Cartridge ("Shotgun") starters

[Chaz Harris]

Anyone have any info on these? Seems pretty cool.

Chaz

[Holedigger]

Ah, the good old Coffman Starters, just like Flight of the Phoenix! I recall seeing them in another old movie, just cannot recall which one!?

[Robbie Stuart]

USFG PHOTO
Engine start using pyrotechnic cartridges produced copious amounts of black smoke.
============================================

[needle]

Years ago I remember my father asking me to go and get the shotgun cartidges out of the cupboard so we could go flying in the chipmunk.

[John Dupre]

One of my instructors at A&P school remembered using Coffman starters on F4F Wildcats and Hellcats. The Hellcat starter was about half again as long as the Wildcat one but could fit in a Wildcat's starter. So...if a Wildcat was particularly hard to start they would try a Hellcat cartridge. They were all 19 years old and no idea whether it was a good idea, it just worked.

Were they a common item on USN aircraft? I can't say that I have heard of other Navy veterans remarking on their use.

[Larry Kraus]

Chaz,

This link has a good description of the way that these starters functioned.This should supplement the picture of the starter on e-bay that TriangleP posed above:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffman_engine_starter

LK

[Iclo]

Are there today warbirds still using cartridge to start ? Regarding video of meeting, visibly they were all converted to electrical starter ?

[tom d. friedman]

the tree huggers / evironmentalists must love em!! cough cough hack hack!!

[Flat 12x2]

Ah, the good old Coffman Starters, just like Flight of the Phoenix!

For those who want to see it again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IACjOvyx5hs

[Chaz Harris]

Very cool, everyone!

Larry,
I know the basics on how they work, I was wondering for the most part if someone like you who has firsthand experiance could tell me a little bit more about them, how well they worked, etc. And if any are still being used. Also, you flew C-119's I think, did they even have cartridge starters as waterbombers?

Here is a link to a Field Marshall crawler starting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1rc3AmX0XQ

Thanks,
Chaz

[bdk]

There was an article on cartridge starters in the most recent EAA Warbirds magazine as I recall. Gave it away already though, so I can't double check.

[corsair166b]

Mark Johnson's DH Venom down in Denver used to use them, before he put it off the end of the runway two years ago (total shame, it had just been repainted)...the cartridge start was always impressive, smoke shot up into the air about 20 feet and made a noise like a large estes rocket taking off...hope he can fix the bird so we can see the spectacle again.

Mark

[ALAN.L]

The dh Ghost engine on the Venom has two cartridge breaches,the shells themselves are about 3'' in dia and 8'' long,I will post a picture of one when I can.

[dhfan]

The RNHF Sea Hawk uses cartridge start and I think the civilian Canberras still have them.

An ex-RAF erk used to Vampires and electric starting told me some years ago about the first time he pressed the starter button on a newly arrived Venom. Hearing a loud bang from behind he was out of the cockpit and heading down the runway at a rate of knots...

[ZRX61]

They scare the beejabbers outta ya when you're sat under the wing of a Hunter sheltering from the rain & some inconsiderate bugger fires it up