Theoretical Calculations of Aircraft Performance

[Zoe Brain]

There's a saying amongst professionals who make models and simulations:

"All models are wrong; some models are useful."

Be very careful not to be blinded by science here, every model has flaws and simplifications that can lead to some very inaccurate results (ie do not match measurements).

Having said that, and bear in mind I do modelling of aerospace systems for a living (sometimes), so know the severe limitations of such theoretical calculations, may I present

Performance Analysis and Tactics of Fighter Aircraft from WWI, Scott Eberhardt, 43rd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit 10-13 January, 2005, Reno, Nevada AIAA Paper 2005-119

It's reasonably accurate for steady-state turn rates (though not for rate of onset, which is more important), and doesn't take into account loss of speed/height in turns, nor deformation of wings etc under load. Same with climb, though that really, really varies with engine performance as well as altitude.

Now bear in mind the limitations of the WGF game mechanics, and you can see that sometimes we have to model differences in instantaneous rate of climb etc by translating them into horizontal manouvers.

Bottim Line: if pilots at the time say that aircraft A is significantly more manouverable than aircraft B, we give A a better deck than B, regardless of the exact mechanism and modelled continuous turn rate.

[Attila57]

I agree Zoe. I read that article months ago on Internet. it's a good articles but within limits.

I remember a notice of our aviation historians Alegi and Varriale in October 2011 at GiocaRoma in Rome (with Andrea Angiolino) where they underline the difficoulties to evaluate correctly WWI planes performance and so on.

Happy New Year

Attilio

[Pooh]

Guys,

I keep running accross references to a series of evaluations done by the US Army Air Service or the Signal Corps. I know they did extensive testing on a number of planes, notably the Spad VII. I've not be able to locate any specific information other than an author quoting some paragraph from it (The Spad VII being able to be easily controllable in a 240 mph dive comes to mind).
Anyone know anything more about this or any similar tests that might have been done by the British or French?

It would be very cool to get some authoritative data on a number of aircraft from a single source.

Pooh