since you are setting SLPowerDry for a prop aircraft, would it do anything if you added a SLThrustWet setting using the Combat Power? Or, is this a moot point since you could use Combat for Dry and the only effect would be more horsepower when you firewalled the throttle?

[+Gocad 26]

Prop-driven aircraft usually have only one hp value, just like jets without an afterburner.

 

Sure, there have been mechanisms that allowed fighter pilots to get more power out of their engines during combat (i.e. the German MW50 system, used in the late war Me109), but you can't compare those systems to an afterburner.

[Czech6 15]

I wasn't trying to compare to an afterburner. I was suggesting that the Wet setting might be used to create the additional horsepower setting for the throttle from the use of combat power (overboost or water injection). An example is the P&W-2800-18W nominal horsepower is 2100 h.p. Using water injection it gets 2380 h.p. (or 2450 h.p., depending on what source I quote). IL2 and CFS2 both modeled this and it would create engine damage if used too long.

 

I guess what I was getting at was that someone with a detent on their throttle would know that they have pushed up to combat power. However, I think I answered my own question. It wouldn't have any usefulness in this sim since engine damage due to the use of combat power isn't modeled.

 

I guess what my real question was what should our standard be for the power setting, as most data.ini's seem to use the nominal horsepower setting of the engine but some seem to use the higher combat power setting?

[+Gocad 26]

IMHO some data.ini files of prop-driven aircraft aren't that accurate. The B-29 addon is a good example for that...it's engines are overpowered and as a result it's way too fast...

 

Bottom line should be that it's sufficient to use the nominal hp value and ignore the potential (and not to mention just temporary) increased hp output generated by additional systems.