Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihnp4.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!cfiaime
From: cfiaime@ihnp4.UUCP (Jeff Williams)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Radial engines
Message-ID: <606@ihnp4.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 3-Jul-84 09:25:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihnp4.606
Posted: Tue Jul  3 09:25:03 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 4-Jul-84 03:32:59 EDT
References: <2920@rabbit.UUCP>, <136@wnuxb.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 34

More of interest concerning the early rotary engines.
These engines used castor oil for lubrication.  During WW1,
the pilots walked with a swagger, not because of pride, but
because of the effect of breathing vaporized castor oil for
several hours.

As another aside, late in the war, the rotary engine was 
relegated to a lesser place in manufacturing.  If you had to
use a rotary because of supply, you knew that your factory
was out of favor.  Tony Fokker was out of favor with the
government for a long time.  He not only was forced to use
rotary engines for his Triplane, but they were captured from
the French.  The story is told that Fokker would pay a bonus
to any pilot who wrecked an airplane that the engine could be
salvaged from.

There were two basic manufacturers during the war, Gnome and
LeRhone.  These engines were rated from 90 to about 210 horse
power.  Red line was 1250 rpm on most of them.  At 1350 rpm,
they would come apart.

Frank Talman, the late movie stunt pilot, flew several planes
with these engines.  He also noted that replicas built with
a radial engine, such as a Warner Scarab, would not fly nearly
as well as with the rotary engine.  It has to do with the slow
turning propeller.  However, he notes that left turns were 
difficult because of the torque of the engine.

Question: is there anyone else out there with an interest in old
aircraft engines?

				Jeff Williams
				AT&T-Bell Laboratories
				ihnp4!cfiaime