JimAttrill Posted July 26, 2009 Posted July 26, 2009 Hauptmann Rudolf Berthold, the commander of JG2 in May 1918 wrote the following about this new scout: 'Basically the Siemens-Halske Sh.III engine is sound and the pilots have faith in it. One particular advantage is that engine power remains constant even at high altitude. [..] but the aircraft cannot be used at the present time as, after seven to ten hours' running of the Sh.III engine the pistons seize, the crowns being torn off and the pieces dropping into the crankcase.' "Berthold went on to list the possible causes of this major defect, including inadequate engine cooling, inferior castor oil substitute and weakness in the alloy used for the pistons, and concluded: 'It is urgently required that this fighter be made available for front-line use as quickly as possible'". from Aces' Twilight - the war in the air, 1918. Robert Jackson, Sphere Books, 1988. [bold mine] So maybe the answer in that quiz that we all disagreed with was actually right after all? Quote
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