Warbird Information Exchange

I know this post would probably be best for the "aviation parts" section, but here's to hoping Scott and Ryan will overlook my faux pas in light of discussion, debate, and the ultimate in aircraft recycling....

Cleaning the dark recesses of the hangar this weekend and discovered a "nest" of five monster General Electric turbosuperchargers from some mystery heavy radial. I saved 'em years ago from a scrapper in Tucson, who dismantled and salvaged all kinds of fixed and rotor wing aircraft from WWII up through the 1970s. In this yard I'd found a whole bunch of B-2 and assorted B- series turbos for the P-38, P-47, B-17 and B-24, and these hogs were in the mix. Seeing as I had a trailer with me at the time, we loaded all of 'em to save 'em from the metal bins. Save history, right?

But WHAT are they from? The data plate provides the following info: "GENERAL ELECTRIC TURBOSUPERCHARGER Model 7S-BH4-D3 AF Contract No. or Purchase Order A34-601-18025. " All have OH dates on 'em rangings from 1960 to 1964. They've got a hot section on them with a 15.5" diameter outlet, and are about the width of a keg of beer and 2/3rds or so the size. And yeah, they weigh about as much as a full keg of beer, too...

I'd always suspected they were coupled to something like a 3350 or 4360, and could have come out of the Boeing KC-97 tankers (scrap guy cut up his share of these). Had someone who looked at one this weekend and assured me it was from a B-36 (can't imagine that by the OH dates on the tag, but hey, stranger things have happened....). This guy is Mesa's "resident aviation expert on all things with wings." Ya'll have a guy like this poking around in your hangar? If not, I'll send him your way. He'll get ya edu-macated in no time.

So, tangent done - anyone able to clue me in here about these GE turbos? And lastly, anyone want or need any of these pigs? All are dirty but appear complete - and yeah, I can post a picture later if there's any interest. At least one is (was) NOS and the rest were all used. Gotta be something here in them of use to someone who needs 'em, and I'd really like them to find a new home. My back hurts from lumping them across town, and I need the hangar space for something useful and really exciting - like Lockheed PV-2 "Harpoon" parts.

Had an engineer years ago who bought one of these planning to make some sort of funky jet engine out of it, having done something like this with smaller turbos (so he said) but have no idea what ever became of the project. Don't remember seeing his obituary or hearing of his house or shop burning down, so maybe it never happened. But I've always wondered what these beasts came out of, and figured if anyone out there had a clue I'd hear about through you folks.

Much obliged!

Hey buddy, if you want, I can swing by after work tomorrow and take some shots of them to post here. Call me.

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Ryan Keough
Stow, MA

Hey Robert. Sounds like those are from 4360s. Do you remember that old guy from New Orleans, Gus, that had all those Allison parts? He was trying to sell me some turbos that were farily large as well and he told me they were from 4360s. By the way, I'm still interested in one of those hydraulic units if you are willing to part with one.

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The more I learn about aircraft, the more I realize I still have to learn.

Thank you for the offer, Ryan. For once, I think I beat you to it. Snapped a couple this AM - and here they are. Let's see if a visual helps anyone recognize these monsters...


Chris, I sure do miss good old Gus. A couple of the Allisons in the hangar came from his collection, and I remember his turbos, too, though don't recall he had any as big and ugly as these. He sure had a neat assortment of goodies and was dogging those Allisons back in the 1970s when few people care for them. He supplied that R-2600 for your old project, too. If the tail turret pack doesn't work, I have another motor system up my sleeve for you from a later gun turret that might be a little better for your needs. I'll see you out at FFZ later, I'd imagine, and we'll catch up.

POONER'S BACK????

To paraphrase Baghdad Bob..." ALL your B17 parts are belong to me!"


take care,
Don Price

PS I got NO Earthly Idea what those Love Buckets are from!

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Support Your Local Warbirds! KBO!
The only reasons the airplanes matter is what the veterans did with them... and why.

Pooner lives! Sore, tired and a little dusty, but alive and well!

I can now start tempting you fellows with some pics of the B-17 items from the dark recesses of the FFZ hangar. Finally! I moved 14 Fortress Toyko tank fuel cells from the hangar this weekend - all 85 pounds each and about as bulky as a bedding mattress - once on the truck and then again off the truck. And did I ever think of you, wishing we were putting them on to a trailer for you!

Amazing how the need to create a little hangar space for the next project can prompt the tired old natives to do some major house cleaning (that and threat from the local airport authority to create a walkway thru from the front to the back of the building in order to comply with something called "fire codes!").

Promise I won't load the trucks down with THESE boat anchors once we get our little convoy going... and thanks for being patient!

You mean those wonderful people out at FFZ aren't helping you in any way? Whooda thunk?

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The more I learn about aircraft, the more I realize I still have to learn.