Old radial engine
Nov 12, 2011 14:52:20 #
Since someone posted a verse from "In Flanders' Fields", I was thinking about WWI and some of the flying aces of the time, particularly Oswald Boelke (the guy who taught the Red Baron how to fly!). I found this photo of an old engine I took some time ago. It's not from that era, and it's a radial, not a rotary, but it's still kinda cool. If Boelke had one of these he wouldn't have had to eat so much castor oil. History buffs will know what I mean. ;-)
Radial engine
Better in color
Nov 12, 2011 16:00:32 #
This is a fantastic photo ... BRAVO and get the rest out
cuz this is fantastis again. (your correct) the color works.
Where is this and how long ago? Is the background real?
cuz this is fantastis again. (your correct) the color works.
Where is this and how long ago? Is the background real?
What's the engine? (you must know)
Nov 13, 2011 12:23:08 #
A biography of Jimmy Doolittle tells how he ran short of oil and had to land during a cross county flight. During the next few hours he bought every ounce of castor oil he could find in a nearby town and, thus, was able to resume his flight.
Nov 13, 2011 20:34:40 #
jackinkc wrote:
A biography of Jimmy Doolittle tells how he ran short of oil and had to land during a cross county flight. During the next few hours he bought every ounce of castor oil he could find in a nearby town and, thus, was able to resume his flight.
I'm sure Doolittle had his share of breathing the castor oil exhaust blowback from those little Gnome and LeRhone engines. Being an aviator in those days wasn't nearly as romantic as we think today. We see Snoopy in the comics with his scarf flying in the wind, but most don't realize what those scarves were really for. Rather than being a swashbuckling macho thing they were for wiping the unburned castor oil off the pilot's goggles, and even that didn't keep him from breathing in gobs of it and suffering from the resultant and neverending incontinence and diarrhea. Not really very romantic at all..... :shock:
Today's technology probably has synthetics that could be used for rotary lubrication, but in WWI castor oil was the only game in town.
Nov 13, 2011 20:38:28 #
William wrote:
This is a fantastic photo ... BRAVO and get the rest out
cuz this is fantastis again. (your correct) the color works.
Where is this and how long ago? Is the background real?
cuz this is fantastis again. (your correct) the color works.
Where is this and how long ago? Is the background real?
This engine is in Yuma, AZ. It's actually now a weathervane in front of a farmer's house, so the background was added from a sky photo I took around the same time, maybe the same day. I'd love to find a rotary but I think one would be too valuable in ANY condition to be put out in the weather.
We have a few crop-dusters here that still use radials.
Nov 13, 2011 20:54:05 #
johnr9999
Loc: Carlton, OR
Those engines may not be as ancient as you think. In 1965 with a Marine Helicopter squadron that flew HU132's that used radial engines. Within a year or two they changed to jet powered Hueys.
Nov 13, 2011 21:01:11 #
Nov 13, 2011 21:21:02 #
JKious wrote:
Love those old round engines...
Same here!! Radials are definitely cool, but it's hard to comprehend how a rotary actually worked at all!! It's hard to envision a stationary "crankshaft" that has an entire engine rotating AROUND IT! There was a lot of mechanical "logistics" that are difficult to grasp at first glance. :shock:
Nov 13, 2011 21:22:56 #
johnr9999 wrote:
Those engines may not be as ancient as you think. In 1965 with a Marine Helicopter squadron that flew HU132's that used radial engines. Within a year or two they changed to jet powered Hueys.
There are a few radials still flying, for sure. But I've never even SEEN a rotary! I'd love to just get my hands on one and touch, feel and caress it for it's historical aura alone!! :thumbup:
Nov 13, 2011 21:25:56 #
Lmarc wrote:
There are a few radials still flying, for sure. But I've never even SEEN a rotary! I'd love to just get my hands on one and touch, feel and caress it for it's historical aura alone!! :thumbup:
johnr9999 wrote:
Those engines may not be as ancient as you think. In 1965 with a Marine Helicopter squadron that flew HU132's that used radial engines. Within a year or two they changed to jet powered Hueys.
There are a few radials still flying, for sure. But I've never even SEEN a rotary! I'd love to just get my hands on one and touch, feel and caress it for it's historical aura alone!! :thumbup:
Here is a list of the aircraft museums in Arizona
http://www.skytamer.com/6.1.USA.Arizona.htm
Nov 13, 2011 21:34:20 #
JKious wrote:
quote=Lmarc quote=johnr9999 Those engines may no... (show quote)
Here is a video of a model rotary actually running.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLW_6XCvBWI
Nov 13, 2011 22:03:27 #
JKious wrote:
quote=JKious quote=Lmarc quote=johnr9999 Those ... (show quote)
That is SOOOOO cool!! I don't know HOW those things kept from tearing themselves apart!!
Oct 11, 2013 21:36:31 #
Quite a few war surplus radial engines were used as wind machines in the fruit orchards in California. I remember seeing several back in the early 80's.
Mar 3, 2014 17:47:47 #
Mar 3, 2014 17:54:15 #
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