turboplanner Posted November 8, 2009 Posted November 8, 2009 The Finley engine has both plugs on top, but some interesting similarities, so there may be a family relationship.
hihosland Posted November 27, 2009 Posted November 27, 2009 another to test the aircraft knowledge [ATTACH]9276.vB[/ATTACH]
Admin Posted November 27, 2009 Posted November 27, 2009 Crikey, this one took some time researching...well done hihosland: The PB.31E Nighthawk, 1917. “A prototype quadruplane anti-Zeppelin fighter with a crew of three to five and an intended endurance of 9-18 hours. Fitted with a biplane tailplane with twin fins and rudders. For armament, it had a trainable nose-mounted searchlight, a 1½-pounder (37 mm) Davis gun mounted above the top wing, and two .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis guns. Power for the searchlight was provided by an independent petrol engine-driven generator. It’s performance was bad. The prototype could only manage 60mph, and took an hour to reach 10,000ft. The project was scrapped in July 1917. The Nighthawk was originally conceived by Noel Pemberton Billing, who sold his aviation company during the war - Pemberton Billing Ltd becoming the more well known Supermarine Aviation Works Ltd..
hihosland Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 Too clever , too quick Ian, but yes you are completely correct. That photo was taken I presume by my grandfather-in-law Frank Buckely. I do know that it is one of several photos inherited by my father-in-law and now in the possession of the AWM. This quadruplane aircraft was designed to defend Britain against German Zeppelins during the First World War. It was powered by two 100 horse power Anzani, 10 cylinder engines, each driving a four bladed propeller. With a ton of fuel carried and with the engines throttled back, it could achieve an endurance of over 18 hours flying time The design incorporated several unique features which included dual controls, a search light, a sleeping berth and armoured fuel tanks and lines. It was to be armed with one offensive 1.5 pounder Davis gun with 20 rounds and a number of defensive Lewis guns. Of two examples planned, only this prototype was completed. Initially two were ordered but only this prototype was ever built. Essentially as a result of its abysmal performance no further examples were ordered. .
facthunter Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 4 cyl engine. This is a fairly typical engine built from about 1910 for about 12 years in england. It is a "T" head engine having a valve at both sides of the motor. One name that successfully produced many engines of this type was White and Poppe, and they supplied them in single cylinder form to ARIEL who made cycle cars and Motorcycles, as well as multi cylinder motors for cars. There is NO detachable cylinder head as such, and the valves are accessed and withdrawn from the top after unscrewing a threaded "bung" from over each valve. The bung can be threaded to take the spark plug and it is easy to fit the same feature to both the inlet and the exhaust. This does not prove that the motor was ever twin ignition. The magneto as fitted is pre 1912 having an open magnet. The engine looks crude enough to be a stationary or pump engine. There were plenty of liquid cooled aero engines produced in England. There was ENV and Green to name a couple. Daimler benz and many others were produced in Europe. The lightest and best power to weight were the rotaries where the engine (of radial configuration) was fixed to the prop and rotated about the crankshaft. These were initially conceived by Lawrence Hargrave (an Australian) Nev
hihosland Posted November 30, 2009 Posted November 30, 2009 another to test the aircraft knowledge Another plane pic
Guest Maj Millard Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 Got to be a Blimp or Airship......................................................:confused:
facthunter Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 Blimp or airship. I'd go along with that. Nev
hihosland Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 That's the one a few more pics at ..... http://home.comcast.net/~bzee1b/Zeppelin/Zeppelin.html
Guest Maj Millard Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 Hiho, Thanks that was great. I worked at Oakland airport for two years, and I used to paddle my kayak around Alkatraz, so that bought back some memories......................................
planedriver Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 Hiho, Thanks that was great. I worked at Oakland airport for two years, and I used to paddle my kayak around Alkatraz, so that bought back some memories...................................... What Maj really meant to say, was that "he swam free" from there. But let bygones be bygones:laugh: The kayak bit was an afterthought, but it sounds good!
Guest Maj Millard Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 Thanks for that planedriver, it sounded better mentioning the kayak. Actually during a tour of Alcatraz (it's managed by the national park people now) we were shown the actual cell that the 'escapees' dug themselves out of. They even still had the dummies they made in the beds. Word around town was that they did make it to the mainland ok, and that several of their prisoner friends recieved postcards in the weeks following from them. Also saw the cell where the 'birdman of alcatraz' lived, he had a great view. I didn't see any leftovers from the 'mythbusters' attempt though. Also was informed that Alcatraz was not for the 'worst' criminals. The worst one they ever had there was big Al Capone, and they put him in Alcatraz just to get him off the East coast, and away from his 'mob'. Alcatraz was mainly for 'incorrageables' IE: escape artists, and prisoners who could simply not exist in other prison populations. All cells at the 'rock' were solitary confinment cells. Certainly a recommended tour if you are there any time....just don't miss the last boat to the mainland !!.........................................................................................................
stanzahero Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 New plane for everyone... This was not taken by me... ...And the plane is in the foreground, not the bomber at the back.
GraemeK Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 I think Dornier built a push-pull twin in the 40's??
stanzahero Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 I thought the star would send you a red herring... Do you know which?
GraemeK Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 I'll go the 335 - IIRC a couple were shipped back to the US after the war?
slartibartfast Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 You guys are good. Great read of its history here too.
Guest Maj Millard Posted January 13, 2010 Posted January 13, 2010 Mmmmmm.....what a great piece of design for the time, but then Dornier always did think outside the box, and still do..........................................................
Thalass Posted January 13, 2010 Posted January 13, 2010 I quite like the Dornier flying boats. They still use this config for the Seastar amphibian, too. Though I suspect the company no longer exists.
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