for the pilots out there

[mmglobal]

If you've ever wondered how in the heck they connect all those cylinders together in a radial engine, here’s a great video of a cutaway Jacobs engine in rotation.

How a Radial Engine Works - Amazing "Cutaway in Motion" - YouTube

[theBadCormorant]

Originally Posted by mmglobal

If you've ever wondered how in the heck they connect all those cylinders together in a radial engine, here’s a great video of a cutaway Jacobs engine in rotation.

How a Radial Engine Works - Amazing "Cutaway in Motion" - YouTube

It isn't firing on the 'Ten To' cylinder ! would guess it will feel a bit rough :-)

[mmglobal]

good eye... I noticed that too. Actually, it's not something I just noticed; I was trying to decipher the firing order and saw that their animator missed it.

Hey, even when firing on all cylinders, big radials feel rough. Out of my 850 skydives, I imagine that 150-200 were from DC-3's or C47's. It's pretty cool to ride to altitude and realize that you are flying in a plane that was built in the 30's and likely carried American troops in WWII.

[theBadCormorant]

Originally Posted by mmglobal

good eye... I noticed that too. Actually, it's not something I just noticed; I was trying to decipher the firing order and saw that their animator missed it.

Hey, even when firing on all cylinders, big radials feel rough. Out of my 850 skydives, I imagine that 150-200 were from DC-3's or C47's. It's pretty cool to ride to altitude and realize that you are flying in a plane that was built in the 30's and likely carried American troops in WWII.

I was curious about the firing order too and that is how I picked up on it. (have worked as a diesel/truck mechanic so always a little fascinated by engines)

Radial engines always sound very rough, a very distinctive sound. Different engine configurations all seem to have their own very distinctive sound, from the smoothness of the V8 to the rattle of a radial 7... although my favourite sounding engine as to be the Deltic

I am curious about the radials, how are they lubricated, presumably some sort of dry sump but how does the engine scavenge the oil back out of the engine. Used engine oil s just going to fill the lower two cylinders and is that why they are smoky when they fire up ?

[mmglobal]

Don't know... sorry.

Mark

[mmglobal]

For anyone interested in aviation history, this is great. I did not know that we flew spitfires in WWII. Very good story here... got this today from an aircraft group that I monitor.

All I hope you enjoy this piece of history...

WWII Spitfire Pilot This is probably one of the best emails I've had in a long time. Just watch the expression on his face as he watches himself. We owe a BIG thank you to men like him. 18 years old,all alone, behind enemy lines, no guns, no escort...and he gladly did it. It was truly the greatest generation...We owe them so much...

CLICK BELOW

SPITFIRE 944 - YouTube

[mmglobal]

... salvaging WWII P-38's and B-17's

I remember the original salvage operation back in the 80's... very cool technology developed to get under the ice without damaging the aircraft.

Ken McBride leading a team to recover a P-38 from Greenland