Latest Work Completed Mantua, New Jersey
Original Site:
September 2004
E-mail: usav8or@yahoo.com
A Quest for knowledge....
I haven't found much out there on the internet to educate myself on the
workings of a BIG ol' radial engine. That being said I started looking around for old literature on the subject. I finally found a few books/manuals that
were written in the 1940s. They should be here any day now.
I figure... if I'm like many of the "new" homebuilders that are out there looking to hang a radial engine on the front of their plane, and would like to know a little
bit about them, then, I guess I'll be one of the ones finding and reading up on this stuff. I'll then post it here to my blog for everyone else to read. Someone's gotta
do it.
I'm also looking for an old runout engine. (Actually, if I had the money I'd buy one with a little bit of life left in it.) Build it from the ground up. Whenever you take
something down to it's primal form you tend to look at it in a different way. Sorta like building the 'bolt. I see a plane now... and it's more than sexy lines... I can
see the ribs (DAMN can I see ribs ! That's ALL I've been seeing lately.), the rib stiching, the tubing and all the weld joints, all the individual metal fittings. A deeper
understanding and appreciation.
Can't wait to get those books and start learning.
March 20, 2007
I got those books in the mail the other day. They turn out to be a correspondence course for an A&P mechanic back in
1940. It's pretty funny. I need to go back to the '40's to learn about these engines. Doesn't surprise me actually. Most of
the knoweledge you can find about these older engines and planes is buried deep inside of one of the pilots/mechanics that have been around for years.
It's interesting just talking with these guys about this stuff. One of these days that's gonna be me.
Anyways.... I just started to read up on these older
engines. I'll summarize what I read... put it out on the table for you to consume.
August 18, 2012 From Rogue Monkey...
to Grease Monkey
It's been awhile since looking at these books (the ones listed above)... yeah, a little over five years ?!?! Damn !
Over the past few weeks/months/something like that, I've been seriously thinking of disassembling the R755, aka Jacobs Radial Engine.
And no... I won't be doing this on a wing and a prayer. I'll have a qualified AI (aircraft mechanic) looking over my shoulders as I do it.
I'm interested in the shape of it... how many parts and pieces will I need to replace and/or have sent out. I need to get moving on this soon or I'll have a fuselage with nothing to hang on it.