[yarddog]

I remember a B-25 owner/pilot who was on “The History Channel”.

He was explaining why he could not equal a short takeoff which was done by the Doolittle Raiders. He said they had 115 octane aviation gasoline which is not available now.

First and only time I have heard that but I suppose it is true.

[Chode]

you can still buy 110 race fuel/gas but that's about it

[Tijeras_Slim]

If you read Doolittle’s autobiography “I could Never Be So Lucky Again” (a great read) you’ll find that he worked promoting Shell gas in the 20’s and helped created the first true aviation gas. Most cars then could run on the real cheap stuff, but with his involvement in plane development, air racing and record setting he wanted something more.

[Ancesthntr]

First, regarding the subject of the post, this is what I know: the states each have a consumer protection bureau or agency. The pumps are checked regularly for both how well they measure the quantity pumped, and also for the truthfulness of the octane being pumped. There is simply NO WAY that a conspiracy to fool everyone into believing that there are 3 grades, when there is actually only 1, could hold up AT ALL, for more than a couple of days at most.

Second, re: the B-25s: I did a report many moons ago (circa 1980) about oil. I found a book in which a little-known fact was presented (and the book was rather dated, even then - probably from the early 1960s): the US sent several ship loads of extremely high octane gasoline to Britain before we entered the war - it was loaded to capacity with lead and other octane boosters (no one gave a rat’s ass about the environment, winning the war was much more important). Anyhow, the higher octane allowed the Brits to significantly boost the superchargers on their Hurricanes and Spitfires, giving them about 100 additional hp, and about 20 knots of airspeed more than they previously could obtain. The extra speed gave them an important advantage over the Luftwaffe, contributing to the British victory in that critical air campaign. No leaded gas, and perhaps the war would have turned out differently. So, what Yarddog said about the B-25s is undoubtedly true. There was a limited quantity of the REALLY special gas, but it was used when and where needed.

[jonascord]

Doolittle was the one who, pre-war, recommended that Army Aviation fuels be restricted to 130 octane or better. You could run higher compressions and get more power.

[Ancesthntr]

Here’s more information on the high-octane fuel:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1180896/RAF-fighter-planes-used-super-fast-fuel-U-S-win-Battle-Britain.html

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-04-13/news/9604130091_1_high-octane-aircraft-fuel-airplane-engines

http://www.mindfully.org/Technology/2004/Eugene-Houdry-Octane1oct04.htm (Long, but interesting).

[kvanbrunt2]

I remember a B-25 owner/pilot who was on “The History Channel”.

He was explaining why he could not equal a short takeoff which was done by the Doolittle Raiders. He said they had 115 octane aviation gasoline which is not available now.

First and only time I have heard that but I suppose it is true.>>> used to be able to buy octane and add it to your tank. doubt you can now.

[NorthMountain]

He said they had 115 octane aviation gasoline which is not available now.

Correct. Sort of. In WWII, aviation fuels were made up to 150 octane rating. Aircraft engines used superchargers, (more than one in some cases) to massively boost compression ratios and therefore power. Use of low octane gasoline like current 100LL will not allow full use of the superchargers.