Oshkosh Hawker Sea Fury

[Neal Nurmi]

I think the first 3350 conversion was done in 1987 by Larry Burton for the Blind Man's Bluff racing project. I don't know much about what came later. I know Nelson was building up engine mounts quite early on, but I think he was using Burton's configuration. I think Ezell was selling engine mounts to other builders too.

[glider90]

Couple more...

[seafurysmith]

Sorry should have remembered the 3350 was a Curtis Wright R series engine, seems Centauras and belly landing go together? I believe that one of the two suffered and engine issue at Duxford on the Sat and the last I heard was still hangared waiting for a diagnosis (possible cylinder prob?)

[bdk]

First aftermarket engine swap was Frank Sanders' Dreadnought and the second was Jim Mott's Sea Fury which had a later Centaurus from a Beverly IIRC. 3350s came later.

Mott's old plane has since been converted to a 3350.

[Triplane102]

Where does "CottonMouth" , the ex Jerry Janes T.20 Seafury fit in the first of the 3350 conversions ? She's the one going back to Centaurus power at Meier Motors.

[C VEICH]

geek Where does "CottonMouth" , the ex Jerry Janes T.20 Seafury fit in the first of the 3350 conversions ? She's the one going back to Centaurus power at Meier Motors.

I am relying on a rapidly fading memory here and could be way off base but I thought George Baker's "Sky Fury" was the first 3350 conversion and "Cottonmouth" was the second. I'm sure somebody with more knowledge will confirm or deny.

[twdwelle]

Larry Burton (built Blind Man's Bluff) told me that he didn't want to go the 4360 route and Ralph Payne suggested the 3350-26WD would be a good candidate. Larry found a source and bought a lot of them cheap. When he made the first engine mount, he realized he had to cut a section out of the main ring to provide room for the oil sump. The original mount might be around our hangar someplace. They used it for a mock up stand to mate the A-26 cowling to the engine. The 2nd one fit nicely and he continued producing them. My memory is that he sold some to Nelson, but I could be wrong there. My father bought one from a trade-a-plane ad in the late 80's for $5500. "Do you think I got the cart in front of the horse?" he said to me. With nothing to bolt to either end of it, the mount sat around the hangar for a number of years and I finally bolted a piece of plywood on the top so it would serve as a work bench. When dad bought N85SF from Bill Woods (1991), it came with a number of mounts. I would guess that the original mount purchased from Larry is still on a rack in our hangar.
Tom "TJ" Dwelle

[L-188]

3350 I think.

The announcer said it was a Centaurus, so I went and had a look at the Sea Fury and the Skyraiders either side. The engines looked identical from what I could see looking in the front of the cowlings

The Centaurus has a 5 blade prop and the 3350 a 4 blade plus the Cent turns opposite of the 3350. The Cent does sound like an engine with a attitude...

Are there any sea furies flying with a Centaurus and a 4 bladed prop? don't think I've ever seen one.

[C VEICH]

Are there any sea furies flying with a Centaurus and a 4 bladed prop? don't think I've ever seen one.

I think Jim Mott's airplane was the only one ever so equipped and it was later swapped for a 3350.

[b29driver]

[kennsmithf2g]