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Radial Engines Rock GB Chat


CliffB

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Cheers Cliff, it'll probably be the P-61... Or the Mitchell... or maybe the Ventura... Aaaaggghhh!!! No, the P-61. Definitely. Or maybe the Mitchell.... No, the P-61. Definitely. For sure. :)

I had to Google that Bill, but you're right, it's ugly!

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So who wants to be number 31? Had another look at the edge of my own stash and there's a good variety of possible options in there just as I'm sure there are in most of everyone's.

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Did you know there were some radial engined cars & motorcycles in the 1920s to '40s? Not special specials but ones meant for general public sale, but they were only built in small numbers.

Look up

Megola motorcycle

Helica [various engines, including 3cyl radial]

Chrysler Star Car [prototypes only]

North Lucas [prototype only]

The original Volkswagen car was to have either a 3 or 5 cyl radial engine.

I presume we're sticking to radial engines and not including rotaries?

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After a long health related break I have a bench full of Spits in front of me now, but I've had a desire to do an RCAF PV-1. It will fit in between the Mk I and Mk II so I'll join in.

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hope this one gets through. At the moment I'm thinking Whirlybirds Westland whirlwind series 3 or CMR Bristol sycamore Mk.52

Either or both. Very interesting aircraft.

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Welcome Mozzy19 and DarylH (another radial avatar :) ).

Interesting info on the cars and bikes Black Knight - thank you. I had no idea that there were so many radial engined examples (there was also the Monaco Trossi that was flagged up earlier in the thread).

I was proposing to include rotary engines too, as long as they have pistons (so no Wankels). I'm hoping that we will get some WW1 flyboys to join in! :pilot:

Cheers

Cliff

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Put me down could be a B25 or a A26 B26 the list goes on lol

Les

Ah, Les so you have found this GB as well. I need to think what I will build. I have about 120 models that could fit this bill. :fraidnot:

Cheers,

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I was proposing to include rotary engines too, as long as they have pistons (so no Wankels). I'm hoping that we will get some WW1 flyboys to join in! :pilot:

Thats good. I might be encouraged to do a WW1 type

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Welcome aboard wellzy :)

And now a question that has been bugging me: why do radial engines always seem to have an odd number of cylinders? :hmmm:

Does anyone know please?

Cheers

Cliff

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And now a question that has been bugging me: why do radial engines always seem to have an odd number of cylinders? :hmmm:

Does anyone know please?

Cheers

Cliff

Seriously?

If there were an even number of cyls there would be two directly opposing pistons, and their connecting rods would be pushing or pulling [depending on which of the 4 points of the cycle they are on] against each other in a direct line; causing piston lock. Neither piston could go up nor down.

Radial engine connecting rods share a common big end, unlike in-line, V or opposed engines where each connecting rod has its own big end and place on the crankshaft.

Even numbered radials are in two or more banks. eg a 14 cyl will be 2 banks of 7 cyls.

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But surely (stop calling me Shirley!) you would never have a situation where you would have opposing cyclinders both on a compression stroke at the same time anyway. One would be TDC while the opposite one was BDC.

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There is a fraction of a moment where the piston going thru TDC stops, as does the one going thru BDC, at that fraction of time the two connecting rods are aligned and their forces can be either pulling apart or pushing towards each other ; piston lock, bent con rod or broken rod.

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I must admit that I can't quite get my head round the 'piston lock' issue either :unsure:

I've had a quick look on Wikipedia (of course), and an alternative answer is to do with getting an equal time interval between the firing of successive cylinders. Apparantly you can't achieve this with an equal number of cylinders and hence get uneven running. I'm still struggling to truly visualise this, but I get the point.

That's with four-strokes at least. It's claimed that radial engines have been built with an even number of cylinders, but as two-strokes where the extra bangs allow equal firing intervals to be achieved OK.

Some interesting animations of radial engines running there too :)

Cheers

Cliff

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