Warbird Information Exchange

I read somewhere (probably here ) that Delmar Benjamin suffered from severe lead poisoning after flying his Gee Bee replica for so long.
Man he could fly that thing!

Andy Scott

How does it compare?

On the one hand, don't suck the toys, or grate the paint onto your pasta. (To late to stunt our mental growth though, anyway, we've done.)

On the other, that's (up to the late C20th) trying to avoid breathing or eating in an industrialised country...

It's scary reading and lots of conclusions to draw, as you wish, but no argument over the cause or effect, or the utter moral vacuum of Midgely and the Ethyl Corp.

Regards,

_________________
James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Don't think that's how lead poisoning works - there are many more people with far greater duration and intensity exposure. Other more acute issues, from engine emissions seem more likely. But I claim no expertise.

Would like to have seen him in action though!

Regards,

_________________
James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

There is another option -- fly aircraft that are powered by engines not requiring 100LL. All the small 1930s engines (eg. Warners and Continental radials) were designed to run on low octane fuels. And the early Lycomings, eg. O-320A, the same. And of course Ranger and Gipsy and Franklin.

There are a lot of wonderful aircraft in that category, and they can be powered by mogas. An STC is required for certified aircraft, and there is no mechanical work that has to be done at all. Just placards and paperwork.

In Canada, the only road fuel marketed as having no Ethanol in it is Shell 91. That's what people use around here. At Edenvale there is a self-serve pump, and both 100LL and Shell 91 mogas are available.

During WWII, in the USA, 100/130 was in short supply, and was sent to the battlefront. Aircraft in the domestic USA were sometimes made to operate with 91-octane. I have a P-40 manual which has 2 sets of performance charts, one for each fuel, limiting boost with the 91 to prevent detonation.

Dave

I am not aware of any of the major fuel providers here in the US that produce ethanol free gas. There are some stations (I think there is 3 in all of NH where I live) that carry ethanol free gas, but it is not marketed under any specific maker. The government has been doing away with pure gas, so I do not think we will see an increase in the availability.

There are 2 or 3 Texacos, all owned by the same dealer, here in my town that sell ethanol free gas.

Go to pure-gas.org and it list all sellers of ethanol -free fuel by state.