Warbird Information Exchange

I have wondered for a long time if there are engines out there that would be good alternates for rare or extinct engines, especially World War 1 era types. There aren't going to be many subs for rotary engines but there might be for the inlines and Vees. There is a Swedish V-12 boat engine that supposedly looks remarkably like a Merlin though smaller and at least one scale Mustang was supposed to be powered by it. Could that engine stand in for a Kestrel or Eagle? Is it possible that in India or China or Argentina someone is building an engine that essentially duplicates the Hispano Suiza V-8 of the Spad or SE 5? Maybe there is a 6 cylinder that could stand in for the BMW or Mercedes in an Albatross or Fokker D.VII?

I am talking pretty much direct replacement. You would have to come up with a new crankshaft with a propeller mounting flange on it, possibly a new cam to get the speed and torque in the right range and modify for dual ignition and appropriate exhaust but not much else. I am not talking about propeller speed reduction units.

On the other hand maybe someone will gear up for an all new production run as someone is doing for ten or so rotary engines.

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"I can't understand it, I cut it twice and it's still too short!" Robert F. Dupre' 1923-2010 Go With God.

John--

The "mini Merlin" you refer to sounds like the Falconer V12, which was a marine engine that was converted to power the scale Thunder Mustang kitplane of the early 90s. Didn't realize it was Swedish though...or maybe there were two such V12s?

Using a Falconer as a Kestrel substitute is a very interesting idea, since iirc the power output is about the same between the two...and some of the nicest looking and handling aircraft ever built were Kestrel-powered. (Hawker High-Speed Fury/Fury II, anyone?)

Hm. Could one use Falconers to imitate another Rolls mill...the Peregrine? Two of those snarling away on a Westland Whirlwind fighter replica is a nice thought, isn't it...

World War I stuff in replica form has seen necessity become the mother of invention many times. Rotaries usually get supplanted by small radials like the Warner Scarab; totally different operation but similar shape, so the look is unchanged. The Fokker D.VII at Brampton uses a Ranger inline six; the SE5a there I think does too, now, but when it first flew it had a modified Ford V6 car engine up front! And the newer of their two DrI triplanes has a 220 Continental...which makes the thing climb like a Harrier. It was used at least once as a towplane for Oscar Boesch's sailplane!

Anybody got a legitimate idea for replicating a Napier Sabre??

S.

I herd that a while back the guy who made the Stewart mustang was importing somekind of Italian marine engine, a V12 based on a Chrysler 392 Hemi. Does anyone know of this ?

The guys in NZ are now building 'new' rotaries and a British inline, the RAF 1A, so that's great news.

http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/

http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/projects ... f1a-engine

Like the other ideas.

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

James,

that's a great link. I love the work those guys are doing! It's remarkable.

Cheers,

David