The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-05-06

even 1925 octane
gas" That is branded as COM
plete misnomer. There isn't any
such thing as ITO octane or 1875
octane gas, because 100 octane is
perfect in the arbitrary scale which
the scientists set up to measure
and designate the degree in which
a motor fuel would not knock. Zero
octane gas will knock under any
conditions; 100 octane was won't
knock at all in the highest COM
preston motor now possible to
build. Hundred octane therefore
isn't gasoline, strictly speaking,
but blend Of ingredients which
will do certain things 100 per cent.
But, while refinery experts can't
make anything better than gaso-
line with 100 octane rating, they
have been able to concoct mixtures
which will cruise farther and climb
faster per gallon than the avia-
ton gasolines made at the begin
ming of the war. It is from this
fact that the stories of new super
gasolines got stated.
lis /145 MEANS FARTHER
AND FASTER
It still isn't permitted to tell just
how much better these new gas
olines are. They are Of such recent
development that there isn't any
generally accepted nomenclature or
grading, but one type of designa-
ton for aviation gasoline Is a COM
bination Of two numbers, such as
lis /145. This means a gasoline
which will permit a plane to cruise
Is per cent farther and climb As
per cent faster at full throttle than
gasolines in use at the beginning of
the war. But this gas would still
be 100 octane.
There is still a dispute between
aviation experts as to the best type
of gas for war. Long-range bonn
bers and naval aircraft operating
from carriers naturally want maxi
mum cruise range. But when TAX
ing of with oheavy load or when
they get over Germany and are
attacked by Nazi fighters, they need
maximum power for rapid climb
and quick getaway.
The need for an emergency, full
throttle fuel has been met, how
ever, by use Of water injection
feeding little water into the cylin-
ders along with vaporized gasoline
oil mixture from the carbnuretor. In
principle, the water cools the in
side Of the cylinder, permitting
hiObays nnY,onraeciava nod kI.o~afa-o
more power on explosion. Water in
lection can't be used indefinitely,
but for short periods-at takeoff,
in a dog flght-it will step up power
and engine performances by a sur
prising percentage. Just how much
is restricted information.
BLENDS ARE
UNLIMITED
Aside from practical limitations
OF the supply problem, there is no
limitation to specifications Of gaso-
line blends that can be made by the
refineries.
There Is, however, the catch that
it takes more crude oil to make
given quantity of high specification
aviation gasoline than to make the
same quantity of base stock.
Fitting all this into the postwar
picture, refiners anticipate that
gasoline than military flying and
therefore they will be able to meet
all requirements for an extra high
specification aviation gasoline. This
may be l25-l60 gasoline-meaning
it will give Is per cent greater range
and 90 per cent greater power than
prewar aviation gas. This is Just
about the limit that airplane en-
gines will take, as now designed.
At the same time, there will be
greater quantity Of premium gaso-
line for automobiles and trucks. But
it won't be 100 octaine gasoline I'M
less they start redesigning engines
to take the stuff and get out all the
energy there is in q high-compres-
sion fuel.
Put 100 octaine in your old bus to.
day and, while it would run smooth
er, you wouldn't get any greater
performance in miles per gallon, or
on the pickup when the light goes
Oraen