"DeltaDeltaDelta" wrote in message
...
A couple of days ago, I saw a picture of a DC-8, i think, taking off,
trailing thick black smoke from the engines (they weren't on fire). The
description of the picture said that it was using water injection to give
more power for takeoff. I also came across this when reading about the
P-47.
How does that system work? I presume it's different for pistons and jets.

Triple Delta

3D.....See Rapoports answer for the technical explanation. Aircraft such as
the B-52 models prior to the G and the KC-135A used water injection takeoff
thrust if the weight and weather demanded it. It was a tremendous boost in
thrust in the B-52G and when the water ran out, a big deacceleration. As
you noticed, water injected takeoffs caused a lot of smoke.

JB