Do you know your history? (part XI)

WacoFan said:
You got the trick. Any radial.

Also, for a bonus - what was the biggest radial developed for an airplane - not neccesarily used, but developed? CTab answered that one in a PM.
Click to expand...

Don't know the bonus (not cheating), but is the first the R-4360? It's the largest one I can think of off the top of my head.
 
Here is a hint on the bonus.

The company that made the biggest radial designed for an airplane to use is still in business.

The Main question radial hint:
The largest radial ever could run on a wide variety of fuels.
 
WacoFan said:
Here is a hint on the bonus.

The company that made the biggest radial designed for an airplane to use is still in business.

The Main question radial hint:
The largest radial ever could run on a wide variety of fuels.
Click to expand...

(since I don't want to cheat)

I fold.
 
ctab5060X said:
I would really like to know what application they had in mind for that engine...
Click to expand...

I believe it was for a long range bomber that, while it didn't become what they thought it would became the B36...which only needed 6 4360's and 4 J47's. The airplane they were thinking of was bigger!
 
WacoFan said:
I believe it was for a long range bomber that, while it didn't become what they thought it would became the B36...which only needed 6 4360's and 4 J47's. The airplane they were thinking of was bigger!
Click to expand...


Figured it was something along those lines.

Would love to see it and a R-4360 side by side.
 
MikeD said:
(since I don't want to cheat)

I fold.
Click to expand...

Lycoming RX-7755. 7,755 Cubic inches of American muscle putting out 5,000hp. Weighed 3 tons. I was unusual in that it was liquid cooled, and therefore had four rows of nine cylinders without offsetting - like on a 4360.
xr7755bs.jpg


The answer to largest ever is the Nordberg 1412. This is a radial that will run on kerosene, deisel, gas, just about anything that burns. This was a deisel engine, 2 stroke and had twelve cylinders (and because it was two stroke you could have an even number of cylinders). 29,597 Cubic Inches of Displacement. It was used for pumping or power generation.
Nordbergradial.jpg
 
ctab5060X said:
Figured it was something along those lines.

Would love to see it and a R-4360 side by side.
Click to expand...

I do know that the 4360 won the B-36 deal...for reliability! And the 4360 was not exactly the most dependable or trouble free engine P&W ever created. Don't have a pic of them side by side.
 
Here is another good picture of the R-7755.

Also give a good idea of the size of the beast.

And yes, it was a beast. 5000 hp at 2600 rpm. 7,000 hp was a target for the design!
It consumed 580 GPH of av gas at the 5000 hp rating...

24.jpg

The XR-7755 engineering team.
 
WacoFan said:
I do know that the 4360 won the B-36 deal...for reliability! And the 4360 was not exactly the most dependable or trouble free engine P&W ever created. Don't have a pic of them side by side.
Click to expand...

When The AZ Air Guard was flying their KC-97s out of PHX back in the day, I can remember seeing more than once one landing with one engine shut down and feathered.
 
WacoFan said:
I was unusual in that it was liquid cooled, and therefore had four rows of nine cylinders without offsetting - like on a 4360.
Click to expand...

Also, interestingly enough, it had variable valve timing. The pilot could select the cam to use, either one for takeoff and another for cruise.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top