An Ash Cloud wi...

What an ash cloud similar the one currently grounding planes across Britain had happened on 1st July 1940. How would this affect the Second World War?
 
Not much, since only jet travel, not propeller plane travel, is affected.
I assumed that the windscreens of planes could be seriously damaged by this, hence why propeller planes have been grounded at present. I'll happily defer if I am wrong.
 
That is, piston engine vs. jets...

...Hard to say, but it's easier to fit filters to piston engine air intakes. Big snag is that the filters would clog up, unless somehow you could retrofit something like a dust cyclone to the intake.

Maybe the jets (particularly early centrifugal compressor designs) would have had greater restart capability once out of the ash cloud. What stops the jet (I've read) is the 'ash' melting on fuel injectors and clogging them.

BTW, 'volcanic ash' is inaccurate - the airborne particles are like fine sand or rock fibres, in composition identical to pumice. Inhaled, they cause lung damage, ingested into an engine - it's like tipping sand into an unprotected carburettor. Engine wear is enormously increased and you'd be liable to seize up the engine.
 
I think it depends on the speed and altitude. American helicopters take a beating in the Middle Eastern deserts, but they still fly.

The mechanism for jet engine damage is different. The ash can fuse to the hot components, killing the engines. I would think that in a wartime situation, the "sandblast effect" on propeller planes could be tolerated.
 
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In the short run, I think it would be an advantage to the British on defensive. The Luftwaffe attackers would have to fly through it for a longer time, resulting in more damage to their aircraft. Also, the British would be able to recover more lost machines and pilots. Much of this would depend on weather conditions, of course.

Another consideration, would be duration of the eruption. This story noted the last major Icelandic eruption lasted two years.
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/04/16/volcano.weather/?hpt=Mid

I wonder how a two year eruption would affect our world?
 

Thande

Donor
I assumed that the windscreens of planes could be seriously damaged by this, hence why propeller planes have been grounded at present. I'll happily defer if I am wrong.

They haven't, actually, see my "Have I been ISOT'd?" thread in NPC as the skies of Cambridge are currently full of prop planes from Duxford Air Museum.

The only effect on the Battle of Britain I think might be that it would interfere with radar.
 
They haven't, actually, see my "Have I been ISOT'd?" thread in NPC as the skies of Cambridge are currently full of prop planes from Duxford Air Museum.

The only effect on the Battle of Britain I think might be that it would interfere with radar.
Teaches me for listening to the Chris Evans breakfast show!
 
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