Bald Eagle Aviation

[mlenoch]

Rich:
Are those 500 heads? How many hours SMOH and how many cracks? Can't see the red marker in the pix from that angle.
Lookin purdy!
Thx,
VL

[51fixer]

Rich:
Are those 500 heads? How many hours SMOH and how many cracks? Can't see the red marker in the pix from that angle.
Lookin purdy!
Thx,
VL

Actually they are 620.
There were a multitude of cracks in each head. Some required work on the seat and spark plug hole areas. A couple spark plug holes are welded up in the pic.
Rich

[Jim Beasley]

Is that a "no"?

with any luck that pretty blue (blue green?) engine that Rich posted will live again after Big Jim and crew attack it, and when it's done were hoping to have an airframe to drop it into. Rich???

[Jim Beasley]

Rich is right we had an amazing trip to Big Jim's facility at Jack's place. WOW. I want one of these and one of those and two of that ....

Here's Old Crow as a centerpiece


Roller rockers anyone?


new pistons with the teflon coating, the anti-corrosion stuff on the top, and these funny anti-detonation grooves. The work is just fantastic.


Big Jim with the project du jour. This will live again; found somewhere after sitting forever, it's only got 500ish hours on it, but the pistons are so frozen into position that the autopsy is taking a different path. Drilling around the piston so as to save the rods and the crankshaft. If you look closely you can see the cuts in the pistons. Really cool stuff.


Can't wait to get back out there. Thanks Big Jim and the crew!

[mlenoch]

Jim & Rich:
I still remember 'mopping the floor' at Subway after Big Jim's last visit out here!
Isn't it cool to walk into your hanger in the morning and see Old Crow waiting for you with that canopy open? Gawd, very cool.
Amazing work they do. But, what are those "anti detonation grooves"? Never heard of this. Will it save some engines? Is it a race mod? Race = NASCAR or Reno?
Thx,
VL

[51fixer]

Here are the newly machined cams for the roller rocker arms.

Close up of canopy and rail installation-

Inside of the engine they are trying to save.

Milling Machine and the victim-

Parts being made, raw forging's and finished-

Crate motor that they build-

Words just can't express what all they can do- What a place and great people too.
Rich

[51fixer]

Jim & Rich:
I still remember 'mopping the floor' at Subway after Big Jim's last visit out here!
Isn't it cool to walk into your hanger in the morning and see Old Crow waiting for you with that canopy open? Gawd, very cool.
Amazing work they do. But, what are those "anti detonation grooves"? Never heard of this. Will it save some engines? Is it a race mod? Race = NASCAR or Reno?
Thx,
VL

It is in all the Merlin PMA approved pistons they make.
Rich

[Lynn Allen]

Jim and Rich thanks for the photo's. That crate motor would look nice in a Shelby Cobra Roadster.....

Lynn

[MattP38]

There is some amazing craftsmanship in those photos, Rich. Back in the mid-early 70s, my uncle was walking around a flea market with a few family friends and amongst the items, sat a carburetor from a Merlin (I’m assuming it was out of a Merlin and not an Allison) that was brand new out of the box. Unfortunately he was talked out of purchasing it due to the price..…a whopping $100. To this day, I still shake my head knowing that my uncle let himself be talked out of buying a carburetor from a bloody P-51, especially for that price and considering he is a mechanically inclined person.

[Paul Draper]

Jim and Rich,

It was great to meet you on Friday. I'm glad we could show you around the shop and hangar. Don't forget there's still more to see next time!!!

Paul

[Jim Beasley]

....
Amazing work they do. But, what are those "anti detonation grooves"? Never heard of this. Will it save some engines? Is it a race mod? Race = NASCAR or Reno?
Thx,
VL

Maybe Paul can step in here but they're little grooves which are believed to act as accumulators to soften the blow down the side of the piston. There are lots of small circumferential grooves above the top ring, and then one bigger one between top two rings.

[Chris]

This is without a doubt, one of the best threads I've come across and have been following since it started. It's right up there with Garys refit of 927. As a novice Mustang guy taking care of SUSU, The pics and information have been a huge learning tool for me. I've never been afraid to show my ignorance by asking a "dumb" question if it helps keep a plane in the air and a pilot alive and this thread has answered many before I had to ask. To all the contributors, Thanks again and keep the info and pics coming. Hey Scott, can we make this thread a sticky so it doesn't fall off the front page? Also, with SUSUs annual coming up in a few months, do you still want Ryan to do the Mustang walkaround like you did with the TBM?

[Lynn Allen]

This is without a doubt, one of the best threads I've come across and have been following since it started. It's right up there with Garys refit of 927. As a novice Mustang guy taking care of SUSU, The pics and information have been a huge learning tool for me. I've never been afraid to show my ignorance by asking a "dumb" question if it helps keep a plane in the air and a pilot alive and this thread has answered many before I had to ask. To all the contributors, Thanks again and keep the info and pics coming. Hey Scott, can we make this thread a sticky so it doesn't fall off the front page? Also, with SUSUs annual coming up in a few months, do you still want Ryan to do the Mustang walkaround like you did with the TBM?

Hope you can take a lot of pictures if the owner ok's it and post them when you can to keep us in the loop on the annual...

Lynn

[Paul Draper]

Maybe Paul can step in here but they're little grooves which are believed to act as accumulators to soften the blow down the side of the piston. There are lots of small circumferential grooves above the top ring, and then one bigger one between top two rings.

Jim, you've pretty much got it.

The idea behind the grooves is they act as small accumlators and dissapate some of the energy (pressure) that results if detonation occurs. This will help protect the piston rings in the event of detonation.

[Django]

Wow, that must be like a trip to the HOLY LAND.

And Big Jim certainly is... Big! Compare the shot of the block on the crane!