American Fuel Won The Battle of Britain

[Andy Saunders]

Discuss!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...e-Britain.html

[Atcham Tower]

I was under the impression that scientists at the Shell Lab at Stanlow, Cheshire devised high-octane fuel for RAF fighters.

[lingodog]

Whoever first was responsible for creating it I'm sure that long ago I read that 100 Octane fuel was sent to the UK in time for the Battle of Britain.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by lingodog

Whoever first was responsible for creating it I'm sure that long ago I read that 100 Octane fuel was sent to the UK in time for the Battle of Britain.

And the USSR was supplying fuel to Germany, wasn't it? The wonders of international trade!

[Bombphoon]

Coh! And there was me thinking it was mainly the pilots in the aircraft, the RAF tactics, radar, aircraft production, the RAF groundcrews, the WAAFs, the backroom boys, the civvies working on the Home Front etc etc that won the Battle of Britain...

Breaking News from the US of A: Spitfires and Hurricanes were invented in America and all the pilots were Brad Pitt clones. Oh and America joined the war in 1939.

[Bernard]

Well, I am quite surprised I thought that Tom Cruise won the Battle of Britain .....

[PeterVerney]

And to add to Bombphoon, Packard built the Merlin engine which powered the Spitfires and Hurricanes. When America joined in we sat back, drinking tea, and just let them get on with it, because they were so superior to us.

[Kutscha]

Originally Posted by Atcham Tower

I was under the impression that scientists at the Shell Lab at Stanlow, Cheshire devised high-octane fuel for RAF fighters.

I believe that was the BAM fuel of 95/100 octane.

UK Theatre 100 grade fuel consumption
http://www.allaboutwarfare.com/forum...wtopic=230&hl=

(you might have to register to view)

from the thread:

The procurement of 100-octane fuel for RAF use involved the use of
several sources of supply, and was not contingent upon supply from the
United States in isolation, as Table 2 indicates.

Table2. 100 Octane fuel production: current production estimates
exclusive of American domestic production, November 1940. From PRO
AIR 19/254 - 23A

Plant Production (tons per annum)
Heysham, UK 150,000
Billingham, UK 15,000
Stanlow, UK 55,000
Abadan 50,000
Trinidad 80,000
Palembang, Dutch East Indies 50,000
Pladejoe, Dutch East Indies 50,000
Aruba, Dutch West Indies 50,000

[Juha]

Hello
yes, British began built their own 100 oct production capacity before the war but also buy 100 oct from USA. But own production and diversion of sources were keys to RAF decision to began to switch to 100 oct from 87 oct.

100 oct fuel gave better performance only below full throttle height by allowing the use of higher boost. So to get most out of it one need engines with very effective superchargers.

Juha

[Brian Bines]

No thought for the tanker crews of all nations who got the fuel to the UK. If anything I thought the production of Liberty ships at the height of the U-Boot war might have been a one of many genuine US achievements to raise as it ensured this country survived..