Random Spitfire Question

[charliegolf]

Asked elsewhere, and piqued my interest...

Could the pilot of a wartime Merlin or Griffon engined Spitfire (which I believe only had ground start?) restart his engine in flight by windmilling the prop? I'd have thought it's a lot of beef to rotate with the prop...

Cheers

CG

[NutLoose]

Well a lanc feathers it’s engines to stop a prop windmilling I believe, so that infers it will rotate, add fuel and ignition and I cannot see why not.

The Spit does not have a feathering system as a single engined aircraft, there is not a lot of point, if it stops you are going down anyway and was just extra weight and complexity you do not need.

Don’t forget it has a starter so can restart an engine.

https://www.youtube.com

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/422x750/image_6c830b2d34b02e5f188fc97f1b19ef4b080d03b1.jpeg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/422x750/image_54a18414edd9c633da549134015d770ba4229065.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/593x408/image_ffbfc42a3b0e3e581e31adfc7210caaec4766421.jpeg

[megan]

Looked through a bunch of Merlin/Griffon Spitfire pilot notes and no where is the situation discussed.

A single engined radial (Cyclone) of 1,425 horse power has a procedure spelled out, prop to fine pitch is the only thing of note. It is incredibly difficult to get the prop stopped, assuming the engine is not damaged mechanically, have done it in a Chipmunk and had to hang on the stall burble for an interminable period, getting it rotating again took a very steep nose down and a lot of speed.

[Herod]

Reference the rich-cut which is mentioned in Nutty's first link, check out Beatrice Shilling. Designer of the "RAE Restrictor", or "Miss Shilling's Orifice". Closed the gap between the fuel-injected DB of the Bf-109 and the carburetted Merlin of the Spitfire and Hurricane.