BMW 801 Runs!: Link

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

Wow, how exciting! I knew it had run and saw the still pictures, but hadn't seen the video yet! Fantastic! That has to be the first time a BMW 801 has been run since the early 90's when the St. Athan 2 seat FW-190 was ground run!

Exciting times, for sure! There will definitely be at least 2 801 run 190's in the near future, with the possibility of 3!

Thanks for that link!

DoraNineFan · **Joined:** Fri Aug 12, 2005 3:37 pm **Posts:** 677

I'm very happy that video of the engine run was posted. Is there any new info on how the testing is progressing or with any problems?

With the new developments concerning the Tom Blair Fw190D getting a new engine, I'm looking forward to video of a Jumo 213 getting exercised in few years. And possibly a Jumo 211 from one of the Ju88 projects as well.

Lightjug · **Posted:** Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:02 am

Can I ask from a pure “I honestly don’t know” point of view? What’s involved with an engine rebuild like this? When I see pictures of the before and after, I often wonder what parts are actually re-buildable and what needs to be new? Can a lot of parts be rebuilt/cleaned up or is it pretty well only the core that is usable?

mlenoch · **Posted:** Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:38 am

To quote the guys at Vintage V12s/Radials, their biggest work is up front in translating the engine manuals. The translations need to be technically correct not just linguistically translated. Then their fun begins on refurbishing/reassembling and/or remanufacturing the components.
VL

Bill Greenwood · **Posted:** Tue Aug 31, 2010 12:01 pm

I've got a BMW engine that runs good, if you need one. It's not an 801, it has never flown, but it has seen a lot of aviation and warbirds. It's up at QG Aviation in my 1976 BMW 2002, slightly used condition. Most of it works, including the AC, just not the speedometer or the windsheild washer. Engine runs good and main tires are good Michelins.

corsair166b · **Posted:** Tue Aug 31, 2010 12:56 pm

Good lord, Bill, that little Beemer is yours? That thing has been there forever, think I saw it again when I visited Skurich's about a month ago....

Mark

TimAPNY · **Posted:** Thu Sep 02, 2010 6:21 pm

That is a very cool video.

Anyone know how the rest of the aircraft looks and I dare ask if there is a time table to it taking to the air?

Tim

jet1 · **Posted:** Thu Sep 02, 2010 6:52 pm

...I always wondered how how one of those would compete.

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

jet1 wrote:

...I always wondered how how one of those would compete.

Yea, that's a great idea! Let's put an extremely rare aircraft at risk with a one-of-a-kind engine which is the only one operating in the world at the moment. I see no problem with overboosting that BMW 801 which probably cost close to half a million to overhaul just to stroke some rich guy's ego.

Now, if you want to race a Flug Werk, I have no problem with that. You can run those into the ground, as far as I'm concerned. The Flug Werk's are replaceable, that Focke-Wulf 190 is not.

While we're at it, I think the EAA should race their XP-51 and the MAAM should race their P-61 as well. Think how cool that would be?

Might as well throw in the POF's Zero as well. That Sakae engine just deserves to be red-lined just to prove that American fighters are not all their cracked up to be in the Bronze race.

DoraNineFan · **Joined:** Fri Aug 12, 2005 3:37 pm **Posts:** 677

Quote:

Can I ask from a pure “I honestly don’t know” point of view? What’s involved with an engine rebuild like this? When I see pictures of the before and after, I often wonder what parts are actually re-buildable and what needs to be new? Can a lot of parts be rebuilt/cleaned up or is it pretty well only the core that is usable?

I think it depends on what you are staring with. (A rare engine in a crate will obviously need less work.) Thinking back on the project updates and other information I've read over the years with interest, it has been a mixture of both. Parts that cannot be replaced are remanufactured, and in rare times NOS parts have turned up miraculously. A number of parts have been manufactured for the White 1 BMW, from small bolts up to the cylinder cooling baffles (which were not cheap according to the project updates.) The same can be said for the Luftwaffe V12s that are in use, Vintage V12s describing in an article the remanufacture of the reduction gear cover for a DB601.

DaveM2 · **Posted:** Thu Sep 02, 2010 8:44 pm

warbird1 wrote:

jet1 wrote:

...I always wondered how how one of those would compete.

Yea, that's a great idea! Let's put an extremely rare aircraft at risk with a one-of-a-kind engine which is the only one operating in the world at the moment. I see no problem with overboosting that BMW 801 which probably cost close to half a million to overhaul just to stroke some rich guy's ego.

Now, if you want to race a Flug Werk, I have no problem with that. You can run those into the ground, as far as I'm concerned. The Flug Werk's are replaceable, that Focke-Wulf 190 is not.

While we're at it, I think the EAA should race their XP-51 and the MAAM should race their P-61 as well. Think how cool that would be?

Might as well throw in the POF's Zero as well. That Sakae engine just deserves to be red-lined just to prove that American fighters are not all their cracked up to be in the Bronze race.

He he-Jet 1 comes out with that line whenever a rare aircraft is talked about -always catches some one out
The overhaul of that particular BMW cost waaaaaaaay more than half a mill AFAIK :Hangman:

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

DaveM2 wrote:

warbird1 wrote:

jet1 wrote:

...I always wondered how how one of those would compete.

Yea, that's a great idea! Let's put an extremely rare aircraft at risk with a one-of-a-kind engine which is the only one operating in the world at the moment. I see no problem with overboosting that BMW 801 which probably cost close to half a million to overhaul just to stroke some rich guy's ego.

Now, if you want to race a Flug Werk, I have no problem with that. You can run those into the ground, as far as I'm concerned. The Flug Werk's are replaceable, that Focke-Wulf 190 is not.

While we're at it, I think the EAA should race their XP-51 and the MAAM should race their P-61 as well. Think how cool that would be?

Might as well throw in the POF's Zero as well. That Sakae engine just deserves to be red-lined just to prove that American fighters are not all their cracked up to be in the Bronze race.

He he-Jet 1 comes out with that line whenever a rare aircraft is talked about -always catches some one out
The overhaul of that particular BMW cost waaaaaaaay more than half a mill AFAIK :Hangman:

I figured that was probably the case, but I took a guess at a conservative estimate. That really doesn't surprise me, though. I'm glad there are people like Paul Allen out there willing to spend the money to preserve our aviation history.

Lynn Allen · **Posted:** Thu Sep 02, 2010 9:15 pm

Which FW is entered in the Reno Races this year??

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

Lynn Allen wrote:

Which FW is entered in the Reno Races this year??

I've been wondering that as well. Most people are speculating that it is Rudy Frasca's, since that is the only one "more or less" flying at the moment in the United States.

Ztex · **Posted:** Thu Sep 02, 2010 9:30 pm

Sounds like a 3350 with an accent.

Cool!

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BMW 801 Runs!: Link

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