Fw 190 Kommandogerat

[jimclarke]

The Fw 190's BMW 801 engine was controlled by a Kommandogerat system that automatically controlled the RPM, fuel mixture, ignition timing, supercharger switchover, and boost pressure (I'm reading this in the Osprey book "Fw 190" byMalcolm V. Lowe).  My question is--How did it do that?  It appears that the pilot had a throttle and propellor pitch control but everything else was automatic.  I'm guessing that fuel mixture varies with altitude and that the altimeter may be providing some input to the Kommandogerat.

Thanks,

Jim

[SilverFox441]

Some info:

http://www.white1foundation.org/restoration_engine.htm

http://www.tighar.org/Projects/Histpres ... mw801.html

Not really a lot of detail there...but some at least.

[jimclarke]

Thanks for those links!  I saved some of the pictures that were there.  

Jim

[Felix/FFDS]

I've been looking also for a bit more description on the how that control device worked.  Obvioulsly it's an electrohydraulic mechanism, but given that it works off of one mechanical input - the throttle lever - I would presume that additional inputs came from pressure differential devices (barometric pressure to determine altudte/conditions at wich to turn on the supercharger's 2d stage , etc.)

[Hagar]

This is quite a pice of engineering. Most WWII aircraft had a similar but more basic barometrically controlled fuel system. The fuel supply was metered by a simple bellows, on the same principle as an aneroid barometer (the same way a standard altimeter works). I'm not an engine man but I remember the carburettors on the supercharged Gypsy Queen engines fitted to the DH Dove having this feature. Poor maintenance has been the cause of several accidents.

It's all done electronically nowadays by a simple computer chip. Many car engines have a barometrically controlled fuel supply.

PS. I noticed on one of the photos of the overhauled Kommandogerat that one of the hose connections looks "anti-locked" - unless the fitting has a left-hand thread.