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From: djmolny@wnuxb.UUCP (Molny)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Radial engines
Message-ID: <136@wnuxb.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 2-Jul-84 10:14:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: wnuxb.136
Posted: Mon Jul  2 10:14:44 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 3-Jul-84 02:42:14 EDT
References: <2920@rabbit.UUCP>
Organization: WECo. Warrenville Data Center
Lines: 20


Strange as it may seem, the old radial engines DID feature cylinders that
rotated around a fixed crankshaft.  Bear in mind that the internal combustion
engine was a pretty new device back then.

I'm not exactly sure how fuel got into the cylinders, but there certainly
wasn't anything as fancy as a carburetor.  In fact, there wasn't even a
throttle!  WWI pilots regulated engine speed by turning on and off the
ignition.  There was a button on top of the stick for this purpose.

Unfortunately, fuel continued to spray into the cylinders when the
ignition was off, and restarting the ignition after a long coasting period
often resulted in a cockpit fire.  Lovely machines.


						Regards,
						DJ Molny, ccom consultants, inc
						   at
						AT&T Technologies
						ihnp4!wnuxb!djmolny