Quote:
Originally posted by BlueSkyJaunte
Old aircraft radials actually spin around a common crank (engine==flywheel). This thing looks like it would be mounted stationary to the aircraft and the pickaxe-looking counterweight handles flywheel duties.
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Actually, "the radial engine consists of a row, or rows, of cylinders arranged radially about a central crankcase." FAA EA-AC 65-12A. There was a radial type engine that was called a "rotary" engine where the cylinders rotated aroung a fixed crankshaft. As you can imagine, this presented some unusual mechanical problems as well as a huge gyroscopic effect. It did not prosper.
I flew a few radials years ago, the R-985 (DeHavilland Otter, Beech-18), 1830(DC-3), 2000(DC-4) and 2800(CV-340). Awesome engines, awesome airplanes. If they didn't leak oil, they were empty. The convair had a 38 gallon oil tank (per side) if I remember correctly. We carried A LOT of oil with us usually 20 gallons per trip. Fun, but I wouldn't trade it for 37,000' and .78m..........
Pete