Warbird Information Exchange

Curious,
why the chocks behind the tyres?

Must have a bodacious handbrake on that beast!

When we cranked the B17 up even with a test club it felt like the airplane wanted to GO somewhere.

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Support Your Local Warbirds! KBO!
The only reasons the airplanes matter is what the veterans did with them... and why.

Notice the straps from the back of the gear to a hard point in the ground. The chocks behind the gear are to tighten the straps without the airplane rolling back. The straps hold the airplane under power.

I agree that a sea Fury really isn't a Sea Fury without the Centaurus up front but there aren't many around with a good set of sleeves. As for maintaining the 3350 vs. the Centaurus, I would take the Centaurus hands down. Many around the shop share the opinion that it's the finest aircraft piston engine ever produced. The 3350 may be simpler but they are not less maintenance. I would someday like to see a 2800 up front of one instead of a 3350.

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Colby Wallick

3 pages.....

Lynn

Colby, please tell ol' Al Loving that Gary said howdy.

Gary

I'll be sure to do that

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Colby Wallick

Um Vlado, Iagree it would be a big task to change the direction of rotation on a Wright. WHat I actually had in mind was taking a hub from a C-130J
(are they 5 or six blades) or maybe from another propellor driven transport like an ATR or other foreign built aircraft and fitting it to the Wright. Keep the same blade rotation but maybe build up a prop by reshaping the blades from a ? C-123, or Albatross or P-3 maybe.
IIRC, the Sea fury does not have the twist in the vertical fin and can be set up for an engine of either rotation.

Yup, if I remember correctly, all we ever did was reverse the rudder trim mechanism, where it has more right rudder trim authority than left, as the factory had them set up.

Gary

I've seen an R-1340 running backwards, at least for a while... Wasn't intentional though!

[quote="retroaviation"]

.....I find it hillarious that anyone would want to operate and maintain a British engine in anything.




You must be right, imagine some buffoon putting a Rolls Royce Merlin into a P-51 for example! Ludicrous! And the idea of putting British jet engines into US military hardware is really beyond the pale! I mean, surely EVERYONE knows Americans invented the piston engine and the jet engine too. What do those Europeans know? Forget them.

Awwww, c'mon now.....you must realize I'm just kiddin' around with y'all. I was wondering how long it would take before someone got upset about all of my "British engine" remarks. But what's interesting is that the vast majority of folks who disagree with me about the "lovliness" of the British engines (particularly the "Mighty Merlin"), have never worked on one. Try that for a while and then see if you don't figure out some new combination of the swear words you've known for years.

Actually, they're not THAT bad........I just don't think they're as wonderful as the urban legend would try to make you believe they are.

Gary

When you come down to it, nothing is!