Wheels within wheels?

John Dupre · **Posted:** Sat Aug 29, 2009 5:51 pm

I saw a beautiful picture of some N2S Stearmans with the narrow profile wheels and it got me wondering. I know that in the 1920s some types of wheels were made of solid spun aluminum. Other wheels were wire spoke type and could have either metal or fabric covering that made them look solid. Later in the 30s beefier wider cast aluminum or magnesium wheels became standard allowing wider tires with more contact area on the ground.

The narrow solid aluminum wheels. How rare are they? How difficult would they be to reproduce? Who used to make them?

As an aside how did the British internally sprung wheel work?

retroaviation · **Posted:** Sat Aug 29, 2009 5:57 pm

Even though I know they're not for a Stearman, I've got three old solid aluminum wheels that I don't have a clue what they came off of. They don't utilize a wheel bearing, but instead, they simply use a brass (or bronze) bushing that's pressed into the wheel.........

Gary

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Sat Aug 29, 2009 6:18 pm

retroaviation wrote:

Even though I know they're not for a Stearman, I've got three old solid aluminum wheels that I don't have a clue what they came off of. They don't utilize a wheel bearing, but instead, they simply use a brass (or bronze) bushing that's pressed into the wheel.........

Gary

Beaching gear for the -1 Stratolina perhaps????? Its got to be worth something:)

retroaviation · **Posted:** Sat Aug 29, 2009 7:04 pm

N3Njeff wrote:

Beaching gear for the -1 Stratolina perhaps????? Its got to be worth something:)

They've got Pirelli tires on them, with what looks like Italian writing. So maybe they're worth a tray of lasagna or something???

Gary

JDK · **Posted:** Sat Aug 29, 2009 7:21 pm

John Dupre wrote:

As an aside how did the British internally sprung wheel work?

Do you mean the Dowty patented type as seen on the Lysander and Gladiator?

JDK · **Posted:** Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:17 pm

Having done a bit of digging, here's a couple of shots of Dowty patent internally sprung wheels on Lysanders.

Outside, spat (pant) cover off. The leg 'beam' is above the wheel, and the bar with holes is just a mud scraper.

Photo from Westland archives via Fred Ballam.

Outside, wheel cover off. The wheel's internal oleo strut is visible here. This is the IWM machine, with the strut fixed at full extension - as it would look with no load.

Inside, spat cover off. The covered 'slot' the hub travels in to alow the wheel to rise and fall is evident, as is the (modern) bar fixed across it to hold the wheel at full extension. I presume this was planned as the aircraft was later hung.

Hope that's of interest.

John Dupre · **Posted:** Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:58 am

Yes thank you. I pretty much had it figured out but had only ever seen one close up of the wheel assembly before.

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Wheels within wheels?

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