Over the years I have told my friends and family about rotary engines used in WW I aircraft. Most of the time I got this blank stare like I was missing a few chromosomes. Well here you go nonbelievers. Just as I stated the engine has the prop mounted to it and the crank shaft is mounted rigid to the air frame. Fuel was fed threw the hollow crank into the crankcase, as this was a type of two stroke engine with an exhaust valve. Caster oil was mixed into the gas to lubricate the engine by the Germans and British (they have no oil reserves.) The rudimentary carburetor was not very effective so speed was regulated by cutting the ignition . I you watch any of the early sound movies about WW I where they used original aircraft you can clearly hear them cutting the engines on approach or while taxiing. Not being very efficient they blew out lots of that castor oil coating the plains and pilots. Legend has it that the German pilots sipped on schnapps all day to cut the taste of the castor oil. The oil soaked canvas also made the planes quite combustible.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 07:38:11 +0000
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