wrote:

On Fri, 27 May 2005 15:04:54 -0700, Cougar
wrote:

Somebody on another forum was trying to convince people that
because of the gasoline shortages during WW-II that there were
quiet a few aircraft that actually used diesel fuel.

I know that people are playing with that today, but was it
really used in aviation back then?

Diesel powered aircraft were tried during the 1930s, but not
particularly successful. Giuseppe Bellanca (at least) tried one or
more versions but none made it past the "experimental" stage.

There were no naval aircraft that I know of that used diesels.

The Germans had some Junkers Diesel powered Maritime Patrols
airplanes.
The Blohm & Voss Bv 138 Flying Boat "Die Fleigende Hoelshue / Flying
Clog" was probably the most numerous, and, IIRC, there was a Deisel
powered flavor of the Bv 222.

The Soviet Pe-8 heavy bomber also was originally Diesel powered.
During the summer of 1941, they launched a dozen or so of them on a
raid on Berlin. I don't think any got back to their original base -
they all force landed due to engine failures.

--
Pete Stickney
Java Man knew nothing about coffee.