Fuel consumption of WW2 axis aircraft

[tubby linton]

I am interested to know the fuel consumption (gal/hr )for various axis types in the Mediterranean theatre during WW2 plus the fuel capacity of each aircraft type.
Fighters
Bombers
Maritime Aircraft
Please state type/fuel burn/fuel capacity and also how many operational aircraft would be in a squadron.
I am trying to build a picture of fuel usage per sortie and also on a daily basis.

[meleagertoo]

You won't be too far out if you reckon on 1Gal/20Bhp/hr. The type of aircraft is irrelevant.
It's a pretty good rule of thumb for any mid/late 20th century technology piston engine, be it plane, boat or automotive.
You do need to estimate how much of the power available is being used though.

[India Four Two]

You won't be too far out if you reckon on 1Gal/20Bhp/hr.

What a great rule of thumb! It works for the aircraft I fly. :)​​​​​​​

[Jhieminga]

I am interested to know the fuel consumption (gal/hr )for various axis types in the Mediterranean theatre during WW2 plus the fuel capacity of each aircraft type.
Fighters
Bombers
Maritime Aircraft
Please state type/fuel burn/fuel capacity and also how many operational aircraft would be in a squadron.
I am trying to build a picture of fuel usage per sortie and also on a daily basis.
tubby, what you're asking is a massive amount of information. A lot of this is available on public websites as well, so I would suggest a bit of Wikipedia trawling to get all this information together. Start by compiling a list of the types you're after and let us know where you hit a blank.

[tubby linton]

tubby, what you're asking is a massive amount of information. A lot of this is available on public websites as well, so I would suggest a bit of Wikipedia trawling to get all this information together. Start by compiling a list of the types you're after and let us know where you hit a blank.

I looked at some sample wiki entries and the information I require is not available. A number of the entries do not show the fuel capacity of the aircraft let alone the burn.I am only after the data for one aircraft of each representative type

[condor17]

mealeag.. Like it , works for our O-200.

rgds condor.

[Jhieminga]

Generally a Wikipedia entry will tell you the range of the aircraft, with the general formula above you can work out the average fuel consumption for the engines and then you can figure out the fuel capacity by combining the two. The actual fuel burn is very dependant on the power setting and figuring out which power setting was used is a function of altitude and temperature, aircraft weight and mission requirements. I wouldn't go down that route.

Also, keep in mind that you would never use the entire fuel capacity for mission purposes.

[sycamore]

Here`s some figures for a TBM I flew for a few years.In `ops` the aircraft could carry up to 800 USG with extra tanks on wings and in bomb-bay.So our operating weight with USG 333 would be about 12-13000lbsMax.wt was almost 18000 in `fighting trim.The engine is a Wright R-2600-20,1900 hp@46"MAP,only used on T/O.SUTTO would normally be about 20gals,and then cruising in Auto-lean ,1600 rpm/26"MAP about 45USG/Hr at about 135-140 kts....The same/similar engines were used in many other a/c,including many twins...Google will help...
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1480x2000/tbm_range_2_b544bb907a02778314ec12b96d4dcdfe675ccb29.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1626/2019_10_04_112048_fat_charlie_b04114ddf0fa24737361e626beb4e1 c803781ee5.jpg

[DH106]

Nice info, but I think the OP was asking for fuel burn for axis types.

All I can offer is that "Junkers Aircraft & Engines" by Antony L Kay quotes for the Junkers Jumo 210 engine: 126.5 kg/hr at 690hp - that's 37.1 Imp. Gals/hr or 44.6 US Gals/hr.
The Jumo 210 powered early versions of the Ju87 Stuka, Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Bf 110 and a few lesser known types.

[sycamore]

Depends on whether you are on the `X` or the `Y` I suppose....,and a lot of other countries engines were licence built/near copies,for similar requirements.....anyway ,I`ve started ..so I`ll finish..
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1420x2000/tbmfuel_range_3_23febd1eadaed0a3a2d1ff28170596d385e6dd96.jpg

[Asturias56]

I looked at some sample wiki entries and the information I require is not available. A number of the entries do not show the fuel capacity of the aircraft let alone the burn.I am only after the data for one aircraft of each representative type

just try getting Range numbers for Allied aircraft..........................

[tubby linton]

Thank you for all the responses. It is the fuel usage I am interested in as all of the aircraft in North Africa had to be supplied by sea as there was no local sources of supply. Convoys were escorted by aircraft which of course meant that the Axis were burning fuel just trying to get fuel to Libya. The Italian forces spent most of the war short of fuel which restricted operations.

[Jhieminga]

Interesting exercise, but there will always be a lot of unknowns. Quick example based on the Junkers Ju88: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_Ju_88
1340 Hp engines, so that makes 1340/20 = 67 Imp.Gal per hour, multiply by two to get the consumption for both engines: 134 Imp.Gal/hr.
The example has a 1790 km range at 370 km/hr which is 4.8 hrs endurance. 4.8 times 134 should give you 648 Imp.Gals of fuel in the tanks. The Wiki entry actually includes the fuel tank volume as 637 Imp.Gals, which is pretty close to my guesstimate. Good enough for government work.

[Asturias56]

Thank you for all the responses. It is the fuel usage I am interested in as all of the aircraft in North Africa had to be supplied by sea as there was no local sources of supply. Convoys were escorted by aircraft which of course meant that the Axis were burning fuel just trying to get fuel to Libya. The Italian forces spent most of the war short of fuel which restricted operations.

And of course now we know there are a zillion barrels of the stuff under the sands - same as Alamein - it's a monster oil area

and how many lives would have been saved in the Atlantic if they 'd found Wytch Farm?

[Noyade]

Good enough for government work.

Here's an alternate Government approach to the Junkers. :ok:

I don't think the full take-off power (1340hp per engine) would be sustainable for the bombing mission - we would need to throttle back at cruising height (17,000ft).
Jane's say the Jumo has a cruising power of around 900hp. At this figure the fuel consumption is listed as 496lb/hr.
The net says 7.2lb per imperial gallon.
So, 4,586.4lb divided by 992lb/hr (two engines) gives an endurance of 4.6hrs. Multiplied by the cruising speed of 230 mph gives us a range of 1,058 miles.
The wiki site gives 1,110 miles. Not bad I thought.

[tubby linton]

I wonder how much a Ju88 burnt when it was flying at relatively low level as a convoy escort?

[Jhieminga]

For a piston engine, the power delivered goes down as the altitude increases, so the fuel needed is less as well. But for convoy escort, they would most likely set a really low powersetting to aim for max endurance.