Radial

[Colonel Sanders]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGKXdYCksAQ

[Big Pistons Forever]

Nice ! although the example engine is 11 cylinders short of a "real" radial engine

[iflyforpie]

I think that technically, this is a radial......



Lots of fond memories of pulling those apart and putting them back together... and annoying the neighbours three minutes at a time with a line control PT-19... good thing props came in a pack of five, I don't think I ever landed it once without breaking one.

[Colonel Sanders]

Yup!

The .049 ... I still remember the "springy"
prop. And that sound. God, that was a long
time ago.

[vanNostrum]

Trying to figure out how the counterweight works, dont know how it can balance all the masses moving in different directions at the same time but what do i know,maybe it does not have to and the engine survives in spite of vibrations.

I did notice that the cw seems to rotate in a way that is always positioned next to the piston at the bottom of the cylinder .

Im wondering if rotary engines WW1 vintage had some form of cw and if so where was it located

vN

[iflyforpie]

The reason why you have a counterweight is to offset the mass of the crank throw and the master and articulating rod assemblies. This places the center of gravity within the main bearing axis.

Rotary engines are actually one of the smoothest aero engines ever made besides turbine. Since the crank is fixed and not rotating, there is no need for a counterweight. The movements of the pistons and rods also cancel each other out. The huge mass of the spinning crankcase and cylinders is basically a massive flywheel which further dampens vibration.

[vanNostrum]

Years ago I saw an original LaRhone rotary up close in action and as you describe it it seem to run very smooth. I loved the sound and the smoke belching it generated in few minutes run.I believe that power was controlled by cutting electricity to some cylinder's spark plugs. Really impressed me

vN

[Colonel Sanders]

They still fly WW1 rotary engines at
Old Rhinebeck, NY. If you're into old
airplanes, you have to go see Cole
Palen's legacy. He saved them when
everyone else scrapped them.

[vanNostrum]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=075k7Fwui6Y

[vanNostrum]

CS I use to expend hrs at the Aviation Museum [CYRO] just examining every detail of all the WW1 airplanes and dreming of flying one , I heard of the ''Black Baron'' and yes I will tray to go some time this summer
vN